May 3, 2025 We took the Spring Valley Trail which is a 10,8…read moremile loop. We waited out a rainstorm for about an hour in the parking lot. It had rained a lot and the trail was fairly muddy. I wouldn't want to take it in anything other than hiking boots. When we came to the fork we went to the right. About two miles in, where the trial and the lake intersect we saw a fishing camp. I think these guys leave it up all summer. They had huge coolers, cots and pop up weekenders. About a quarter to a half mile further we took a light trail to the left and found our campsite. I have zero idea how it got there but it had an actual full size picnic table. There are no labeled campsites but if you pay attention you'll spot the side trails leading off from the main trail. The trail is incredibly well marked and even if it wasn't a blind person could follow it. You could take a large four wheeler if you had to. It rained all night so the trail was wet and muddy. There are some cool rock formations, some great water features and some good views of the lake. We came across an old stone building that was pretty cool. Some interesting signs along the trail about the history and region. We didn't see any mountain bikers or horse people but there were obvious signs that they use the trail. Trail had very little trash. Hiked it with full packs and even with the mud it was pretty easy. There were only two blow downs that blocked the trail. There were quite a few streams that crossed the trail, but we only had to put on our sandals for the very last one and I imagine if it hadn't rained so much we could've crossed it in our boots. Saw a box turtle, plenty of squirrels and chipmunks. Heard lots of birds.

This huge forest has a lot to offer and doesn't charge for admission!…read more Within the last couple months, I've hiked, camped, canoed, fished. Once I got there, there was no other charge. There are also horse trails that I saw people using. There are 200,000 Acres & 266 Miles of Hiking Trails here!

This was cool to see. I really enjoyed the pioneer Village when we visited Springdale Park. This…read morewas hammer historical gristmill and we definitely checked it out. Walked around all three floors and thought it was just an awesome thing to say.

Tony and I stopped at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana to see Hamer Spring Grist Mill…read moreThe water comes out of Hamer cave which supplied the water for the Spring Grist Mill and the Pioneer Village. Its not a bad hike back to the cave. Sometimes its underwater. The Historical Grist Mill is three stories tall and well built & maintained. Still in use. Located in Lawrence Co, Indiana. Also known as Hamer Mill, Spring Mill and Bullett Mill. Built 1817 Highly recommend that you visit this site and tour the Grist Mill. Its a museum inside on every level.

The Historical Covered Bridge was hard to find. There is NOT a lot of signage, so keep your eyes…read morepeeled. It is located just off Route 450. There is some parking there. The covered bridge is no longer in use. The local heathens have used paint to write graffiti all over the inside and on the 2 entrances of the bridge. Really defacing this beautiful old red covered bridge. I am on a mission to see the over 90 covered bridges in the State of Indiana and was very upset that the locals have done nothing to preserve or police the bridge area. The bridge is over a 120 yrs and the town has turned it's back to the history of the bridge...it is a crying shame.

One of the longest historic covered bridges in the state is to the southwest of Bedford near…read moreWilliams, IN. The road to the bridge is quite winding and though GPS tells you it is not far, that it measures a straight line, not the slow and actual mileage. So, be prepared for the trip to take a bit longer than you expect. Once you get close to the bridge, there is a small road that passes under the railroad trestle and leads south. There is another small road on the left that leads to the bridge which is quite visible by then. Parking is available at the base of the bridge which is closed off to vehicles. The bridge has been restored on the outside with fresh paint and a nice sign over the entry identifying it as Williams Bridge 1884 with an oddly listed occupancy limit. I didn't see any other information on site to share the history of the place. As mentioned in other reviews, the site is frequently falls prey to vandals who spray juvenile/stupid graffiti all over the blacktop approach and on the floor of the bridge. Seems a shame that this small town can't seem to figure out who is doing the damage and make them responsible for clean up costs. The bridge spans 402' and is a treasure that once lost, can't be replaced. I hope someone in the area can champion bringing the rest of the site up to the quality of the new look of the bridge itself. Review #2654

The Orange County Courthouse is simply amazing. Built in 1847, it is the oldest courthouse in…read moreIndiana that we visited thus far. The Greek Revival structure sits high atop a hill overlooking the town square historic buildings and a historic bridge crossing Lick Creek. On the vast Square, a stone grinding wheel holds a memorial plaque dedicated to soldiers lost during the Revolutionary War. A second memorial recognizes troops lost during World Wars I and II. Another plaque commemorates the Initial Point and describes the historic survey system used to locate the nearby Second Meridian and the center of the state. The Courthouse was undergoing renovations during our visit and the building was closed, so we could not get interior photos. But I'll definitely return to visit this Courthouse that has been operational for 175 years! There is free parking around the Square.

