2024 Summary and Reflection Post

For once I have managed to get all of my hikes for the year posted before the end of the year!  2024 was a great year on the trail with God's creation in its natural state.  We did 55 new hikes this year that covered 142.8 miles of trails across 21 different states.  None of those numbers are personal records, but they are good numbers.  Highlights for the year include doing my 1000th blog hike on my way back from California at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona, hiking the Cordwalk at Kohler-Andrae State Park in Wisconsin, and hiking to the top of Indiana Dunes in northwest Indiana.  We also completed our goal of visiting and hiking in every state park in Indiana.

Looking ahead to 2025, I hope to get off to a quick start with a trip to Texas Hill Country; I have never been there before.  We will also spend quite a bit of time in Alabama next year with the goal being to finish visiting and hiking in every state park in Alabama.  I only have 5 state parks left to do in Alabama, so hopefully we will accomplish that goal by the end of March.  I also have a trip to Hawaii planned for this year, which will check off the final of 3 long term goals I set more than 10 years ago: visit and hike in all 50 states before I turn 50 years old. We also have a trip to New Jersey and our usual trips to Ohio and Tennessee planned.  I am looking forward to another great year on the trail in 2025!

As always, I want to thank you for reading the posts and watching the videos here at Parking Full Time.  Your views, comments, subscriptions, and likes encourage me to keep this project going.  I'll see you on the trail in 2025!

Happy new year, take care, and Lord bless,

David Prager, aka Big Dave, the Parks Professor

2024 Summary and Reflection Video (recorded at Lake Wateree State Park in South Carolina):

Manassas National Battlefield Park: First Manassas Trail (Blog Hike #1038)

Trail: First Manassas Trail
Hike Location: Manassas National Battlefield Park
Geographic Location: north side of Manassas, VA (38.81313, -77.52158)
Length: 5.2 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: November 2024
Overview: A loop hike passing major landmarks from the First Battle of Manassas.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=975043
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming April 17, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: In northern Virginia, take I-66 to SR 234 (exit 47).  Exit and go north on SR 234.  Drive SR 234 north 0.7 miles to the Henry Hill Visitor Center on the right.  Park in the parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: The Confederacy called the battles Bull Run after a nearby creek; the Union called them Manassas after a nearby town.  Whichever name you use, the battlefield was located just 30 miles west of Washington DC, and twice during the American Civil War it became the focus of the entire country's attention.  The first time came on July 21, 1861 when the first of many major Civil War battles in Virginia was fought here.  The Union army was trying to drive south to strike the Confederate capital in Richmond and put a quick end to the new war.  While the events of that day will be detailed later in this post, the fact that the war lasted nearly 5 years tells you how that battle went for the Union.

            The second time came just over a year later on August 28-30, 1862.  Union Major General John Pope thought he had Confederate troops commanded by Major General Stonewall Jackson trapped between Union forces to the east and west.  After Jackson's men successfully repelled several assaults, Confederate reinforcements commanded by Major General James Longstreet arrived.  Seemingly unaware of Longstreet's presence, Pope's forces continued attacking Jackson's position, at which time Longstreet counterattacked and devastated the Union army.  The Union rearguard prevented a Confederate assault on Washington, but the victory at Manassas led Confederate General Robert E. Lee to embark on his Maryland campaign, which would end in defeat a month later at Antietam.

            Both of the battles described above occurred on the same battlefield, and that battlefield is now protected as Manassas National Battlefield Park, which was established in 1936.  The park occupies 5073 acres of rolling terrain, but history takes center stage here: the park offers only a Visitor Center with interpretive materials, some picnic areas, and many miles of trails.  The park's trail system is built around 2 main loop trails: the First Manassas and Second Manassas Trails, which pass important locations from their respective battles.  Both loops start near the Visitor Center, so you can easily hike one or both loops as you wish.  This hike describes the First Manassas Trail, which is the shorter of the 2 loops.

