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We went to Brown County State Park for a family hike and a picnic. We were shocked by how crowded it was, but thankfully we were able to find parking near the lake loop trail. In the future I would bring a hiking baby carrier for my toddler, but my husband and I took turns carrying him and letting him walk the trail a little bit. After the hike, we found a picnic table near the playground that is close to the lake. It is a beautiful hike, but if you have little kids, I would definitely consider a hiking carrier and bringing snacks for pitstops along the way.
I had the opportunity to return to Brown County State Park recently to officiate a wedding - the second wedding I've officiated within the park. I hadn't been to the park in awhile and it was a reminder of just how lovely it is and how surprisingly close it is to Indy. Brown County State Park is Indiana's largest park with nearly 16,000 acres of rugged hills, ridges, and ravines. The park has right around 20 miles of tree-lined roads and 70 miles of horse trails. It has the nickname "the little Smokies," a reference to its abundant hills. While anyone who has been to the Smoky Mountains would likely scoff at the comparison (I have and I do), it's still easily one of the most picturesque park experiences in Indiana. Brown County State Park features Abe Martin Lodge offering accommodations that include motel rooms, cabins, dining and conference facilities and an indoor water park. The park includes large campgrounds, hiking and mountain biking trails, interpretive services, a saddle barn for guided horse rides, and a separate horseman campground. The park is incredibly close to Nashville, Indiana - a great place for shopping, dining, arts and crafts, history, and even concerts. Top things to visit in the park: 1) If you're capable of climbing (it's NOT wheelchair friendly), there's a 90' fire tower that I hear has remarkable Brown County views. 2) Trail 5 features a rare and endangered Yellowwood tree. 3) The park's nature center offers the ability to see one of the endangered timber rattlesnakes (I love snakes and consider this cool). 4) The water park pool is fairly new and pretty awesome. 5) There are numerous places to chill and just enjoy a sunrise or sunset. As a current note, all RVs and vehicles towing trailers must use the park's west entrance on State Road 46 two miles west of Nashville, Indiana. The park's north entrance east of Nashville has a historic Covered Bridge with a 9-foot height clearance and 3-ton weight limit. Oversized vehicles cannot use the north entrance. Horsemen's Campground: For equestrian users, the Horsemen's Campground entrance is on S.R. 135, five miles south of the intersection with S.R. 46. Brown County State Park is somewhat limited in terms of accessible trails. The Friendly Trail is a .4 mile paved trail that offers a great view about halfway through. It's noted as great for birding. Dogs are welcome if leashed. More adventurous wheelchair users can also likely handle a couple other of the park's trails marked "easy." However, if you go up to "moderate" this is a park that tends to lean toward very natural trails and somewhat hilly. Considering Brown County State Park can be home to venomous snakes, it's probably not a park you want to fall out of your wheelchair in. You can buy a state park pass for use at all state parks. They're available at any state park gate or by planning in advance. There are discounts for seniors, folks with disabilities, vets, and others. I love a lot of Indiana's state parks, but I'd be hard-pressed to call any of them better than Brown County. (NOTE: Indiana Dunes is a national park).
My Sunday reset: Hiking Unless there's a known "must see" feature along a path I will always choose the most rugged route. The paths at Brown County did not disappoint.. interesting paths, and great views! ps be mindful of mountain bikers and quick to give them the path. Even if you think the path is too rugged or impossible for them... it's not. We came across a few seasoned mountain bikers and it was impressive to see the terrain they were able to easily navigate.
Brown County was the first state park I visited in Indiana and has been a favorite place to visit since. Located approximately 1 hour south of downtown Indianapolis, BC offers an inn with restaurant, cabins to rent, saddle barn, nature center, lakes for fishing and kayaking, campgrounds, playgrounds, pool and mountain biking and hiking trails. The park has some of the most scenic views and has fire towers and designated look out points. The trails range from easy to challenging, which means "hilly" or "lots of stairs". I prefer to stay off the mountain bike trails but most are available to hikers, too. Reservations are recommended on weekends for the saddle barn and if you're wanting to park at Ogle Lake to do one of the longer hikes l, arrive early-the lot fills up! This park is very popular and can get busy on a nice weekend, especially during autumn when leaf peeping is at its peak. Plan ahead, arrive early, make your reservations well in advance. This is my favorite time to visit the park. And proximity to Nashville IN makes a visit to Brown County that perfect weekend getaway.