One of the longest covered bridges in the state is nearly finished on its restoration. Located…read moreabout four miles west of Seymour, this bridge is somewhere between 355 and 366 feet depending upon your source material. It was built in 1876 to span the East Fork of the White River on East County Road 200 N. The red sided, white roof and approach bridge relies upon a center support to span the river. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1980 when a bypass bridge was built. So, with the nearly complete bridge being saved, why only three stars? First, the area around the bridge has a lot of trash and the Private Property signs make you question if it is safe to pull off the road to look at the bridge. Also, the bridge blocks anyone from walking through (note that there aren't any window cutouts to look out anyway.) The bridge also lacks any identifying plaques or signage that identifies it. Locals should look at that bridges of Parke County or Decatur County for how to make the bridge informational. Procuring a safe pull off spot that is clearly marked would also benefit the visitors. After spending over $1 million dollars in restoration, it seems like a lost opportunity for tourism for the community. At least the restoration so far has bought the county time to make the project complete. Review #2648

The Shieldstown Covered Bridge is old! It carried traffic for over 100 years, until it was bypassed…read morein the late 1970's. Although it is quite literally falling apart, I have great hope the help is on the way. BRIDGE FACTS Year Opened: 1876 Builder: Joseph J. Daniels Length: 331 feet (355 feet including the 12-foot approaches at each end) Width: 12.5 feet Truss type: Burr Arch Truss (double span) Crosses: East Fork of White River Notes: The road was rerouted to bypassed this structure in 1977. 'Save Our Jackson County Covered Bridges' is an organization established by the Jackson County Parks & Recreation Dept and the J/C Visitors & Convention Bureau. It is largely responsible for raising funds to restore and protect county bridges. Shieldstown and Medora are the last two covered bridge remaining in this Indiana county. Medora has already been beautifully restored (see review): http://www.yelp.com/biz/medora-covered-bridge-jackson?hrid=LtsCXxFSW6HF3ARaGZ_lNw However, as of October 2014 there were no visible renovations detectable to the eyes of this covered bridge fan. If anything, the renovations made in the 1980's were long deteriorated and the bridge itself looks as though it needs to be condemned... like yesterday! Near the entrance on the east side of the bridge is a monument to James Aldred Cash (June 1934 - November '08). The inscription on the bench interestingly reads: "Dad always said if your gonna be stupid you better be tough." It looks like it is part of the bridge property but in fact it's on land directly adjacent to the bridge, so finding out what it means has been difficult. But I promise I'll update this review as soon as I discover it's meaning. For now, the best I can figure is it references this song by Roger Allan Wade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aczrDOa5Asc FINAL THOUGHTS A gorgeous piece of history that I am certain the county and state will soon bring back to its former glory. Indiana seems to be very proud of its collection of covered bridges, mostly scattered throughout the central and southern parts of the state. I look forward to a return visit when renovations are complete. Be sure to check out the Covered Bridge Loop, a route that highlights 9 historic bridges around the state: http://www.visitgreensburg.com/docs/CoveredBridgeLoopMap.pdf

Cool little view! Of course, the house is fixed up and different people are living here and not…read moreexactly Larry Bird's Childhood Home, but it's a nice thing to check out since this is where he is from. Depending on where you're coming from, you will drive over a nice old bridge! Swing by if you have the chance! Nice view!

The historic Jackson County Courthouse in Brownstown is one of the finest preserved courthouses in…read moreIndiana. An original water pump stands in front of the building which is surrounded by a Victorian wrought iron fence. The classical Revival building was technically a redesign of an earlier 1872 courthouse by architects Elmer Dunlap and Marshall Arman and constructed 1910-1911. (Dunlap designed other courthouses in Indiana including the Carroll County Courthouse in Delphi.) Dunlap's renovation increased square footage and modernized the building to 1910 standards. Today, court is held in a newly constructed Judicial Center across the street. The historic building still houses county offices, but the magnificent former courtroom is now a dedicated community meeting room. The Courthouse has a breathtaking stain glass arched dome in a center atrium. Historic 1934 murals depicting indigenous and pioneer scenes in Indiana are under the dome. Original mosaic tile floors and detailed wrought iron stairways are maintained. The original former courtroom (community room) maintains much of the original detail including fold down gallery seating, tray ceilings, oak flooring. Modernization (2004) includes upholstered seating, tv monitors and security. There are several original safes in the building that protect important documents. Staff members encouraged us to examine these extraordinary safes. A famous fire occurred in 1959 when the clock tower was hit by lightning. The tower was restored in 1959. A photo of the fire is an office on the second floor. There is a war memorial and a tank on the grounds of the Square. Free parking surrounds the square. The Courthouse is well worth a visit. It's a step back in time.

Driving home after a short stay in Bloomington and came across a sign for the Medora Covered…read moreBridge. Beautifully restored, clean, and there is ample parking and picnic tables. On most days there is a volunteer docent to talk about the history of the bridge and area. A nice spot to stretch your legs and relax.

We were traveling in the area .. I tagged along with my hubby on his work trip but the weather was…read moreyucky cold and rainy .. grey sky all day. So I was bummed and he detoured a bit to let me see this bridge. I love bridges .. and covered bridges are one so cool. They are historic and rare and romantic. This one was great ..very large and not sullied with graffiti. Wish the sky was blue for the pics but at least finally saw something on this trip that interested me.