Experience the Forest
~ by Jeff Tryon
Brown County has many attractions— the art, the history, the shopping— but the most amazing thing about it is the woods. The great forest is immense, dominating the county and the southern half of the state, incomparable in its diversity and beauty.
It is an accepted matter of lore around these parts that you will feel better if you take the time to somehow connect with nature, to touch the face of the forest. It’ s as easy as a walk in the park. Brown County State Park, that is. In addition to all the usual amenities of destination tourism— a first class lodge and restaurant with an indoor water park, an Olympic size outdoor pool, extensive and well-developed campgrounds for RV and tent camping, two pristine and beautiful fishing lakes, dozens of rustic shelterhouses and picnic facilities— the 16,000-acre park features an extensive network of hiking and horse trails.
A dozen well-marked and maintained hiking trails covering 18 miles in total will lead you out into the forest, into spots renowned for
24 Our Brown County • Sept./ Oct. 2015
photo courtesy eXplore Brown County generations for instilling the spirit of peace and welcoming the“ Aha!” moment.
The state park has a horse barn with riding tours( and pony rides for the kids), and a separate horsemen’ s camp with top notch facilities and 70 miles of developed backcountry horse trails.
The park has a national reputation as a top mountain biking destination. With five independent loops and three connector trails, the single track trail system covers a 600-foot change in elevation over a two mile descent through steep hills, contour trails, natural rock outcroppings, creek crossings, and other features.
There are other paths into the Brown County woods.
The 23,326-acre Yellowwood State Forest spreads out over the northern and western part of Brown county, centering around Yellowwood Lake and featuring fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping with developed campsites, primitive camping, and horsemen campsites.
Yellowwood has boat ramps and rowboat rentals by the hour or day. Once you have rowed yourself and perhaps a loved one to the center of the 133-acre acre lake, pause for a few minutes to look around. There is good hiking in Yellowwood, including a pretty modest and short trail and some more challenging, longer hikes.
Opportunities to experience miles of marked and mapped trails don’ t end there.
Near the little town of Story on State Road 135 South, you can connect with a number of excellent trails in the Hoosier National Forest, including the 8.6 mile Nebo Ridge Trail, for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.