I have grown up coming to Brown County on day trips and camping on weekends. The park is massive so you will end up driving from spot to spot throughout the park. You can see some beautiful views throughout the park. On this trip we climbed one of the fire towers (top section was closed), went to Strahl Lake and camped at Taylor Ridge campground. That campground is the best one they have in my opinion- some sites are better than others but we picked a great one. The nature center is always fun to look at and the turtles were out this time. Overall this is one of the best state parks in Indiana
Beautiful state park even in January. Enjoyed our hike on a Saturday morning. Part of the park was closed for traffic, due to a recent snowfall. Also explored theFire Tower which was open to climb. The park is an absolute must whenever Brown County.
A breath of fresh air. Whenever we're hankering for an adventure but don't have enough time for a full-on trip, we come to Brown County for a mini vacation and feel so refreshed. Located in Nashville, Indiana, just about an hour south of downtown Indianapolis, this state park offers hikes through the hills, around lakes or through its pretty bridges. We love looking for turtles in the lakes as we walk and often encounter fun cabins or lookout towers for guests to enjoy as well. It can get crowded in the summer or fall (weekends in the fall especially!) but is totally worth it, as this place is even more beautiful when the leaves start changing. A few dollars per car is totally worth it for a relaxing day! They take both card or cash at the entrance!
The Brown County State Park, nicknamed "Little Smokies" is located just South of Nashville Indiana and has been a favorite destination of mine since a child. That being said I have never actually driven through the whole park or ventured onto many of trails the park has to offer. As of March 2nd I have officially drove through the complete park and now I have a better understanding of the many offerings and locations along with the array of activities this park makes available to those who desire to indulge. There are three entrances to the park and an exclusive entrance for horseback riders located on the East side of the park. The horseman's camp has plenty of campsites for the horse trailers and hitch post for your mounts. I'm not sure how many State parks offer an actual campground dedicated to horseback riders but this is the only one I am aware of for now. The trails are fun to explore on horseback through the different seasons and always fun for all. The park also has a horse and pony saddle barn available to the public March 12-Nov 13 daily. The fees vary depending on duration and type of ride. You can find the info online under www.brown county-saddle barn.com. The North entrance is the closest to the lodge and cabins that are offered for family fun and getaways. Reservations can be made online through www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/Brown-county-state-park/. This website will also give the activity schedule for the park. The cabins are being renovated and updated as I am writing this review. This is why I only gave a 4 star instead of a 5 star review because of the construction and the eyesore it produces during the growing pains. I'm sure it will all be for the better once it's complete. There is also a large swimming pool in the park but I am not sure of the seasonal hours or fees. The West entrance will give you quick access to Ogle Lake and some great scenic photo opportunities that overlook vast valleys and hills with breathtaking beauty. There are two lakes inside the park and both have walking trails around them for a moderate hike that will fill you with fresh air and beauty. The second lake is Strabo lake that is on the Southeast side of the park closest to the horseman's camp. Strahl lake has a waterfall with an observation deck close to restroom facilities that make this spot nice and relaxing. There is also a shelter house with grill available to reserve. There are many pullover spots and random grilling areas inside the park along with a few playground areas for the children. My favorite spot is the 90' Fire tower that is located close to the park office. You are able to climb the stairs of this tower and observe the surrounding area if you dare. It feels like much more than 90'! There are a couple more lookout towers in the park that are fun to explore as well. Be sure to visit the nature center and check out the Timber Rattlesnake which do inhabit some areas of the park and Surrounding counties. Purdue University actually performed a study on them and used transmitters to study their habits. They are rarely seen in the park and should not hinder your enjoyment of you are a true nature lover. There is several wildlife species inside the park and the nature center can explain why you can expect to see while exploring. I hope you enjoyed my review and I hope you plan on getting out and enjoying our Indiana State Parks this year!
