Indiana-Part 1

This week we hit the road for a multi-day out-of-state road trip.  This is the first time we've taken a trip like this since Peaches, Maddie, and I spent a week in Kansas in April 2019.  And it is the first road trip like this that I've taken since I finished my 50 State journey in Hawaii in October 2019.  

After years of taking road trips all around our amazing country every Sprjng and Fall before the Covid years, it was nice to get back on the road again.  But since I've completed my 50 State/50 State Capitol goal, it was time to figure out what to do and where to go next.  

Last Spring when I was fostering Hershey, I planned a trip around Indiana for us, but the weather got really hot the week we were supposed to go, and at the same time Hershey's health took a turn, so I decided I'd save this trip for another time, and this Spring seemed like the perfect time to make the trip Mina's practice road trip.  

Just like my trip to Kansas, I was determined to prove that Indiana was much more than flat farmlands.  I believe each of our States has unique beauty to share with the world and I want to see all of it!

We headed South and East to start our trip and our first scenic spot was Hanging Rock National Natural Landmark.  

While the preserve is small, it is a very interesting spot to explore and the views of the river from the top of the rock are pretty spectacular.  We saw several Spring wildflowers too.

Our next stop was the nearby Salomonie State Forest to visit the 3 Falls loop trail.  This less-than 1/2 mile loop trail promised views of three waterfalls, so we couldn't pass it by.  Unfortunately, the creek beds and falls were dry, but we still had a nice 1 1/2 mile walk through the woods.   This is the spot I saw my first Trillium of the year. 

Next we were off to visit the Seven Pillars of the Mississinewa Landmark.  This is another small preserve, and while there was a 1 1/2 mile hiking trail on property,  we didn't need to hike at all to see the Seven Pillars along the riverbank.

There was a small park and we walked along the river for a bit enjoying the beauty.  See, there is more than cornfields in Indiana!

Our final stop of the day was at Mounds State Park.   This park highlights earthenworks(mounds) built here by prehistoric native Americans.

In addition to the interesting history of the mounds, the park features several scenic hiking trails.  

While here, we met a nice couple who were also traveling with their dogs and we had an interesting discussion on places we've been and other things to see and do with dogs.

By the time we finished our hike, it was nearing sunset and we needed to get dinner and find a place to stay for the night.  Luckily we found a nice hotel just 10 minutes away and picked up some Mexican food close by as well.  

It had been a busy day and we saw a lot of interesting stuff, so we were happy to settle into our room for the night.

We were up early on day 2 and ready for more adventures.   Our stops for the day were remote and not close to each other, but that just gave me more opportunities to see lots of Indiana.

Along the way between stops, we would make some quick stops for some geocaching as well.  I found this egg while looking for a cache.

Our first stop of the morning was the Wilbur Wright birthplace and museum.  It is in the middle of farmland not really close to anything.  While the grounds aren't dog-friendly, I was able to get the girls out for a walk along the road.  I'm always grateful to the people who had the foresight to preserve places like this.  It was an interesting little stop. 

Next we were off to another remote stop, Hoosier Hill, the highest spot in Indiana. The "climb" to the top was a whole 30 ft, but I find these places so interesting.   I also appreciate the people who  own this property allowing access to the public.

Next we were off to Thistlewaite Falls.  These are a road side Falls that you have to get out of the car to view, but it is just a short walk. This also had some interesting history as the site of several different mills, including a saw mill, grist mill, flour mill, and paper mill.

Not far from the Falls, i saw my first lilacs of the year.  They smelled divine. 

And the Pink Panther was watching while I picked up a geocache. 

As we continued our journey, we drove by the Whitewater Canal Historic site.  There is a bunch of interesting information about the history of the canal here, but the historic site was closed the day were were in the area.

While we didn't get the full experience, we were able to check the area out a bit before continuing our journey. 

This headstone also has an interesting history since it is made of zinc.   That was apparently a short-lived way of making headstones, but it sure has held up well to the elements.

Our stop at Anderson Falls was supposed to include a longer hike, but I found out when we got there that to access the longer portion of the trail, we would have had to walk across the top of the Falls.   I decided to skip that hike because I didn't want wet dogs for the rest of our day.

It was a cute Falls and a pretty and very quiet location and we were able to get in a short walk while we were there.

We saw more Spring wildflowers too.

While I had a few other stops planned at some other smaller waterfalls, most of the small waterfalls were dry.  I was disappointed since I figured Spring would be a good time to see them.  

We continued on to our final stop of the day, Clifty Falls State Park.

This stop did not disappoint!

 

While the Falls were flowing very slowly,  the scenery of the area was outstanding. 

We saw both Big and Little Clifty Falls and Cake Rock on our hike. 

The trails here are rugged, and while we didn't hike them all, we really enjoyed the areas that we did visit.

These columbine growing in the rocks were very pretty. 

I'd definitely recommend this park to anyone looking to do some hiking in Indiana.  What a great stop!!

We finished our hike at Clifty Falls and headed off to find our hotel for the night.  We ended our day in the farmlands of Southeast Indiana following this tractor for a bit.  It seemed a fitting was to end our travel day.

I picked up some Chinese take out near our hotel and the girls made friends with a little girl while we waited for the food...and after dinner they crashed for the night.

It had been another excellent day!  Oh how I love vacation. 

The journey continued, but the story of the next couple of days will have to wait for another day.  I'm off to snuggle with the girls and relax after another busy day of vacation.   Part 2 will come soon, I promise!