Trailhead at Visitor Center

            From the Henry Hill Visitor Center parking lot, head northeast on the First Manassas Trail as it heads across a mowed grass field with some monuments and cannons.  The Visitor Center is named after the hill on which you are walking, and this hill's significance in the First Battle of Manassas will be described later in the hike.  The First Manassas Trail is marked with blue paint blazes, so the route-finding on this hike is simple: just follow the blue blazes.  That said, there are numerous other trails in this part of the park, so you do need to watch for the blue blazes to stay on the right trail.

Crossing Henry Hill

            Henry Hill is the highest point on this hike, so the trail begins a long gradual descent as it leaves the open field and enters the woods.  The largest trees in this forest are oak trees, but some red cedars also live here.  A dense layer of honeysuckle populates the understory.  At 0.7 miles, you intersect a horse trail that appears to be an old dirt road.  As directed by the blue blazes, turn left to begin heading north on the old road.

Intersecting and old road

            Just shy of 1 mile, you cross Young's Branch on a wooden footbridge.  A gradual climb brings you to a crossing of US 29 at 1.2 miles.  The high volume of traffic moves fast here, and the crossing is unmarked from the drivers' perspective.  Thus, you need to be very careful crossing this highway.

Crossing Young's Branch

            A brief moderate climb brings you to a trail intersection at 1.4 miles where the Stone Bridge Loop Trail exits left.  An interpretive sign tells you that the Van Pelt farmstead once stood here.  The farmstead was a key structure during both battles due to its strategically important location on the bluffs overlooking Bull Run.  The farmhouse burned down in the early 1930's.  Turn right at this intersection to stay with the blue blazes and start the steep descent to Bull Run.

View from former Van Pelt farmstead

            After descending some wooden stairs, you cross a boardwalk and reach the Stone Bridge just shy of 2 miles.  Some of the earliest action in the First Battle of Manassas took place here as Union troops coming from the east needed to cross Bull Run to assault Confederate positions on the bluffs to the west.  This Union effort was successful, and Confederates were pushed back onto the high hills to the west of the bluffs.  Although this bridge looks like the original bridge, it only dates to 1884: the original Stone Bridge was destroyed by retreating Confederates in March 1862.

Stone Bridge

            Next the trail curves left and begins heading upstream with Bull Run to your right.  I saw a heron in the stream, and the floodplain hiking past large sycamore trees is flat and pleasant.  At 2.3 miles, the trail climbs steeply to leave the floodplain.  A bench near the top of this hill gives a nice blufftop view of Bull Run, and it makes a nice place to sit and rest near the midpoint of this hike.

Heron in Bull Run

            The next 0.8 miles head west on a rolling course through a mixture of fields and woods.  At 3.2 miles, you reach the former site of the Pittsylvania mansion.  Built in 1765 by Landon Carter Jr., the large Pittsylvania estate was in severe financial trouble by the start of the Civil War.  The mansion served as a field hospital during both battles.  Although the mansion survived both battles, it burned in the fall of 1862, and today only the foundation stones remain.

Trail near Pittsylvania site

            Past Pittsylvania, the rolling westward course continues, and near 4 miles into the hike you reach the summit of Matthews Hill, which at 1 foot below Henry Hill is the second highest point on this hike.  A row of cannons stands atop Matthews Hill, and interpretive signs tell you that Union infantry thought they had the First Battle of Manassas won when they forced the Confederates from this hill.  Yet looking to the south gives a clear view of Henry Hill where you started, and atop Henry Hill was stationed a Confederate leader named Thomas Jackson.  Jackson reorganized and rallied the Confederates to an unlikely victory, and he earned the nickname "Stonewall" for his leadership on that day.

Looking south to Henry Hill from Matthews Hill

            From the trail intersection atop Matthews Hill, turn left to begin the final leg of the First Manassas Trail.  The trail descends moderately to enter Young's Branch ravine, which at this point separates Matthews and Henry Hills.  At the bottom of the ravine, you pass the Stone House, which is possibly this park's most recognizable landmark.  Built before 1850, this house stood in the line of fire during both battles, and it was used as an oasis for injured soldiers from both sides.

