Patoka Lake Hiking Area: Main Trail (Blog Hike #112)

Trail: Main Hiking Trail

Hike Location: Patoka Lake Hiking Area

Geographic Location: south of French Lick, IN (38.40638, -86.67629)

Length: 6.5 miles

Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)

Dates Hiked: November 2001, June 2016

Overview: A scenic, occasionally rocky hike over ridges, knobs, and ravines along the south shore of Patoka Lake.

Park Information: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/patoka-lake/

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=940422
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the north, take SR 145 south to SR 164 and turn right.  From I-64 in the south, take exit 72 on SR 145 and go north 21 miles to SR 164, turning left.  Take SR 164 west 1 mile to CR 27 and turn right.  A Patoka Lake sign marks this intersection.  Proceed north on the county road, which turns into the main park road.  Pass the park entrance stand (a small entrance fee will be required in-season) and follow signs for the Visitor Center.  Park in the main blacktop parking lot.  The trail begins at an information kiosk on the northwest side of the visitor’s center.

The hike: The hills overlooking what is now Patoka Lake have been inhabited for millennia.  Rock shelters such as those found at Totem Rock and Pilot Knob on this property often contain archaeological evidence of pre-historic inhabitants.  These are no exception, as tools, arrowheads, and pieces of pottery have been unearthed on these premises.  Also, a petroglyph of three turtles has been found on nearby trees and rocks.

            In 1970, the Army Corps of Engineers built the earthen dam on the Patoka River, a tributary of the Wabash, that created 8800 acre Patoka Lake.  At this same time, the Jackson and Lick Fork State Recreation Areas were established by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on the north side of Patoka Lake, and the Newton-Stewart State Recreation Area, now known as the Patoka Lake Hiking Area, was established on the south side.  The latter features 1100 acres of mostly second-growth hardwoods, with a few pine plantations mixed in.

            The Patoka Lake Hiking Area contains 8 miles of hiking trails.  Two trails of 1 mile or less make short loops near the Visitor Center.  Our trail makes a longer loop around a small peninsula that juts out into Patoka Lake.  Highlights of the trail include Totem Rock, Pilot Knob, views of Patoka Lake, and a pine plantation that often provides nesting ground for bald eagles in the winter months.

Trailhead near Visitor Center

            Begin from the information kiosk and head slightly downhill, quickly coming to a trail intersection.  Our trail is marked with red circles painted on trees and angles to the right at this intersection.  The trail next becomes extremely rocky as it descends through a break in a limestone cliff, a sign of what is to come later in the hike.

The 1.2 miles of hiking between this cliff and Totem Rock, the first highlight of the hike, are fairly easy, as the trail dips through several shallow ravines.  None of the creek crossings have the aid of a bridge, but the ravines are dry except after a heavy rain.  At a crossing with the short Wildlife Management Trail, continue straight, following the white rings.  After climbing a moderate hill, come to a yellow sign nailed to a tree signaling the 1-mile mark.  These signs are placed every ½ mile to track your progress.

Hiking the Main Trail

            1.4 miles from the start of the hike, the trail crosses the upper reaches of a steep, rock-walled ravine where a small wooden sign announces your arrival at Totem Rock.  Totem Rock is a large limestone rock shelter with considerable breakdown on the floor that must be navigated by the hiker.  This site has been used as a gathering place since man first inhabited the area, whether it be for tribal meetings or church services.

Totem Rock

            Totem Rock signals the beginning of the most rugged portion of the trail.  After navigating the rock breakdown in the floor of the shelter, the trail turns left away from the cliff and heads steeply downhill to cross a small stream.  Immediately, the trail curves right and climbs steeply, eventually passing through another rocky gap in the cliff to arrive at a small meadow.

The trail curves to the right, heads uphill across the meadow, and reenters the woods at a small black wooden sign that says “trail.”  For another 0.1 miles the trail continues a moderate climb to arrive at the 2-mile marker atop Tater Knob.  The trail curves sharply left here and descends, at first moderately, then steeply below cliffs to the left to arrive at an intersection with a short side trail that exits left and descends further to lake level.

Curving right, the trail descends through an extremely steep ravine, again crossing a dry creekbed, before beginning a fairly steep climb to Pilot Knob, marked by a limestone cap.  The trail climbs to the base of the limestone cliff, then angles to the left around the rocks, passing through some breakdown along the base of the cliffs.  The 2.5 mile marker should be here, but instead it is misplaced about 0.25 miles ahead.

Rocky section of trails

            Just past Pilot Knob, the trail crosses an abandoned road, one of many that criss-cross the hiking area, and begins an extremely rocky stretch at a relatively constant elevation with the hill to the right and the ravine to the left.  After 0.2 miles of this topography, the trail curves left and descends to cross a larger stream at the 3-mile mark.  Crossing the stream only 100 yards before it empties into Patoka Lake, this marks the lowest point on the hike.  For more good news, the most rugged stretch of hiking is now behind you.

The trail curves right away from the lake and, for the next 1.3 miles, maintains a relatively constant elevation through mature maple forest.  Some of the best views of the lake can be found along this stretch.  4.3 miles from the start, another side trail exits to lake level on the left while our trail angles right.  The next 1 mile can be characterized by up-and-down over ridges and through ravines.  This section passes through some of the pine plantations mentioned at the onset, so be on the lookout skyward for bald eagles.  Near the 5-mile mark yellow signs posted on trees mark the boundaries of a bald eagle nesting area established by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.  During my visit, I did not see any bald eagles, but I did see flocks of blackbirds, blue jays, Canadian geese, mallard ducks, and Sandhill Cranes.

Hiking on abandoned road

            At 5.5 miles, the trail descends through a deep ravine and climbs out steeply, heading for another abandoned road.  Upon intersecting the road, the trail curves right and continues climbing through some rocks.  Upon reaching the crest of the hill, the trail curves sharply left, leaving the road and descending steeply through a gap in the limestone cliff into the upper reaches of a broad ravine.  The ascent out of the ravine is equally steep, and the 6-mile mark is reached as the cliffs are traversed. 

Now atop the cliffs, the last 0.5 mile is relatively flat with a field to the right and a shorter nature trail loop visible downhill under the cliffs to the left.  The trail comes out on the park road in front of the visitor center.  Turn right and walk uphill to the parking lot to complete the hike.