**NOTE, CLEARANCE RESTRICTIONS IF TOWING A TRAILER YOU WILL NEED TO USE THE WEST GATE ** I really like this campground. I'm not going to get all detailed on how quiet it is... I'm here camping on Thursday in April it should be quiet. A couple things to consider if you are camping with a trailer or a tent. (1) when it says on the website that there is a slight slope keep in mind that statement is a non- objective opinion with nothing to compare it to. Bring extra blocks, you may not need them if lucky. In my opinion it wouldn't hurt the state to spend some of the gate fee on gravel. No, I do not expect a perfect grade but my site isn't the craziest and I'm out a little over 4" on 10' left to right and 7" on 12' front to back. (2) some of these campsites are small and some are even smaller. Enough said. There is a section higher number spots with pavement a bit nicer and lower numbers in non wooded section that are a little bit similar but different. (3) the drive is narrow, a bit more so than some other state parks I've pulled into. Makes a difference if you have a double cab long bed tow vehicle. The main question is would/will I come back, Yes the hiking trail system is beautiful, the mountain bike trails are extensive, and the park is clean. DNR on site are helpful and friendly. I'm rating this a 4 because of the cleanliness of the park and friendliness of the staff. Based off the number of sites I witnessed yesterday while walking my dog that would require an excessive number of blocks only, sadly I'd have to give it a 3.
Our favorite state park in Indiana. My friends and I camp here for a four day weekend at least once a year, and sometimes visit for just a day hiking trip and picnic. The campgrounds are excellent, especially Taylor Ridge. But be aware that you need to make reservations ahead of time, especially if you are planning a fall camping trip. Campsites sell out early. Shower rooms are decent, not wonderful. But satisfactory for a campground. Quiet hours are strictly observed, and the park rangers will pay a visit to your campsite if you aren't quiet after 10:00 pm Once we received a visit from a friendly park ranger when we were playing cards around 11 pm. We hadn't realized that we were being noisy at all but the ranger advised us that sound carries throughout the campground. Hiking trails range from easy to moderate. Trail maps are available are the trails are well marked. You will likely see deer and raccoons when hiking the trails. Some members of our group enjoy mountain biking too. read more
Brown county is a must go spot for Fall and beware everyone goes there for Fall! Last weekend was very crowded taking about 30 minutes just to cross the entrance. Past the crowd, the views were everything! It was eye candy and so worth the traffic, wait time and people. The park itself is very huge and has a couple entrance points and is well maintained. We hiked the Straul Lake hike and it's an easy 1 mile hike which had exceptional views- I just couldn't stop looking! The lookout points are another easy way to stop and click pictures, enjoy the views and just relax. Beware that internet depending on your provider can be hard to find. All in all brown county is a name for a reason. So worth the hype! read more
My favorite state park. There is a small fee to enter. We try to go in the fall, but it is scenic and peaceful year round. I have not seen any deer recently, but I did see a group of turkeys. There are two lakes, both are worth visiting. You can eat at the inn, or bring your own food and have a picnic. It can get crowded on the weekends during the fall season. Some call it the little smokies. It's not quite the smokies, but being within 2 hours of Indy, I'll take it. And once you're done at the park, you can head into Nashville and shop! read more
10 months ago
We went to Brown County State Park for a family hike and a picnic. We were shocked by how crowded it was, but thankfully we were able to find parking near the lake loop trail. In the future I would bring a hiking baby carrier for my toddler, but my husband and I took turns carrying him and letting him walk the trail a little bit. After the hike, we found a picnic table near the playground that is close to the lake. It is a beautiful hike, but if you have little kids, I would definitely consider a hiking carrier and bringing snacks for pitstops along the way. read more
2 months ago
11 months ago
3 months ago
Rented a cabin it was absolutely filthy. Mouse turds, cob webs, spider webs, dead bugs and glue traps full of bugs behind the dishes. Left after one night front desk was sympathetic said they 'heard it before' but unable to help. Do not stay here. read more
10 months ago
1 year ago
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3 years ago