The Stone House

Reconstructed Spring Hill Farm

            Use the crosswalk and pedestrian signal to cross US 29 and begin the final somewhat steep climb toward Henry Hill.  As you approach the Visitor Center, you pass through the reconstructed Spring Hill Farm.  The original farm was heavily damaged by Union artillery and later destroyed.  Pass the Henry Family Cemetery and return to the Visitor Center to complete the hike.

Tygart Lake State Park: Dogwood/Tygart Dam Loop (Blog Hike #1037)

Trails: Dogwood and Tygart Dam Trails
Hike Location: Tygart Lake State Park
Geographic Location: south of Grafton, WV (39.30469, -80.02294)
Length: 2.3 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A loop hike, steep in areas, over a ridge and along Tygart Lake.
Park Information: https://wvstateparks.com/park/tygart-lake-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974952
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming August 1)

Directions to the trailhead: From the junction of US 50 and US 119 in Grafton, take US 119 south 1 mile to Barrett Street.  Turn left on Barrett Street, which becomes Knottsville Road after it leaves Grafton.  Drive a total of 3 miles from US 119 to Boyce Road and turn right on Boyce Rd.  Drive Boyce Rd. west 1.1 miles to its end at the main park road.  Angle right on the main park road, and drive the main park road 1.5 miles to Tygart Lake Lodge on the left.  Park in front of the lodge.

The hike: Tucked deep in the hills of northern West Virginia, Tygart Lake State Park protects 391 acres on the east shore of its namesake lake.  Tygart Lake came to be in 1938 when the Army Corps of Engineers built a dam on the Tygart River to control flooding on the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers downstream.  The federal government deeded the land to the State of West Virginia in 1945, and the park opened in 1953.

            Considering the park's remote location, it has an impressive list of amenities.  In terms of lodging, the park features a cozy 20-room lodge complete with a restaurant and gift shop, 11 cabins, and a 40-site partially developed campground.  The park also offers a marina and the usual aquatic activities on Tygart Lake.  For hikers, the park offers 6 trails totaling 7 miles.  This hike combines 2 of those trails and explores both the ridgetop and lakeside areas, thus sampling everything the park has to offer.

Signed start of Dogwood Trail

            Your first task on this hike is to find the start of the Dogwood Trail.  From the lodge parking lot, walk north on the seldom-used park road, which is back out the way you drove in if you followed the directions to the trailhead above.  After walking about 1000 feet, look for the signed start of the Dogwood Trail on the left.  The trail going right is the end of the Tygart Dam Trail, which is the final leg on our loop.

Climbing on the Dogwood Trail

            Marked with white plastic diamonds, the Dogwood Trail climbs the unnamed hill on a moderate to steep grade.  Three switchbacks get you to the top of the hill, and while the trail is rough and primitive, I have certainly hiked rougher and more primitive trails in West Virginia.  Some large oak trees dominate the forest, and the hiking is challenging but pleasant.

View down power line corridor

            At 0.7 miles, you reach the top of the hill as the trail curves left to pass under a power line.  A nice view northwest down the power line corridor can be had to the right.  This hilltop is about 400 feet above Tygart Lake, but Tygart Lake is not visible from here.  After reentering the woods, the trail makes a broad switchback near the top of the hill, and this switchback is the flattest part of the Dogwood Trail.

End of Dogwood Trail

            Just past 1 mile, the trail curves left to leave the hilltop area and heads straight down the hillside.  There are no switchbacks on this part of the trail, and therefore the descent is very steep.  At 1.2 miles, you intersect a steep gravel road that allows service vehicles to access some tanks to the right.  Turn left to walk down the gravel road and intersect the main park road.  A small alternate parking lot exists here, and the Dogwood Trail ends here.  A connector trail heads straight downhill to the Tygart Dam Trail, but this hike also visits Tygart Dam by turning right and beginning a 0.25 mile road walk.

