This was my first trip to Turkey Run State Park although it had been on my "To Do" list since I moved to Indiana last summer. Today, a friend and I decided to get away from it all and hike at Turkey Run, rain or shine. We definitely got rain, but that was fine...we pretty much had the trails to ourselves. We parked at the Inn and first went on Trails 6 and 7. Then, we ventured behind the Inn and got on Trail 1...once we saw the suspension bridge, Trail 1 was forgotten and we ended up on Trail 3. Not for the faint of heart. This was a tough trail in that you must climb up a water fall -- although a slight trickle, still tricky on slippery rocks. We had to crab-crawl our way in some parts at Punch Bowl. We then proceeded on Trail 4 which took us quite a distance. We may have been wrong, but at one point, we both could *swear* we heard a bear growl...but never saw him/her. My friend thought *bear* in her head, but me? I said: Was that a bear I just heard? Do they HAVE bears here in Indiana? We both fell kind of silent...just in case and hightailed on down the trail :-) Saw some covered bridges and various fauna and flora making up the eco-system here: frogs, lichen, mushrooms, wild berries (I tried one and didn't die, so I guess they aren't poisonous) After crossing back over the suspension bridge, we picked up Trail 1 again back to the Inn. 7 miles of wonderful hiking. Some easy trails, some not-so-easy. Add in the numerous wooden and rock steps and we got a blood-pumping, heart pumping exercise extravaganza. We had lunch at the Inn...didn't care that we looked 'scruffy' compared to the well-dressed Square Dancers in the crowd and then headed back to Indianapolis. Great State Park...Indiana you should be proud! read more

In my opinion Indiana's most adventurous terrain park. Love this place! You can climb ladders up small cliffs, trample through creeks, tiny waterfalls and get a taste of prehistoric Indiana limestone deposits!! They have great Halloween celebrations and the fall is definitely my favorite time to hike in Indiana because of the warm, crisp air. Definitely a must! read more

Absolutely amazing state park. About 20 miles of well marked trails that proceed through some very impressive landscape--not just impressive for Indiana, impressive for anywhere. There is a pretty cool hotel or you can go camping at one of the campsites. I'm not sure about the restaurant in the hotel. In any event, none of the trails are particularly hard in a technical sense--a few of them require you to use ladders (which are big wooden deals like they used to have at playgrounds) and a few require you to walk in the creek bed (so bring extra shoes and socks). The rock formations look primeval--and surrounded as they are by some of the oldest forest in the state, you feel as if you've stepped into a time machine. Also, good wildlife--there are some bald eagles nesting nearby that can be seen. read more

The HIKING is good. Go for the hiking. Its easy, fun and beautiful. A real oasis for hiking. I would not be looking to their lodge for anything other than a utilitarian place to stay that is kind o dated. The food in the cafeteria is really mediocre too. Everyone who works there is very nice. read more

First off, I didn't get lost. Huge plus! Secondly, it made the family have to spend time with me. So, ha! The scenery was amazing. The different trails were actually pretty hard and no major accidents. Just a few slips and one big fall. Thank god it wasn't me, though. One of those moments that is embedded in your brain and everytime you think of it you chuckle. I made sure they were ok before I laughed, kind of. We will be going on the water next time. Stay tuned for that adventure! read more

I absolutely LOVE this park! The weather is key so be sure to check the forecast! I went with friends for a hiking adventure with our dogs! Great trails, great views, and parking isn't terrible! What more could you ask for!? I would recommend bringing a lot of water & snacks, wearing tennis shoes, a change of socks (or water shoes). Also, be sure to get a map and prepare a route. We got "lost" but it was so much fun finding our way back! Definitely a great place for a family trip or day trip with friends. Also, there is a restaurant that has pretty good food!!! read more

This is a beautiful park. I've canoed through here a couple of times and I've seen turtles and fish and bald Eagles. I'd love to go camping here some time. This is also a great place to look for some interesting rocks. I've found some neat fossil rocks here along the creek. read more

It's been almost 20 years since my last visit here. We actually came down to see the covered bridges and related shops, etc. Many of the towns along the covered bridge routes are ghost towns, and only are active during the big fall festival, and maybe some of the other festivals. Anyway, we wanted to stay overnight, and most of the motels are just small, privately run motels, so we went to Turkey Run to have lunch and check out the hotel. We missed lunch by a few minutes, but after reviewing the price list, we decided to stay the night. Wow, the Lodge is at least like a 3 1/2 star hotel. The rooms were clean, and modernized. Free WiFi. Flat Panel TV. Food was great. I really wanted to try out at least some of the trails again. But it poured the night before, and I was afraid my favorite trail, number 3, would be too wet. Well, it wasn't too wet, but it was wet. The other reviews are right. This park is a gem. I've hiked Kauai, the Big Island, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain National Park, Smokey Mountain National Park, and many local State, County, and Municipal Parks. Turkey Run State Park stands among them. Even when the park is crowded, you can hike to an area where you seem to be alone on the planet. Ravines, waterfalls, hanging vegetation, wildlife. Some of the trails are very challenging, and you have to be prepared to get wet. I'm from the Chicago Area, so 3-4 hours to get here is about right. You can take the Interstate most of the way, but you still have to drive about 40 miles from the closest Interstate to get here. I've never camped here, but have camped at Raccoon Lake (about 20 miles away), but that's a different story. Also a different story. I didn't visit on this trip, but Shades State Park is work a visit too. Far less popular than Turkey Run, not quite as breathtaking, but if you want to get away from crowds, go to Shades (about 20 miles northeast of Turkey Run) If you get a chance, don't miss Turkey Run State Park. read more

