Chain O' Lakes State Park: Trails #8 and #2 (Blog Hike #908)

Trails: #8, #2, and #1
Hike Location: Chain O' Lakes State Park
Geographic Location: south of Albion, IN (41.33802, -85.36574)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2022
Overview: A lollipop loop passing 4 kettle lakes.
Park Information: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/chain-o-lakes-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=924073
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video:

Directions to the trailhead: In northeast Indiana, the state park entrance is located on SR 9 4 miles south of Albion or 3.7 miles north of SR 9's intersection with US 33.  Enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and turn left at the first intersection.  Drive another 1.3 miles to the parking lot for Trail #8 on the left.  Park here.

The hike: Established in 1960, Indiana's Chain O' Lakes State Park protects 2718 acres around 9 connected kettle lakes.  The lakes were formed at the end of the last ice age when remnant pieces of retreating glacier ice got buried by sediment.  When the buried ice finally melted, the resulting depression filled up with water to form the lake.

            The park is a major destination for paddlers, who enjoy paddling and portaging from lake to lake.  The park also features fishing and swimming on select lakes, several picnic shelters, a 331-site developed campground, some cabins, and 12 hiking trails totaling more than 22 miles.  This hike explores 4 of the park's kettle lakes, and it also features the historic Stanley Schoolhouse.

Stanley Schoolhouse

            The Stanley Schoolhouse stands at the trailhead, which is across the road from the parking lot.  The brick structure you see today dates to 1915, but a school has stood on this location since 1848.  This school served all four sections (demarcated rectangles of land within a township) that meet at this point, so no student had to walk more than 2 miles to get to school.  The building was closed for the season when I came here on a seasonally cold afternoon in mid-October, so I had to admire the old schoolhouse from the outside.

Trail #8 trailhead

            Trail #8 starts to the right (north) of the school building and heads into the woods.  Numbered posts correspond to an interpretive guide that is available at the park's gatehouse; it describes common trees found in this forest including oaks, hickories, and black walnuts.  The trail dips to pass tiny Turtle Pond and then rises to reach a trail intersection where Trail #8 splits to form its loop.  To follow the interpretive guide numbers in increasing order, I chose to turn right here and use the trail going left as my return route, thus hiking the loop counter-clockwise.

Hiking Trail #8 on the ridge

            The trail heads west on a ridge with Finster Lake, one of the park's smaller kettle lakes, downhill through the trees to the left.  At 0.3 miles, you reach another trail intersection.  Trail #8 angles left to continue its loop around Finster Lake.  We will return to Trail #8 later, but to see some more of the park's lakes, turn right to begin an unnumbered connector trail.

            The connector trail continues our westward course as it winds and descends, sometimes steeply for short sections.  The difference between maximum and minimum elevation on this hike is only about 60 vertical feet, so all steep sections are short-lived.  At 0.7 miles, you reach the other end of the connector trail near the shore of Bowen Lake.  Turn right to begin heading counterclockwise around Trail #2, which circles Bowen Lake.

Approaching Bowen Lake

            With a maximum depth of 65 feet, Bowen Lake is this park's deepest lake.  I noticed some trees with knawed trunks as I walked around this lake, and later in nearby Finster Lake I saw an actual beaver lodge.  Just shy of 1 mile, the trail climbs slightly to head toward the parking lot for Trail #2.  At the next trail intersection, turn left to continue Trail #2's loop and quickly return to the lakeside area.

Bowen Lake

            1.2 miles into the hike, Trail #7 exits right just before you cross the channel connecting Bowen and Sand Lakes on a nice wooden footbridge.  The narrow channel and tan-colored water give this area a north woods feel you would typically find in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, or Michigan.  After crossing a small ridge, you cross another channel.  This channel connects Bowen and Dock Lakes.

Channel connecting Bowen and Dock Lakes

            After crossing the second channel, you reach a major trail intersection.  You have several options to choose from here, but I recommend staying right to leave Trail #2 and begin following Trail #1.  This section of Trail #1 traces a narrow flat area between a steep hill on the left and Dock Lake on the right.  Some nice sycamore trees live in this area, and the hiking is quite pleasant.

Trail #1 near Dock Lake

            At 1.7 miles, Trail #1 crosses another channel to intersect Trail #6.  Instead of crossing this channel, turn left on an unnumbered connector trail to head back to Trail #8.  The connector trail climbs slightly and reaches Trail #8 at the shore of Finster Lake at 1.8 miles.  Turn right to begin the final leg of Trail #8.

Finster Lake

            After staying near the lake for a short distance, the trail climbs moderately to reach a bench that makes a nice resting spot.  A short distance atop the ridge closes Trail #8's loop.  Turn right to return to the Stanley Schoolhouse and complete the hike.  If you are up for more hiking and want to see another of this park's lakes, try the relatively flat Trail #5, which circles Sand Lake, this park's largest lake.