Tygart Lake

            1.5 miles into the hike, you reach the Tygart Dam area, where a rustic picnic shelter overlooks the dam.  Turn sharply left to begin our return route on the Tygart Dam Trail.  Marked with yellow/orange trail markers, the Tygart Dam Trail descends steeply on a gated asphalt road to reach an area with benches overlooking Tygart Lake.  These benches feature nice views of Tygart Lake, and they make nice places to stop and have a snack with the hardest hiking behind you.

Looking uphill to the lodge

            At 1.7 miles, you reach a cul de sac where the gated road turns into a dirt trail.  After crossing a wooden footbridge, the connector trail you passed at the parking lot earlier comes in from the left.  The Tygart Dam Trail stays in the narrow strip of woods with the park road uphill to the left and the lake downhill to the right.  While the trail is not completely flat, it seems easy relative to the steep Dogwood Trail you hiked earlier.  At 2.2 miles, the lodge comes into view uphill to the left, and your final lake view opens up on the right.  Climb the steps to the left and walk through the lodge lobby to return to the lodge parking lot and complete the hike.

Lake Alma State Park: Old Pine and Sassafras Trails (Blog Hike #1036)

Trails: Old Pine and Sassafras Trails
Hike Location: Lake Alma State Park
Geographic Location: north of Wellston, OH (39.14869, -82.51227)
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: 7/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A loop hike, first on steep and primitive trails, then on a lakeside paved bike path.
Park Information: https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/lake-alma-state-park
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974903
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming September 12)

Directions to the trailhead: From Wellston, take SR 93 north 0.7 miles to SR 349 and turn right on SR 349.  Drive SR 349 north 1.5 miles to the signed entrance for Lake Alma State Park on the right, crossing the lake's dam on the way.  Turn right to enter the park, and drive the one way park road 0.3 miles to the beach parking area on the right.  Park here.

The hike: Tucked deep in the hills and hollows of rural and rustic Vinton County, Ohio, Lake Alma State Park has the odd distinction of occupying the site of an old amusement park.  The amusement park was built in 1903 by Charles Ketterer Davis, a wealthy coal operator whose company was located in nearby Wellston.  The amusement park lasted only until 1910, but the 60-acre lake Davis constructed for the park was then purchased by the City of Wellston as a municipal water supply.

            Today the State of Ohio leases 292 acres on and around the old amusement park lake, which it operates as Lake Alma State Park.  The cozy park features a 76-site developed campground, boating, fishing, and swimming on Lake Alma, several picnic areas, and 4 nature trails totaling over 3 miles.  The problem with this park's trail system is that none of the 4 natural surface trails form a loop, but a loop can be formed by using a roadside bike path to return to the start after hiking 1, 2, or 3 of this park's natural surface trails.  Such is the route described here.

Old Pine Trail trailhead

            Start by walking north through the beach parking area and then crossing the park road to find the signed trailhead for the Old Pine Trail.  Marked with dark green paint blazes, the trail heads into the woods and starts climbing.  As will come as no surprise to anyone who has done significant hiking in this part of the country, the trail heads straight up the hill with no grading or switchbacks.  The hills surrounding Lake Alma are only about 150 feet tall, but the steepness and quantity of the ups and downs make this hike quite challenging.

Climbing on the Old Pine Trail

            At 0.2 miles, you reach the top of the hill only to begin descending just as steeply.  In all of the steepness, it is easy to ignore the nice oak/hickory forest and the occasional clusters of nice beech trees.  The trail curves left to begin treading the side of the hill before curving right to descend to the park's main campground at 0.5 miles.  The Old Pine Trail ends here.  Angle left and then right to walk southeast on a paved campground road that heads into a steep-sided hollow.

Start of Sassafras Trail

            0.7 miles into the hike, you reach the rear of the campground and the start of the Sassafras Trail, which is marked with red paint blazes.  This point is marked as Point B.  After crossing a creek on a nice wooden bridge, the trail heads steeply uphill again.  Near the top of the hill you see some orange blazes; they mark the park's south boundary, which is immediately to your left.  Do not mistake the orange "blazes" for a trail.

