Turkeyfoot Preserve (Blog Hike #522)

Trail: (unnamed)

Hike Location: Turkeyfoot Preserve

Geographic Location: southwest of Greenville, OH (40.07524, -84.65229)

Length: 1.7 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: June 2015

Overview: A lollipop loop through restored prairie and wetland habitat.

Park Information: http://www.darkecountyparks.org/turkeyfoot-preserve/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=437641
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Greenville, take SR 121 south 2.2 miles to Bishop Road.  Turn right on Bishop Road.  The signed and paved preserve parking area is 0.2 miles ahead on the right.

The hike: Established only in 2005, Darke County Parks’ Turkeyfoot Preserve protects 60 acres of wetlands and restored prairie southwest of Greenville.  The park is named for the big bluestem plant, a prairie grass that produces a flower head shaped like a turkey’s foot.  The good sightlines of the open prairie make Turkeyfoot Preserve a good bird watching destination during spring and fall bird migrations.

Information kiosk and vehicle gate at trailhead

The preserve is accessed by a single hiking trail that starts at the rear of the parking lot.  An information kiosk and a vehicle gate mark the trailhead.  The gravel entrance trail follows an abandoned railroad bed with the preserve on your left and active farm fields on your right.  Some large basswood trees live to the right of the trail and separate you from the field.

At 0.3 miles, the trail curves sharply left to cross a man-made ditch that flows through a pipe under the trail.  The ditch contained plenty of water on my visit.  Just after crossing the ditch, you enter the restored prairie and reach the trail fork that forms the loop.  For no particular reason, I continued straight and used the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Trail splits to form loop

            The trail curves left, climbs slightly, and reaches a wooden prairie observation deck at 0.4 miles.  The observation deck sits at a high point of land and therefore gives a great view of the surrounding prairie.  An interpretive sign tells you that this prairie has been named the Tawaskote Menitsa Prairie for an American Indian who was one of the Darke County Park District’s first commissioners.  Also known by the English name Susan F. Gray, Menitsa served as commissioner for 35 years and worked hard to preserve prairies such as this one.  On the hot summer morning I came here, I saw several red-winged blackbirds while standing on this observation deck.

View from observation deck

Past the observation deck, the trail curves right as it passes through the southern end of the prairie.  0.7 miles into the hike, you reach a spur trail that exits left to cross Mud Creek on a wooden bridge.  Notice the concrete supports under this bridge, an indication that a bridge was here long before the preserve was established.  The short spur trail gives a nice view of Mud Creek’s restored wetlands.  During pioneer times Mud Creek created a large wetland area southwest of Greenville, but drainage for the purpose of farming ensures that it flows in a well-defined channel today.

Bridge over Mud Creek

Mud Creek

Back on the main loop, you head into the northern section of the prairie as active farm fields appear directly ahead.  A large number of toads hopped across the recently-mowed grass trail in front of me.  Some seasonal ponds lie to your right, but they never come into view.  After curving right, you close the loop at 1.4 miles.  Turn left and retrace your steps another 0.3 miles to the trailhead to complete the hike.

Daubenspeck Community Nature Park (Blog Hike #521)

Trails: Main and Woods Loops

Hike Location: Daubenspeck Community Nature Park

Geographic Location: north side of Indianapolis, IN (39.91704, -86.18414)

Length: 0.75 miles

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Date Hiked: June 2015

Overview: A nearly flat hike through prairie and creekside habitats.

Park Information: http://daubpark.org/

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=437020
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Daubenspeck Community Nature Park is located at 8900 Ditch Road on the north side of Indianapolis.  To get there, take I-465 to Meridian Street (exit 31).  Exit and go south on Meridian St.  Drive Meridian St. south 1 block to 96^th Street and turn right on 96^th St.  Drive 96^th St. west 1.4 miles to Ditch Road and take the third exit from the roundabout to go south on Ditch Rd.  The park and its roadside parking area are 0.7 miles ahead on the right.

The hike: Located just inside the I-465 loop, tiny Daubenspeck Community Nature Park provides 20 acres of greenspace in otherwise highly developed northern Indianapolis.  The park owes its existence to Peter Daubenspeck, a farmer who owned many acres of land in this area.  In the 1990’s, Daubenspeck sold most of his land to developers for construction of houses, but he set aside 15 acres on Ditch Road for use by the Metropolitan School District of Washington Township.  The plot was too small for building a school, so the District created a non-profit entity to manage it as a park.  The resulting Daubenspeck Community Nature Park opened to the public in 2006.

            The park has two distinct areas.  The park’s southern three-fourths (the original 15 acres) consists of a restored tallgrass prairie, while the newer northern 5 acres consist of young creekside forest.  A single trailhead provides the only trail access, so it makes sense to tour both park sections on a single short hike such as the one described here.

Trailhead near sundown

            Three trails depart from the trailhead, giving you the options of right, left, and straight.  The trails going right and left form a loop around the prairie section, while the trail going straight leads to a wooden observation deck that gives a great view of the prairie.  You will want to go to the observation deck at some point, but I chose to first hike the loop clockwise by taking the trail to the left.

            The grassy trail heads south with Ditch Road to your left and the prairie to your right.  At 0.1 miles, the trail forks.  Take the left fork to reach a short boardwalk over a small wetland area.  On the other side of the boardwalk, the two trails from the fork come back together.  You next curve right to pass through the southern part of the park and begin heading north near the park’s western boundary.

Boardwalk over wetland

            At 0.25 miles, the trail that goes through the center of the prairie past the observation deck enters from the right, thus giving you another opportunity to visit the prairie observation deck.  For the best prairie wildflower display, plan a late summer visit.  When I came here on a late mid-June evening, only the white beardtongue was blooming.

View from prairie observation deck

            Continuing north on the main loop, ignore a trail that exits left and heads for private property.  A gradual descent brings the trail into the woods and to another trail intersection.  The main loop continues uphill to the right, but to tack on the short Woods Loop, turn left and cross tiny Alverna Creek on a nice wooden footbridge.  Where the trail splits to form the Woods Loop, continue straight to hike the loop counterclockwise.  The narrow dirt trail makes its short loop through young forest, which features a green carpet of grassy plants.

Hiking the Woods Loop

            After closing the Woods Loop, turn right to recross Alverna Creek on the same wooden footbridge, then angle left to continue the main loop. The trail climbs some wooden steps to return to the prairie.  A second short boardwalk takes you over another small wetland area just before you return to the parking area to complete the loop.  Make sure you check out the prairie observation deck before you leave if you have not done so already.