I had the opportunity to return to Brown County State Park recently to officiate a wedding - the second wedding I've officiated within the park. I hadn't been to the park in awhile and it was a reminder of just how lovely it is and how surprisingly close it is to Indy. Brown County State Park is Indiana's largest park with nearly 16,000 acres of rugged hills, ridges, and ravines. The park has right around 20 miles of tree-lined roads and 70 miles of horse trails. It has the nickname "the little Smokies," a reference to its abundant hills. While anyone who has been to the Smoky Mountains would likely scoff at the comparison (I have and I do), it's still easily one of the most picturesque park experiences in Indiana. Brown County State Park features Abe Martin Lodge offering accommodations that include motel rooms, cabins, dining and conference facilities and an indoor water park. The park includes large campgrounds, hiking and mountain biking trails, interpretive services, a saddle barn for guided horse rides, and a separate horseman campground. The park is incredibly close to Nashville, Indiana - a great place for shopping, dining, arts and crafts, history, and even concerts. Top things to visit in the park: 1) If you're capable of climbing (it's NOT wheelchair friendly), there's a 90' fire tower that I hear has remarkable Brown County views. 2) Trail 5 features a rare and endangered Yellowwood tree. 3) The park's nature center offers the ability to see one of the endangered timber rattlesnakes (I love snakes and consider this cool). 4) The water park pool is fairly new and pretty awesome. 5) There are numerous places to chill and just enjoy a sunrise or sunset. As a current note, all RVs and vehicles towing trailers must use the park's west entrance on State Road 46 two miles west of Nashville, Indiana. The park's north entrance east of Nashville has a historic Covered Bridge with a 9-foot height clearance and 3-ton weight limit. Oversized vehicles cannot use the north entrance. Horsemen's Campground: For equestrian users, the Horsemen's Campground entrance is on S.R. 135, five miles south of the intersection with S.R. 46. Brown County State Park is somewhat limited in terms of accessible trails. The Friendly Trail is a .4 mile paved trail that offers a great view about halfway through. It's noted as great for birding. Dogs are welcome if leashed. More adventurous wheelchair users can also likely handle a couple other of the park's trails marked "easy." However, if you go up to "moderate" this is a park that tends to lean toward very natural trails and somewhat hilly. Considering Brown County State Park can be home to venomous snakes, it's probably not a park you want to fall out of your wheelchair in. You can buy a state park pass for use at all state parks. They're available at any state park gate or by planning in advance. There are discounts for seniors, folks with disabilities, vets, and others. I love a lot of Indiana's state parks, but I'd be hard-pressed to call any of them better than Brown County. (NOTE: Indiana Dunes is a national park). read more
My Sunday reset: Hiking Unless there's a known "must see" feature along a path I will always choose the most rugged route. The paths at Brown County did not disappoint.. interesting paths, and great views! ps be mindful of mountain bikers and quick to give them the path. Even if you think the path is too rugged or impossible for them... it's not. We came across a few seasoned mountain bikers and it was impressive to see the terrain they were able to easily navigate. read more
1 year ago
Brown County was the first state park I visited in Indiana and has been a favorite place to visit since. Located approximately 1 hour south of downtown Indianapolis, BC offers an inn with restaurant, cabins to rent, saddle barn, nature center, lakes for fishing and kayaking, campgrounds, playgrounds, pool and mountain biking and hiking trails. The park has some of the most scenic views and has fire towers and designated look out points. The trails range from easy to challenging, which means "hilly" or "lots of stairs". I prefer to stay off the mountain bike trails but most are available to hikers, too. Reservations are recommended on weekends for the saddle barn and if you're wanting to park at Ogle Lake to do one of the longer hikes l, arrive early-the lot fills up! This park is very popular and can get busy on a nice weekend, especially during autumn when leaf peeping is at its peak. Plan ahead, arrive early, make your reservations well in advance. This is my favorite time to visit the park. And proximity to Nashville IN makes a visit to Brown County that perfect weekend getaway. read more
I have grown up coming to Brown County on day trips and camping on weekends. The park is massive so you will end up driving from spot to spot throughout the park. You can see some beautiful views throughout the park. On this trip we climbed one of the fire towers (top section was closed), went to Strahl Lake and camped at Taylor Ridge campground. That campground is the best one they have in my opinion- some sites are better than others but we picked a great one. The nature center is always fun to look at and the turtles were out this time. Overall this is one of the best state parks in Indiana read more
6 years ago
Beautiful state park even in January. Enjoyed our hike on a Saturday morning. Part of the park was closed for traffic, due to a recent snowfall. Also explored theFire Tower which was open to climb. The park is an absolute must whenever Brown County. read more