Hiking the Sassafras Trail

            After descending into the next hollow, you reach another trail intersection.  The brown-blazed Acorn Trail exits left here, and you could go that way if you want another mile of steep hiking through nice forest.  I had a decent ways to drive on the afternoon I came here, so I continued straight to stay with the red-blazed Sassafras Trail.

Gazebo at Lake Alma

            At 1.1 miles, the Sassafras Trail ends at the asphalt bike trail and park road.  Turn right to begin heading back to the beach parking area.  The last segment of this hike is flat and easy, and nice views open up across Lake Alma to the left.  At 1.5 miles, you return to the beach parking area to complete the hike.

Angst Nature Preserve in Trenton, OH (Blog Hike #1035)

Trails: Big Bluestem, Snakeroot, and Ironweed Trails
Hike Location: Angst Nature Preserve
Geographic Location: west of Trenton, OH (39.48705, -84.51575)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A round-the-park hike through old farm land converted to new prairie.
Park Information: https://www.yourmetroparks.net/parks/angst-nature-preserve-metropark
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974758
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming October 14)

Directions to the trailhead: From Trenton, take SR 73 west 3.4 miles to the signed nature preserve entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the preserve, and park in the only parking lot.

The hike: Opened only in 2021, Angst Nature Preserve is one of many recent additions to Butler County's system of MetroParks.  The cozy preserve protects 84 acres of former farm land, and some of the old farm structures still stand near the parking lot and trailhead.  The preserve exists thanks to the efforts of the Helen Angst family, the Three Valley Conservation Trust, and the Clean Ohio Fund.

            True to a nature preserve, the park is light on amenities: only a parking lot, port-o-let, and trail system grace the premises.  The preserve does offer 3 hiking trails, but they are laid out in consecutive loops so that you have to hike parts of the first 2 trails to get to the third one.  The hike described here follows the outer-most loop through the trail system, thus forming the longest possible loop while minimizing the need to retrace your steps.

Trailhead at Angst Nature Preserve

            Start at the information kiosk at the north end of the parking lot, where the entrance trail that serves all 3 of the preserve's trails heads north.  The old farm buildings can be seen to the left, and future plans call for converting some of these buildings into preserve buildings.  For the first part of this hike you want to follow the aqua-blazed Big Bluestem Trail, which means continuing north along the preserve's east boundary and ignoring other trails as they exit left.

Hiking along the preserve's east boundary

            After passing through a densely wooded area and crossing a small creek, you reach the preserve's rear prairie, which is my favorite part of this hike.  This prairie contains the loop portion of the Big Bluestem Trail, and you want to continue straight to begin heading counterclockwise around the loop.  Also known as turkeyfoot, big bluestem prairie grass surrounds the trail.  Future plans call for all of this preserve's old farm fields to be restored to this kind of prairie.  An innumerable number of grasshoppers hopped along the trail to avoid being crushed by my feet, and I saw a large number of common birds such as red-winged blackbirds while hiking here.

Hiking in the rear prairie

            The land slopes gradually from east to west, so you descend and then ascend while hiking around the Big Bluestem Trail's loop.  At 1.1 miles, you reach Trail Intersection #4, which is marked by a numbered wooden post bearing colored arrows.  To stay on the outer-most loop, turn right here to leave the aqua-blazed Big Bluestem Trail and begin the orange-blazed Snakeroot Trail.

Brushy woods on Snakeroot Trail

            The Snakeroot Trail winds back and forth as it re-crosses the small creek you crossed before.  The area around the creek features dense shrubby forest with honeysuckle everywhere.  Sycamore and black walnut are the most common trees in this forest, but some hedgeapple trees are also found here.  Also known as osage orange trees, hedgeapple trees typically mark old property or farm field boundaries, so finding these trees along an old farm field like this one is not surprising.

