Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge: Turkey and Bird Trails (Blog Hike #973)

Trails: Turkey and Bird Trails
Hike Location: Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
Geographic Location: east of Seymour, IN (38.93987, -85.80098)
Length: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: October 2023
Overview: A lollipop loop passing several wetlands with good bird-viewing opportunities.
Refuge Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/muscatatuck
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=949428
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In southern Indiana, take I-65 to US 50 (exit 50A).  Exit and go east on US 50.  Drive US 50 east 2.6 miles to the signed refuge entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the refuge.  Drive the main refuge road 2 miles, turn right, then turn right again to enter the parking lot that serves the Turkey and Bird Trails.  Park here.

The hike: My October 2023 visit to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge was my second visit to this collection of wetlands.  On a cold day in January 2002, I drove out here from my home near Cincinnati and did a 5+ mile hike on the refuge's East River and West River Trails.  I had a very wet and muddy hike that day, and those trails were later closed to better protect the Muscatatuck River's floodplain.  More than 21 years later, I drove out here again from my hotel in Cincinnati, and I had a damp but shorter and much more pleasant hike.

            Established in 1966, Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge protects 7880 acres of wetlands and woodlands along its namesake river.  The refuge's main purpose is to provide habitat for waterfowl and other birds, and wildlife watching is one of the main activities at this refuge.  The refuge also protects some historical points of interest: a log cabin and 2 pioneer cemeteries exist on its grounds.

            Like most national wildlife refuges, Muscatatuck offers a 4 mile tour for automobiles but only short trails for hikers.  Most of the refuge's trails explore the wetlands, and all of its trails are less than 1 mile in length.  This hike combines 2 of the refuge's longer trails to form its longest possible hike without doing a road walk.  Also, this hike explores both the woodlands and wetlands at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, and it allows you to do some good wildlife viewing in both of those habitats.

Start of Turkey Trail

            Start on the Turkey Trail as it heads into the woods at the rear of the parking area.  Two interpretive signs, one large and one small, stand at this trailhead.  Trails at Muscatatuck are unblazed, and these trails were narrow but obvious on my visit.  After only a few hundred feet, the Turkey Trail splits to form its loop.  To save the best wetland for last, I chose to angle left here and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Hiking through the woods

            The winding trail heads the general direction of north through a dense forest that contains a large number of beech trees.  A few large oak trees also live in this forest.  The terrain is very flat with only minor ups and downs.  Some short spur trails head left to a wet grassy meadow.  The meadow should be a good area for wildlife viewing, but I saw no wildlife when I came here on a late Friday afternoon.

Grassy wet meadow

            Just past 0.5 miles, you reach the start of the Bird Trail.  Angle left to leave the Turkey Trail and begin the Bird Trail, which forms a loop through similar forest and terrain.  True to its name, I heard and saw many common birds while hiking this trail including blackbirds, robins, blue jays, and mourning doves.

Algae-covered pond

            At 1.15 miles, you reach the east end of the Bird Trail where it rejoins the Turkey Trail.  Angle left to continue your clockwise journey around the Turkey Trail.  Soon you reach the best wetland on this hike: an algae-covered expanse of open water.  I saw a blue heron here, and this pond is the best spot for waterfowl viewing on this hike.  Continuing a little further south closes the Turkey Trail's loop, where angling left brings you back to the trailhead to complete the hike.  If you want to do more hiking, the refuge has several other short trails that beckon your exploration, or Muscatatuck County Park in nearby North Vernon has many miles of trails through rolling terrain.