A breath of fresh air. Whenever we're hankering for an adventure but don't have enough time for a full-on trip, we come to Brown County for a mini vacation and feel so refreshed. Located in Nashville, Indiana, just about an hour south of downtown Indianapolis, this state park offers hikes through the hills, around lakes or through its pretty bridges. We love looking for turtles in the lakes as we walk and often encounter fun cabins or lookout towers for guests to enjoy as well. It can get crowded in the summer or fall (weekends in the fall especially!) but is totally worth it, as this place is even more beautiful when the leaves start changing. A few dollars per car is totally worth it for a relaxing day! They take both card or cash at the entrance! read more
The Brown County State Park, nicknamed "Little Smokies" is located just South of Nashville Indiana and has been a favorite destination of mine since a child. That being said I have never actually driven through the whole park or ventured onto many of trails the park has to offer. As of March 2nd I have officially drove through the complete park and now I have a better understanding of the many offerings and locations along with the array of activities this park makes available to those who desire to indulge. There are three entrances to the park and an exclusive entrance for horseback riders located on the East side of the park. The horseman's camp has plenty of campsites for the horse trailers and hitch post for your mounts. I'm not sure how many State parks offer an actual campground dedicated to horseback riders but this is the only one I am aware of for now. The trails are fun to explore on horseback through the different seasons and always fun for all. The park also has a horse and pony saddle barn available to the public March 12-Nov 13 daily. The fees vary depending on duration and type of ride. You can find the info online under www.brown county-saddle barn.com. The North entrance is the closest to the lodge and cabins that are offered for family fun and getaways. Reservations can be made online through www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/Brown-county-state-park/. This website will also give the activity schedule for the park. The cabins are being renovated and updated as I am writing this review. This is why I only gave a 4 star instead of a 5 star review because of the construction and the eyesore it produces during the growing pains. I'm sure it will all be for the better once it's complete. There is also a large swimming pool in the park but I am not sure of the seasonal hours or fees. The West entrance will give you quick access to Ogle Lake and some great scenic photo opportunities that overlook vast valleys and hills with breathtaking beauty. There are two lakes inside the park and both have walking trails around them for a moderate hike that will fill you with fresh air and beauty. The second lake is Strabo lake that is on the Southeast side of the park closest to the horseman's camp. Strahl lake has a waterfall with an observation deck close to restroom facilities that make this spot nice and relaxing. There is also a shelter house with grill available to reserve. There are many pullover spots and random grilling areas inside the park along with a few playground areas for the children. My favorite spot is the 90' Fire tower that is located close to the park office. You are able to climb the stairs of this tower and observe the surrounding area if you dare. It feels like much more than 90'! There are a couple more lookout towers in the park that are fun to explore as well. Be sure to visit the nature center and check out the Timber Rattlesnake which do inhabit some areas of the park and Surrounding counties. Purdue University actually performed a study on them and used transmitters to study their habits. They are rarely seen in the park and should not hinder your enjoyment of you are a true nature lover. There is several wildlife species inside the park and the nature center can explain why you can expect to see while exploring. I hope you enjoyed my review and I hope you plan on getting out and enjoying our Indiana State Parks this year! read more
**NOTE, CLEARANCE RESTRICTIONS IF TOWING A TRAILER YOU WILL NEED TO USE THE WEST GATE ** I really like this campground. I'm not going to get all detailed on how quiet it is... I'm here camping on Thursday in April it should be quiet. A couple things to consider if you are camping with a trailer or a tent. (1) when it says on the website that there is a slight slope keep in mind that statement is a non- objective opinion with nothing to compare it to. Bring extra blocks, you may not need them if lucky. In my opinion it wouldn't hurt the state to spend some of the gate fee on gravel. No, I do not expect a perfect grade but my site isn't the craziest and I'm out a little over 4" on 10' left to right and 7" on 12' front to back. (2) some of these campsites are small and some are even smaller. Enough said. There is a section higher number spots with pavement a bit nicer and lower numbers in non wooded section that are a little bit similar but different. (3) the drive is narrow, a bit more so than some other state