Old farm buildings near front prairie

            At 1.3 miles, you climb gradually away from the creek and intersect the Ironweed Trail at the edge of the front prairie; this point is marked as Trail Intersection #5.  Turn right to continue the outermost loop and begin heading counterclockwise around the Ironweed Trail.  Though the front prairie looks much like the rear prairie, traffic noise from SR 73 is your constant companion in the front prairie.  Thus, the hiking is not as pleasant.  At 1.7 miles, you close the Ironweed Trail's loop at Trail Intersection #1.  Angle right and retrace your steps out the entrance trail to return to the parking lot and complete the hike.

Shades State Park: Trails #1, #6, and Trail to Lover's Leap (Blog Hike #1034)

Trails: Trails #1, #6, and Trail to Lover's Leap
Hike Location: Shades State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Crawfordsville, IN (39.93691, -87.07575)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A lollipop loop through and along deep rock-walled ravines.
Park Information: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/shades-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974371
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming date TBD)

Directions to the trailhead: From Crawfordsville, take SR 47 south 9.5 miles to SR 234 and turn right on SR 234.  Drive SR 234 west 4.9 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left on the park access road, then turn right at the next Shades State Park sign to enter the park.  Pay the entrance fee and drive the main park road to its end at the large parking lot for the Hickory Picnic Shelter.  Park near the rear of this lot.

The hike: The steep rock-walled ravines that make Shades State Park famous among hikers today have been attracting people's attention for centuries.  Ancient peoples used the ravines as strongholds when attacked, and a government survey in 1815 used the series of natural springs in these ravines as landmarks.  In 1886, the Garland Dells Mineral Springs Association purchased the land and opened a health resort called The Shades.  The resort's name was short for "Shades of Death," a nickname this land earned probably because it was so unsuitable for food production.  In 1916, Joseph W. Fritz gained control of the Association, and in 1947 his heirs sold the land, which was bought later that year by the State of Indiana to form the state park.

            The steep ravines also ensured that settlers were deterred from trying to farm the land, thus guaranteeing the land's virgin timber was not clear-cut.  The big old trees still welcome visitors today, and the forest makes for great hiking.  On a personal note, with this hike I completed my goal of visiting and hiking in every Indiana state park.  While Indiana does not have many state parks, most of the parks it does have are fantastic, and I wished I had not waited so long to come here.

            In terms of amenities, Shades State Park offers a quiet 105-site campground and several picnic shelters, but the ravines remain this park's main attraction.  Hiking trails lead into all 6 ravines, and proving that you completed a difficult 4.5 mile hike known as the 6-Ravine Challenge earns you the right to buy a special sticker for $1.  The hike described here explores 2 of the park's ravines, and it lets you experience the scenery of the ravines without the difficulty of the 6-Ravine Challenge.

Trail at rear of parking lot

            From the rear/east side of the parking lot, head down the gravel road that leads to the Hickory Picnic Shelter, then angle right to walk between the picnic shelter and the playground to begin Trail #1.  The trail becomes single-track dirt as it continues east through ridgetop forest that features large beech and maple trees.  The terrain is flat and the hiking pleasant.

Sugar Creek, as seen from Prospect Point

            At 0.3 miles, you reach Prospect Point, which offers the best ridgetop view on this hike.  This point sits at the very end of the ridge, and Sugar Creek can be seen 140 feet almost directly below you.  No signs of civilization can be seen from this overlook, so take some time to enjoy this spot.

Steep stairs beside Silver Cascade

Top of Silver Cascade

            Trail #1 now turns south to tread along the edge of Sugar Creek's ravine.  At 0.4 miles, you reach a trail intersection.  All 3 trails at this intersection are called Trail #1, which is somewhat confusing.  You want to turn left and descend a long, steep wooden staircase to reach Silver Cascade.  Silver Cascade is a long cascading low-volume waterfall at the mouth of Red Fox Ravine.  A spur trail takes you to the middle of the waterfall, so the water cascades both above you and below you.  This is a very scenic spot, and I was amazed by the cool temperature of the ravine compared to the ridge.

