Multi-speed Hike at Turkey Run State Park

note: we are meeting at 12 PM EDT (11 AM CDT). for anyone coming from the Chicago or the Calumet Region, make sure you realize this is about a 3 hour drive each way. from southwest Michigan, it is probably more like 3.5 hours.

this event will be sponsored jointly with Rick’s Hiking and Fun Group https://www.meetup.com/Ricks-Hiking-Fun-Group/ .

dear friends–

please join us for a magnificent hike on some of the best trails in the best state park in Indiana.

we will meet in front of the Turkey Run Inn at 12 PM EDT. if you don’t find us, call me at 773-415-0428, and hope i have a signal.

please check the weather before departure and have appropriate clothing and equipment (http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/47859 ).
bring along a lunch which we will eat on the trail, plus enough water (one quart minimum). bring sunscreen if the weather calls for it. insects are seldom a problem at Turkey Run because it is a mature, climax forest with swiftly running water, but some are more sensitive than others, so use your judgement.

i will pass a hat for a small donation to cover expenses: mostly, this is the cost of using the meetup website, but sometimes I need some dinero to pay for occasional gifts to neighbors who let us use their parking, prizes for contests (at the Survivor Chicago event in June 2004 I gave away a car ), etc. as long as i can cover this with people putting $2-3 in a can, i prefer not doing anything more binding or complicated.

we will start off on trail 6, visit Turkey Run Hollow, then continue around trail 7, ending up at Sunset Point.

then we will continue on trail 1 to the Nature Center. we will look around a while, and use the restrooms, then cross the suspension bridge, and soon be in beautiful Rocky Hollow, the crown jewel of the park. we will continue up Rocky Hollow to the Punch Bowl, then continue on trail 3 past the ladders of Bear Hollow, and up the 140 steps of trail 5.

at that point, we will have lunch and a meeting and make decisions. those who have had enough, may take trail 5 back down to Sugar Creek, take the rest of trail 3 along the river, thru the Devil’s Icebox and Ladder rock, cross the suspension bridge, and go back on trail 1 to our cars (a significant hike of about 2 extra miles in itself).

those who would like to extend the hike another rugged mile longer, can continue on trail 9, thru Boulder Canyon and Falls Canyon, and then take the same route as the others back to the Inn and the cars.

it’s possible to drive to this hike and back in one day, but i encourage anyone who wants to make a whole weekend of this event, to find accommodations at the Turkey Run Inn, Turkey Run or Shades campgrounds, or at several private facilities in the area and spend Saturday hiking, canoeing, kayaking, etc in this wonderful natural area.

hope to see you there,

Rick