parks I've pulled into. Makes a difference if you have a double cab long bed tow vehicle. The main question is would/will I come back, Yes the hiking trail system is beautiful, the mountain bike trails are extensive, and the park is clean. DNR on site are helpful and friendly. I'm rating this a 4 because of the cleanliness of the park and friendliness of the staff. Based off the number of sites I witnessed yesterday while walking my dog that would require an excessive number of blocks only, sadly I'd have to give it a 3. read more
Indiana parks have rest and rec alike. Drive it, bike it, hike if, and swim the man-made sections. Best of all, camp it and see the fireflies in the field outside...or purposely avoid camping by booking a room at the Lodge and sneaking out to explore Nashville. We had an electric site to beat the heat, water taps throughout our loop, a dump station conveniently on the way out of the campground, and recycling, something we didn't missed at Turkey Run and Missisinewa. Buffalo Ridge was family friendly with a camp store, bathhouse, and a little playground. Friday and Saturday night, a half-hour long hayride for $4 helped us get a sneak peak at the Seven Vista Challenge. The hiking is plentiful, but definitely stay on the trail--and better yet, the less overgrown trails--in Ogle Hollow, Stahl Lake, or other neat hikes. The local limestone is gorgeous along Stahl Lake, and there's a variety of wild life throughout the park, so drive and step carefully. The nature center and its kid activities were excellent, and the staff friendly and informative. At the Little Smokies, definitely make a couple nights of it. And yes, stay on the trail. read more
Such a fun day trip not far from Indianapolis. Nashville, IN reminds me of a mini Gatlinburg with lots of cool little shops and restaurants nearby. The park itself has some cool views, challenging trails and hills if you want to get a workout in while you're here. Nature is always a 5/5 but on my journey to see all the state parks in Indiana this was my least favorite so far only because it didn't have cool water areas where you could get your feet wet. I don't know why but that's like my favorite thing to do. It does have a mini waterfall but I think it dries up pretty easily and it's a small area. Definitely worth checking out tho and make a weekend out of it. Im sure it's also fantastic in the fall and at Christmas time. read more
Trail 8 is a great hike! I'm not super athletic, although I exercise daily with cardio or biking so this trail was pretty accessible to me! I vaguely remember visiting as a kid on a summer trip 20+ years ago but otherwise it's a new experience visiting here for me! A nice day trip down from Indy to do a hike in less than two hours and see the nature center, and still be home in time for the Dog to be let out. Since our original vacation plans have been cancelled due to corona we are using this time to explore (safely) areas near home, so if you can Visit on a weekday like we did- I highly Recommend if you are looking for better Social distancing odds. The strange thing was in our cashless age, we were Required to pay in cash at the gate because their internet went out - so be sure to have some cash on you just in case. My review isn't 5 stars because the nature center was pretty out of date and the state park signage across all the parks isn't the best with wayfinding - specifically on the trails - so be sure to have your route mapped out in advance. This is something we've encounter at many of the Indiana State Parks. read more
3 years ago
Spent the week tent camping and couldn't recommend a better spot for it in Southern Indiana. read more
3 years ago
Camping at the Rally Group Camp. We came with a Boy Scout group. The Rally sites are great for a big group. $100 for the site that will hold up to 150 campers. Parking is right on the site so no long walks with the gear. To get into the park it cost $7 per car for Indiana residents, $9 for non residents. Passes are available as well. The park is big, clean, well maintained. A favorite of my family. read more
Brown County State Park is absolutely awesome! B and I have visited a few times to mountain bike, and we both love it! The trails are great, and they have lots of options for beginners to experts. If you're not into mountain biking, that's ok too. Brown County State Park has lots more to offer including hiking trails, picnic areas, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, campgrounds, playgrounds, tennis courts, scenic outlooks, and more! It's a great spot to visit when the weather is nice. If you're outdoorsy it's perfect, and if you're not so much there is still plenty to do that's not overly strenuous. There's plenty of adventure to be found too. On our last visit we decided to drive through a bit of the park and came across a fire tower that you can climb if you like. It was definitely a bit intimidating from the ground, but the views from the top were totally worth it! I can't say enough great things about Brown County State Park! Now that we're getting into the winter months we won't be visiting; but, I can guarantee you, as soon as the weather is nice again we'll be back for sure! read more