Hiking up the ravine

            Trail #1 continues by heading up the creekbed in Red Fox Ravine.  The trail crosses back and forth over the creek, so you will likely get your feet wet and muddy here.  Some hemlock trees live in this ravine, and vertical rock walls rise on either side of the creek.  Though the going is challenging, this ravine is the most scenic section of this hike.

Devil's Punch Bowl

            At 0.7 miles, you reach a tight rocky spot in the ravine called the Devil's Punch Bowl.  Climb some wooden stairs to exit the bowl and reach a trail intersection.  Trail #1 continues across the wooden bridge to the right, and you could go that way if you wanted a shorter hike.  To also visit the Lover's Leap overlook, turn left and climb gradually to reach the parking lot for the Dell Picnic Shelter.  Turn left to walk around the cul de sac near this parking lot, then angle north to begin the Trail to Lover's Leap.

Lover's Leap Overlook

            The Trail to Lover's Leap heads out the northern edge of another ridge, and at 1.1 miles it reaches its namesake overlook.  Honestly, this overlook is underwhelming because trees obstruct any broad views, but I still enjoyed looking down into the ravine I had hiked up just a few minutes ago.  Retrace your steps to the Dell Picnic Shelter parking lot, then angle right to begin the combined Trails #6 and #9 as they head across a sunny earthen dam that forms a small pond.

Trail #6 in Red Fox Ravine

            At 1.55 miles, Trails #6 and #9 part ways.  Turn right to stay on Trail #6 as it makes a gentle entrance into Red Fox Ravine near the ravine's head.  The trail heads down the ravine, and while the going is not as wet and muddy as Trail #1 you hiked earlier, a few rugged areas still need to be negotiated.  At 1.8 miles, you climb slightly to intersect Trail #1.  Turn left to cross Red Fox Ravine on a wooden bridge, then climb slightly to close Trail #1's loop near the Hickory Picnic Shelter.  A left turn and short walk out the gravel road returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Prophetstown State Park: Trails #3 and #2 (Blog Hike #1033)

Trails: #3 and #2
Hike Location: Prophetstown State Park
Geographic Location: north of Lafayette, IN (40.51341, -86.80383)
Length: 5.6 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: October 2024
Overview: A double loop along 2 rivers and through large prairies.
Park Information: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/prophetstown-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=974284
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming date TBD)

Directions to the trailhead: Near Lafayette, take I-65 to SR 43 (exit 178).  Exit, go south on SR 43 for 0.3 miles, then turn left on Burnetts Road.  Drive Burnetts Road its entire length of 0.4 miles to 9th Street and turn right on 9th Street.  Drive 9th Street south 0.5 miles to Swisher Road and turn left on Swisher Road.  Swisher Rd. deadends at the park entrance.  Pay the entrance fee, then drive the main park road to the parking lot at its very end, a total of 5 miles from 9th Street.  Park here.

The hike: Established only in 2004, Prophetstown State Park is the newest state park in Indiana.  The park occupies 2000 acres at the confluence of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers near Lafayette, and it protects a nice combination of restored prairie and woodland habitats.  The park is named for 2 Shawnee brothers, Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh, who founded a Shawnee village here in 1808.  Tenskwatawa, also known as The Prophet, was the spiritual leader of the village, while Tecumseh was the military leader.  The circumstances that led to the destruction of their village will be described later in this blog entry.

            Like most new state parks, Prophetstown State Park has new and fantastic amenities, which include a 100-site developed campground, numerous picnic areas, a 2.4 mile paved bike trail, and 4 hiking trails totaling 10.8 miles.  The park also features The Farm at Prophetstown, a living history museum that demonstrates how farming was done in the 1920's, and a Native American Village that replicates a Shawnee council house and medicine lodge.  The hike described here is a double loop that combines two of this park's trails, Trail #3 and Trail #2, each of which forms an independent loop.  These loops explore both the prairie and woodland habitats, and thus they offer a good overview of this park's natural scenery.

