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    Ernie Pyle Rest Park

    4.0 (1 review)

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    Portland Arch Nature Preserve

    Portland Arch Nature Preserve

    4.6(8 reviews)
    29.7 mi

    Unless you are a skilled hiker, I recommend going to this beautiful nature preserve when the…read moreweather has been dry. There is about 90 feet of elevation change on the 0.8 mile loop that can be a bit slippery if you pick a time when mud/rain can be a problem. I only explored the north end trail during my visit. After parking in a shaded lot, I went into the park where I had a choice of left or right. The right side has a steeper descent than the left. Fortunately, there is a hand rail for stability. I figured it easier to go down the steep side than up, so I stayed on the right hand path. There is a fairly level area before you reach the "stairs". The stairs are mostly natural, so they aren't evenly spaced. Just keep focused and you should be alright. Once the trail reaches the bottom of the gorge, there are places where elevated paths keep your feet from trekking through the mud. Depending upon how much rain has fallen, you may get some mud, but my feet stayed dry the entire loop. At the base, there are deep ravines where the trees catch the sunlight and light up in brilliant yellow greens. The rocks are layered and take on a rusty color that can make for some great photos. The highlight of the loop is finding the "arch" through the ridge of rock. It was just a bit taller than my head (I would say most folks won't need to duck going through.) After that, you will start working your way back. Although I traveled the same distance up, it was gradual and not nearly as challenging as climbing steps. I didn't see much wildlife there, but there were squirrels and butterflies that showed themselves. I like a short hike that features a destination and great scenes along the way. If you like that too, then seek out this park. Review #2840

    Great trail among beautiful landforms. It's a nice hike that makes for a good day trip along with…read moreWilliamsport Falls, Attica, and the courthouse murals on Covington.

    Photos
    Portland Arch Nature Preserve - Portland Arch trail

    Portland Arch trail

    Portland Arch Nature Preserve - Halfway down the ravine - rugged

    Halfway down the ravine - rugged

    Portland Arch Nature Preserve - Portland Arch trail

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    Portland Arch trail

    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area

    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area

    4.4(47 reviews)
    42.3 mi

    What a wonderful place to get out of the city and just slow down! My honey took me here 4/26/26…read moresince we've had some nice weather lately. Pleasantly surprised they have many picnic tables, the cover bridge to see and of course the Falls. Just be careful when walking to the lower fall as you are pretty close to the ledge of the falls. Plenty to enjoy here. Next time we shall have a nice picnic and enjoy the scenery. You can swim too.Parking is easy but i'm sure it gets crowded in the summer time!

    Cataract Falls is a geological wonder worth visiting and only an hour west of Indianapolis. These…read moremagnificent Falls were created over millions of years as ice and water carved into the ancient limestone resulting in Mill Creek and two sets of falls. The Upper Falls drops 20 feet and can be viewed near the entrance to the park at several overlooks. We visited this week on a bright summer day. The waters were loud and rapid after recent rains. This is one of Indiana's most beautiful sites. There is a large parking lot near the Upper Falls along with picnic tables, grill, pavilion and small playground. We brought a picnic lunch so we could enjoy the Falls. There are pit bathrooms near the playground in a second parking lot. The Lower Falls are a short drive through the park. A nearby lot provides plenty of parking. The short path to view the falls is not paved, but an easy walk. These falls drop 18 feet with incredible views of the layered limestone exposed west of the falls. I was envious of a lone kayaker below the falls. There are marked trails through dense woods descending near the creek. You'll want to wear good hiking shoes and bug spray if you are up for the adventure. The property was donated by Agnes Stuckey in memory of her mother, Agnes Steiner. The Park is maintained by the Indiana DNR. There was no admission during our midweek visit.

    Photos
    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area
    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area - Inside the bridge

    Inside the bridge

    Cataract Falls State Recreation Area - Info

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    Info

    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

    4.8(5 reviews)
    57.1 mi

    I have never hiked at a prairie before and I am so glad that I chose this place for my exercise…read more Very well maintained park with lots of trails. The wildflowers alone will bring me back to this beautiful place.

    The Buffalo Trace Prairie is a system of trails that are on the far western edge of the Lake of the…read moreWoods Forest Preserve. To be sure, there is much more to Lake of the Woods than just Buffalo Trace. The easiest entrance is located just north of Exit #172 off I-74 in Mahomet, on the left across from the botanical garden and before you get to the Early American Museum. Can't miss it. The trails run all through this medium-sized forest preserve and are perfect for jogging, biking, or dog walking. There is one major asphalt trail that runs E-W and several smaller trails that are really just places that they mow the prairie down every week or so. The asphalt trail is a little more than a mile long, and connects to a trail that is 5 mi in total. The intertwined grass trails are much longer all told, but since there are so many, you can customize as long or short of a walk as you want. The terrain is rolling hills, and the biome(s) are a pleasant transition from prairie to woods. None of the trails that I was on were at all challenging or in disrepair. I would suggest that if you intend to take the grass trails, take a good long look at the map before you leave the trail head, or bring one along. Thankfully, there are not really that many people making use of this park, which is cool. If you make use of the trail map, the trail in the far south of this park (by the highway) actually dead-ends and does not connect back to the parking lot, as is indicated on the map. Not a big deal, just a lil back-tracking. I needed the exercise.

    Photos
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie
    Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve, Buffalo Trace Prairie

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    Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site - Pigs

    Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site

    4.2(6 reviews)
    49.5 mi

    This is not "Abe Lincoln", but his father "Thomas Lincoln". They were owned by Abraham Lincoln and…read moredeeded to his father Thomas. There's a museum which talks about the time/place when Thomas Lincoln lived here - takes about 45 minutes. There are groups where it is set up with buildings and farm animals of the Thomas' Lincoln's time. His grave is just down the road. A key part compares two farmers of the time period. One is a farmer from the area that was interested in farming for profit with the latest technology and Thomas Lincoln, who farmed for the purpose of being a self-sufficient farm owner. There is an example of the homes of each type of farmer. We went in March; apparently there are tours during the summer. Ours was self-guided.

    I love Lincoln Log Cabin and have since I was a very young child…read more In the past, there were many animals there and actors who would talk to you in the part of people living during the time period. This was always super fun. I see that much less often now. There are less animals (last time I visited they had sheep, pigs, and chickens only) and I haven't seen any actors there in a while. With that being said, I enjoyed the sheep, chickens, and pigs and I also enjoyed looking at the buildings. They were all locked during my last visit, but sometimes you can go inside of them and look at the insides of the cabins, which is much more fun. During my last visit they were offering free produce they grew in their garden and I liked that a lot. We grabbed some tomatoes. The reduction of one star is simply because I remember the past when this place was super amazing. Now there haven't been actors the last few visits. I have seen sheep, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and cats there before, but my last visit only had three of those animals. In addition, it's more fun when you can enter the buildings. Even without all the animals and actors and access to the buildings, it's super fun and I'd recommend it!

    Photos
    Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site - 1845 covered wagon. Very SUV-like...

    1845 covered wagon. Very SUV-like...

    Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
    Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site - Chickens

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    Chickens

    Ernie Pyle Rest Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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