So this is what all the fuss is about! Now I, too love the fabled Brown County, IN! Brown County is only about 1.5 hour away from Louisville. But thanks to the cooler weather and more varied variety of trees. The fall colors are unlike that of Louisville's and definitely worth the short drive. The park itself is a bit larger than we had anticipated. We will have to get up earlier to make it a longer day trip or stay overnight at the park to fully enjoy all it has to offer: many hiking trails, two lakes, observation towers and many vistas. The lodging options will definitely bring me back as I have not had a chance to do so on this visit. Not only is there a big lodge with hotel-esque amenities (plus a year round indoor water park!); they also offer many, many basic cabins and family cabins. I LOVE GLAMPING!!! Even the basic cabins offer full bath and AC/heat! The family cabins are basically two story vacation houses with decks that overlook the golden forest. The nearby town of Nashville, IN is not to be missed. It has an interesting mix of buildings dating back to the 1800's as well as adorable little shacks you'll only find in storybooks. The shops range from your usual touristy trinkets to artisanal crafts from local artists. I am sure this place gets packed on the weekends during the fall. Not surprisingly, the lodgings at Brown County State Park are fully booked for a few months out. I will try my luck during the spring months. I can't wait to come back for some glamping! read more
My review is based solely upon taking day trips here and enjoying the trails and scenery. I've been coming to Brown County since I was a student at U of Indy (over 40 years ago) and we celebrated "Brown County Day" where we shut down the college and just enjoyed activities with our friends. Fast forward to today. Beautiful Monday morning where it warmed up to the mid-fifties and not a cloud in the sky. After driving through the park and checking out the view from the vistas, I hiked around the two lakes (Ogle and Strahl) and then visited the Nature Center and the Discovery Trail. Everywhere I looked, there were beautiful fall colors. The trails were in good shape, though some were a bit challenging if you aren't watching for tree roots. All the bridges and stairways were in good shape to keep me above the low spots that can soak through boots and make hiking miserable. The trails were well marked too, so I had no trouble finding my way. If you can get here in the fall when the park isn't overwhelmed with visitors, you can have a great day outdoors, listening to birds and the wind blow through the trees. It sure beats sitting at a desk. Review #1631 read more
Spring break with the family Entering the park, you cross a covered bridge! Wonderful!! Then to the gate house to pay $7 for instate residence. So much wonderful things to do: Hiking many paths. Many wonderful kept paths for hiking - ranging from paved path (short path near offices called Freinds' Path) to rugged/muddy paths. We also enjoyed the Discovery Path near the nature center. Pick up a path guide in the Nature Center and find things marked along the path. NOTE: Some of it is a bit out dated and no longer exists... but many of the things do still exist and are fun for the kids. Also pick up a fern, tree, fungus and bird guide and discover them along the way as well! Seeing old structures such as the fire tower (climb all the steps), 2 large structure towers, gate houses, saddle barn, nature center, lodge and shelters. All are very cool and most have information boards which tell you about their history. Enjoying the Lodge and aquatics center and dining hall. See review for Abe MArtin Lodge. Great place to stay, right among it all. There is a path right off the Lodge with many steps that goes right down to a play ground... but unfortunately it's been in need of repair and closed off for a little while. Wish it'd be restored for easy access down to play ground and wonderful shelter below. Playing on one of a few playground areas. Older playground near the saddle barn is fun. In a large grassy area near a large shelter. And a newer play ground back near the North tower is very nice also. Horse back riding. Head to the saddle barn and take kids under 7 on a parent guided pony ride (3 laps $9). Or for ages over 7, take horse back riding for 30 minutes ($21) or 60 minutes ($31) on trails with a guide. Groups head out as they come... and it seems like they are heading out very often! Usually not much of a wait! Horses are nice and healthy. Workers are relatively nice/kind and informative. Biking paths. We did not bike... but I know this park has many trails and many bikers come here to ride. Fishing at one of 2 ponds. We didn't fish this time, but last time we did... with no luck. But the DNR told us that there are plenty of fish out there! Cooking a meal at one of Many fire places/pits at one of many shelters. Bring some fire wood and have a nice fire. Cook some lunch over it. Nature center is great for kids, especially on a rainy day. It's not a huge space, and there isn't a whole lot to do. But it is fun to see what is there, live animals and statues with lots of information to read about! Nice little bird sanctuary to watch them feed! In the spring, This place isn't the beautiful gem that it is in the fall... but still plenty of nature to love and enjoy! Great place for the family to get away! read more
