6 Of The Greatest Forest Hiking Trails In Indiana For Beginners
By Tori Jane|Published October 28, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Lovers of hiking trails in Indiana, have we got a fun week of hiking planned for you! Okay, maybe it doesn’t need to be a whole week – you can do these whenever you feel like getting out of the house – but you could definitely make a week out of them if you wanted to (with one day to rest). We put together a list of six of the best beginner hikes in Indiana, and they all have one thing in common (besides amazingness): each of them leads adventurers through a forest paradise, showing off the incredible natural beauty of the Hoosier State.
Ogle Lake Trail #7 is like something from a fairy tale. It's short and sweet, at just 1.2 miles long, and it's got views to die for. Experience all the magic the forest has to offer on this once in a lifetime easy hiking trail in Indiana.
The 2.3-mile loop trail at Sodalis Nature Park is a force to be reckoned with. It's a gorgeous, 210-acre preserve named after the endangered species of native bats that call the park home. This stunning Indiana nature trail has everything you could ever ask for in a hike: peace, quiet, and shade (oh, and trees - lots of trees).
Lovers of incredible waterfalls in Indiana have no doubt at least heard of Cataract Falls, one of the largest waterfalls by volume in the Midwest. This easy, 1.7-mile trek into the woods ends with amazing views of the cascades, promising to be an adventure you'll never forget (and a dream you don't want to wake up from).
Lovers of woodsy wonderlands won't be able to get their fill of the trail in the Bicentennial Woods. At just 1.8 miles long, this trail is perfect for relaxing and unwinding amongst the trees. Imagine if they could speak - what kind of stories would they tell? This gorgeous, shady Indiana hiking trail is just waiting to tell you all its secrets.
The Heron Rookery Trail is special for lots of reasons - it's so much more than just a forest hiking trail. This 3.2-mile trek follows along part of the Little Calumet River, and once upon a time - for many decades - more than 100 families of Hurons called this area home. They have since moved on to other breeding grounds, but the history here alone makes the trail a fascinating - and spellbinding - one. You'll find this amazing hike nestled within Indiana Dunes National Park.
Last on this list (but certainly not last in our hearts) is the amazing trail at Moraine Nature Preserve. This 2.5-mile hike is a stunning reminder of just how splendid the woods of Indiana really are. This breathtaking Indiana nature reserve is a sight to be seen - and you'll love hiking through even more.
Ah, refreshing. Which of these amazing hiking trails in Indiana are you go-to favorites? Did we leave yours off the list? Let us know in the comments!
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