O'Bannon Woods State Park: Ohio River Bluff Trail (Blog Hike #1014)

Trail: Ohio River Bluff Trail
Hike Location: O'Bannon Woods State Park
Geographic Location: west of Corydon, IN (38.17047, -86.30716)
Length: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2024
Overview: A loop hike below and above rocky bluffs overlooking the Ohio River.
Park Information: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/obannon-woods-state-park/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=961959
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 16, 2025)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 135 and SR 62 in Corydon, take SR 62 west 7 miles to SR 462 and turn left on SR 462.  SR 462 dead-ends at the park entrance in another 3 miles.  Pay the park entrance fee, then follow the main park road 3.5 miles to the Ohio River picnic area, where this hike begins.

The hike: Formerly known as Wyandotte Woods State Recreation Area, 2000-acre O'Bannon Woods State Park may be the most rustic and remote state park in Indiana.  The area's most famous attraction is Wyandotte Caves, a pair of caves that comprise the 5th largest cave system in southern Indiana.  The caves are accessible only by guided tour, and I still remember the excellent tour I took of Little Wyandotte Cave almost 30 years ago.  The area became a state park in 2004, and its name was changed to honor former Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon, who died in office in 2003.

            Despite the park's remote location, it boasts a long list of amenities including a 281-site developed campground, a nature center with live animal exhibits, some picnic areas, and a family aquatic center.  The park has many hiking options, the most famous of which is the 25-mile Adventure Trail, one of the hardest and best backpacking trails in Indiana.  For dayhikers, the park offers 10 trails totaling 21 miles.  Each of these trails offers an interesting experience, but this hike features the Ohio River Bluff Trail, which is neither this park's shortest and easiest nor longest and hardest trail.  As its name implies, the Ohio River Bluff Trail explores the rocky limestone cliffs that tower over the Ohio River while leading to this park's best blufftop river view.

Trailhead at Ohio River picnic area

            From the rear of the Ohio River picnic area parking lot, walk around the vehicle gate to begin the Ohio River Bluff Trail; a single wooden sign marks this trailhead.  The single-track dirt trail heads west in a flat narrow strip of land between the Ohio River through the trees to the left and a steep bluff with vertical cliffs rising to the right.  Some areas were quite muddy when I hiked here the day after a heavy rain.  For the most part the river stays out of sight, but a few gaps in the trees offer nice river-level views south into Kentucky.  Wildlife can be abundant here, and I saw 2 box turtles and a blue jay while I was hiking along the river.

River-level Ohio River view

            After 0.6 miles of level riverside hiking, you reach a trail intersection marked by a brown carsonite post.  A horse trail called the Blue River Bluff Trail (not to be confused with the similarly named hiking trail you are on) goes straight and right here.  If you wanted to lengthen this hike to more than 3 miles, you could continue straight and hike the Blue River Bluff Trail's loop, but that trail is muddier and harder to follow than the hiking trail.  To stay on the Ohio River Bluff Trail, turn right, then quickly turn right again at the next brown carsonite post to begin heading uphill toward the bluff.

Turn right to climb to bluff

            The moderately steep climb up to the bluff uses narrow, eroded, and somewhat overgrown trail that will need to be re-cleared in a few years.  Upon reaching the blufftop, the trail undulates somewhat as you tread atop the cliffs you looked up at a few minutes ago.  The forest up here is a nice broadleaf forest dominated by tulip, hickory, and oak trees.  Enjoy the trees, but take care not to slide off of the cliff: a fall from these heights would be injurious if not fatal.

Blufftop picnic area

Blufftop Ohio River view

            At 1.1 miles, you come out at the blufftop picnic area that gives this hike's best view.  The bluff stands about 200 feet above the river, and a gap in the trees provides a perfect view of the river and Kentucky beyond.  A wooden overlook platform with picnic tables makes a great place to sit, rest, rehydrate, and watch barges navigate the river.

CCC-built stone stairway

            To continue the Ohio River Bluff Trail, walk across the grassy picnic area and angle right to find where the trail reenters the woods.  The descent back to the parking area is just as steep as the ascent you did earlier, but the descent uses an old stone stairway built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  Some of these stones are not in the best of shape, so you have to watch where you step.  The stairway comes out at the park entrance road, where a right turn quickly returns you to the riverside parking area to complete the hike.