Hardin Ridge Trail Is One Of The Best Hikes In Indiana For Leaf-Peepers
By Tori Jane|Published October 18, 2021
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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.
The state of Indiana is an awesome place for those who love to get outdoors and go hiking. Amazingly, there are more than 4,200 miles of awesome hiking, biking, walking, and running trails all over the Hoosier State, all of which are fabulous for an afternoon outside. During the time of year where the leaves begin to change and the autumn breeze begins blowing, these hiking trails turn into something even more magical! With all that said, now is the perfect time of year to visit Hardin Ridge and take a lovely fall hike in Indiana while the temperatures are still mild.
Hardin Ridge Trail is a 1.9-mile loop trail nestled within Hardin Ridge Recreation Area near Heltonville, Indiana.
It's a popular destination for Hoosiers and visitors alike year-round thanks to its beauty, but during fall, it becomes something else entirely. It becomes nearly hypnotic.
The recreation area itself is home to more than 1,000 acres of undisturbed, beautiful Indiana landscape, and during the most magical time of year it takes on an entirely new form.
Fiery reds and brilliant golds begin to flush through the trees, and soon enough, the entire world seems to be filled with fall color. It's an immersive change of the seasons that must be experienced to be believed.
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The trail is brief at just under two miles - and trust us, it's not going to feel like enough.
Of course, there's plenty to see along the way, so you'll want to keep moving... eventually. Every step you take is going to feel like a holiday, especially on cooler afternoons when there's a slight breeze.
Lake Monroe is the largest man-made lake in Indiana, measuring in at more than 10,000 acres of space. From the trail, there's an overlook that's simply to die for. Make sure to bring a camera - or at least your phone - because you're going to want to remember these views for a good, long time.
You can continue hiking, or kill an entire afternoon near the water.
Lake Monroe features a swimming beach that, for the time being, should still be just warm enough to dip your toes into before the chill of winter starts to creep in.
Of course, other forms of recreation are welcome in this area as well, so you don't even necessarily need to leave at the end of the day!
There are 197 campsites at Hardin Ridge; some are primitive campgrounds and others have all the bells and whistles like electric hookups. There are also cabins available to rent that sleep up to seven people, so bring your friends - or the whole family - and spend a weekend fully enveloped in all the fall glory of Hardin Ridge.
During peak season (April 15 to Oct. 15), all visitors must pay for a recreation permit - just $5/vehicle.
Do you have a favorite fall hike in Indiana? If so, tell us about it in the comments, or by filling out this form. We love hearing from you, especially when you have great ideas about places we ought to feature someday. For more amazing places to truly experience fall in all its amazing splendor, take a look at this article.
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