6 years ago
Ogle Lake Trail #7 Excellent for families! The state park was open with no entree fee the day we went. This trail has a parking lot, bathrooms and park with picnic tables at the trailhead. We took our 13 and 10 year old boys and twin 10 month old girls on this trail for the first time today. We carried our twins in our front packs. This worked fine on this trail because it wasn't terribly difficult. I just made sure to hold onto the rail or trees when navigating a few areas. While you are not scaling a mountain, this trail is not flat. There are inclines, steps and roots to walk over. The trail was a little muddy. It's spring and your in the woods so this was to be expected. We brought a fresh change of clothes and shoes for the boys incase they "accidentally" fell down. The trail had several bridges, stairs and walk-outs to observe the water, geese and a crane. We went on a Tuesday afternoon and it was not busy at all. Came across six people total while on the trail. We just stopped on the observation decks to let them pass us. We weren't moving very fast. You pass over several small creeks. We saw evidence of beaver everywhere. Our boys enjoyed that. The diapers on the trail that someone commented on a few days ago are still there. Hopefully someone picks those up before an animal eats them. This was an excellent trail for our family with plenty of nature to keep our boys interested. read more
This was a park that we drove 2 hours to get to. It really is a beautiful park with more things to check out then I could ever explore in one day. Of course it also happened to be raining when we went so that kind of limited our exploration as we couldn't hike on the rugged hiking trails here. That being said we made the most of it. We went to the really tall fire tower and went and enjoyed the view from the top. Just be prepared for a huge climb up a ton of stairs if you're going for the top. We had our lunch on a picnic table at one of the great lookout points which was really awesome. The rest of our time here we were walking on the paved walking paths which was fine. I had a good time here but I can't wait to come back when the weather is better so we can fully enjoy all that the park has to offer. read more
I like this park, but I need to make it back up there to explore more of it before I can say that I love it. I'd love to hangout around that lake and some of the other hike-only trails. This trip consisted of the North Lookout Tower along with a few hours of hiking. We started at the Lookout tower. Decent tower with a cool view. If you're used to Appalachian views, you might be disappointed. We took Trail B next to the tower around to Trail I. We then followed the loop that is Trail I back around to B and then made our way out. The majority of the trails we used were meant for multi-use between bikers and hikers. I also learned something about my gf on this visit! She picked up a millipede with no issue... ALL. OF. THOSE. LEGS! Indiana... you can keep your millipede population as far as I'm concerned. You could tell that Trail I was geared towards bikes as there were lots of ups and downs. In order to increase our mileage for the morning... Trail I was added to the plan. I'm sure after I make it back and explore more that I'll push my rating up. It stinks that Indiana charges $7(for residents) and $9(for non-residents) to enter their parks. I'm sure that prevents some people from visiting Indiana's parks on a regular basis. Overall, I think it's a perfect park if you want to make a Brown County/Nashville, IN day out of it. Hit the park early and then go eat, drink, and be merry in Nashville. Other notable things: -- Horseback riding -- Trails of various lengths and difficulties -- Campgrounds -- Lodging and Cabins available -- Restrooms -- Multiple entrances -- Minutes away from Nashville, IN read more
7 years ago
Wife and I were staying out here for vacation from Chicago IL... we found this state park and decided to check it out. It was beautiful! Has a nice long scenic route to drive though on the hilly road through the Forrest. They even have 2 small ponds to fish in. I tried in the bigger pond but caught a snag and lost my bait immediately,lol I've been to many state parks and forests,and this was definitely one of the best. Costed 7 dollars for the day and was not really busy read more
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1405 Sr 46 W
Nashville, IN 47448
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(812) 988-4418
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Looking for the best camping sites!? Please and thank you
In autumn, probably all of them! In Summer, site 5 and its neighbors were close to a playground, had a little tree cover, and were near the camp store. Electric hookups kept us cool even in the summer humidity.
Review Highlights - Brown County State Park
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