Circle of Stones Monument

            Before hitting the trail, take a detour to the south (far) side of the parking lot to view the Circle of Stones Monument, which is also known as the Monument to the Confederated Tribes.  This monument is a circle of 15 large rocks, each of which bears the name of an ancient people that lived in Indiana.  Shawnee are among the peoples represented here, and this park is the perfect place for this kind of monument.

Trailhead at rear parking lot

            Begin by heading east on the concrete trail marked as Trail #2, but turn sharply left to begin a narrow dirt trail as an overlook platform comes in sight; we will visit the overlook platform at the end of this hike.  When you reach a gravel road, turn right to cross the dam that forms the park's fishing pond and quickly intersect Trail #3.  Turn left to stay on the gravel road and begin a clockwise journey around Trail #3.

Hiking along the wooded hillside

            Just shy of 0.5 miles, Trail #3 leaves the gravel road to the right.  Intersections such as this one are marked by wooden posts bearing trail numbers.  Turn right to stay on Trail #3.  For the next 1.1 miles the trail heads east through a narrow wooded corridor along a low but steep hillside.  Oak and hickory trees dominate this hillside.  A golf course and subdivision lie uphill to the left, while a wetland sits downhill to the right.  Numerous steep but shallow ravines need to be dropped into and climbed out of, and this section of trail is one of the hilliest sections in the entire park.

Crossing a ravine

            After curving right to descend the hillside, you intersect an asphalt bike trail at 1.6 miles.  Dirt Trail #3 continues straight, and we will go that way after taking a quick detour to the left to reach a bench overlooking the Tippecanoe River.  Less than 2500 feet from its mouth at the Wabash River, the Tippecanoe flows deep and slow here.  This bench is perched atop the steep river bank, and it makes a nice place to stop, rehydrate, and have a snack near the quarter-point of this hike.

Tippecanoe River

            Back on Trail #3, the trail enters a riverside forest that features some large sycamore trees and a dense understory of honeysuckle.  At 2.2 miles, take a short spur trail that exits left and leads to the sandy bank of the Wabash River.  The old Prophetstown founded by Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh was located just upstream from here, but the village lasted only about 3 years.  In 1811, Indiana Territory Governor William Henry Harrison became concerned about the number of people settling at Prophetstown and led 1050 troops toward the village.  Worried about an attack, the villagers at Prophetstown decided to strike first, and on November 7, 1811 they engaged Harrison's troops in the Battle of Tippecanoe.  The battle lasted just 2 hours.  The villagers were forced to retreat and abandon Prophetstown, after which Harrison's troops burned the village to the ground.

Wabash River

            The trail parallels the Wabash River for 0.6 miles before curving right to head through a prairie, where a large number of butterflies greeted me.  A spur trail exits left to a wetland, but you will get a better view of that wetland at the end of this hike.  At 3.1 miles, you intersect the asphalt bike trail again.  Turn left to quickly close Trail #3's loop, then turn left to walk back across the dam that forms the fishing pond, then turn right to begin a counterclockwise journey around Trail #2.  Some benches overlook the fishing pond, and I enjoyed a rest and water break here while watching a heron across the pond.

Heron at fishing pond

            Trail #2 continues west through fantastic restored tallgrass prairie.  4.2 miles into the hike, you reach an intersection with Trail #1, which forms a loop around the park's developed campground.  You could also hike Trail #1 if you wanted to add more distance to this hike, but I chose to turn left and stay on Trail #2.

Hiking Trail #2 through the prairie

            The campground comes into view on the right as the trail climbs moderately to cross the main park road you drove in on.  You pass through a picnic area to reach another trail intersection at 4.6 miles.  Turn left to begin the final leg of Trail #2.

View at wetland overlook platform

            The mowed-grass trail heads east through more excellent prairie before angling right to enter the woods just past 5 miles.  The trail surface turns to dirt and the trail narrows before it climbs to reach a wetland overlook platform at 5.5 miles.  This platform offers a fantastic view over the wetlands to the east, and I saw at least 30 mallard ducks in this wetland.  This platform is also the one you saw at the beginning of this hike, so walking up the concrete path that exits this platform returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.