There's a great, stark change of climate for the better when you enter into Turkey Run State Park. From the flat plains of Indiana's farming fields to the deep cut gorges and ravines, Turkey Run provides a refreshing place to hike and relax. I think Trail 3 is the one we did (last summer). It was dynamic and very fun. The best part of it was after the hike, at the nature center, where you can enjoy an air conditioned room behind an observation glass of all the critters that come up to the window: Racoons, hummingbirds, and groundhogs (I'm not sure?), and other various birds. Microphones outside feed natural sounds into the room. It was a great place to recuperate from the day's hike. I highly recommend going here if you're ever passing through Indiana. All you need are a couple of hours:) read more

We just returned from a weekend trip at Turkey Run. We are from the suburbs of Chicago and drove about 4 hours to get there. We had great weather and spent the weekend camping with good friends and family, so it was definitely worth the drive. The campground was very crowded. Nights and mornings were loud due to kids and louder groups. The bathrooms were OK and showers OK, too. For as many people as there were, they did a decent job of keeping up with the facilities. We were able to see a sky full of stars at night. It's a beautiful wooded area with the creek running through. Hiking was adventurous! We took the most "rugged" trail and hiked for about 2 hours. This includes, stairs (natural and wooden), ladder climbing, canyon walking, and walking along the creek. The hiking really is unbelievable. Wish we had time to do more. We spent most of our Saturday canoeing from the Sugar Valley location. This was the highlight of our trip. The water was clean and warm enough to take a dip. The current was a great speed that kept you going at a leisurely speed. Don't forget to pack your coolers for a day trip - we ran out of beer mid-way through our trip. This hurried us back to the earlier bus going back so we could get back to the park. We cooled off at the Turkey Run pool. Very clean, but again, very crowded. I'd love to come back here next year during the week. Weekends are too crowded if you are looking to "get away"and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, quietly. read more

We just got back from Turkey Run State park and had a great time. We went during the heat wave, how many days in a row of 100 degree temps, many!! We were here for the 4th of July in 2012. We went on a number of hikes, hike 3, 7, 1 and 2. Hike 3 was great as all said but....I almost think hike #2 is more rugged and less traveled. We had 6 kids with us age 4-12 and all could do all these hikes. The suspension bridge was fun, the ladders were a blast and it was quite a bit cooler in the canyons in the morning. So cool that these fun type of hikes are just a short drive in IN. We camped here as well and had a good time. Our site, site 120 was a bit in the sun and out in the open but nice. I would recommend coming here and also checking out the pool.... Olympic sized, kids had a blast. Also, the nature center for the planetarium show and observatory window were very fun. We also checked out the Lusk home and had fun doing this as well. The bummers...the heat, at 106 it was hard to get motivated for more hikes and the lack of rain really impacted the river flow, we decided not to do tubing becase of the low water level. I would highly recommend this park. read more

Best camping hiking canoe weekend spent at the beautiful Turkey Run State Park. Such a grand park with so much to explore. The showers at the campground were clean with plenty of hot water and pressure. The hiking is so beautiful along the creek with large outcropping of rocks along the path. read more

This park is absolutely beautiful. There is a lot to do but I'm sure it's most known for its trails, they are excellent and can end up taking you more than a day to conquer them all. There is also a nature center, a hotel and buffet, horseback riding, canoeing/kayaking and tubing, miniature golf, an outdoor tiki bar, vintage shoppes, a really Nice public pool, go karts and more in the area! The area is set up so that you can camp and spend days entertained. The park itself is very well kept and clean. It's also busy and fun to meet new people and their furry friends. You won't find better scenery anywhere in Indiana, but people come further distances to come here. read more

Like a Lewis and Clark adventure, we packed up our SUV with a tent, air mattress, a few blankets, chopped up some vegetables, and seasoned some pork chops and headed to a mini day, one night trip. The drive was from Indianapolis since we were staying there for a few days, we decided to camp our last night in Indiana on our way back to Chicago. Since we were there on a Wednesday, it was pretty easy getting a camp site and after we set up our tents, we headed for a hiking adventure . We some home started on path 1 and ended up in path 3 which also connects to path 10. Since the paths do not go past 2 miles, we didn't really think to look at how rugged or difficult each path may be but 3 was definitely on the more rugged side . Ladders and creeks to go through, downwards down limestone hills, and a directionally challenged me trying to find my way out was definitely an adventure. We truly enjoyed Turkey Run and will definitely do it again soon. Oh.. The raccoons at tonight sounded like masked criminals trying to get their fill like a lot of the scary movies I've watched so be sure to put your food in hot car and trash in the bins before going to bed. I think I heard one of the raccoons choke on a piece of plastic wrap we had on the table. Also, make sure to have a lantern.. It's super super dark. read more

So glad we made a point to visit here. So much scenery in such a small area. You will want water proof shoes. I've seen many people with rafting sandals on. With so many rocks to climb over and stumps to trip over, I don't know if I'd do that. There are 11 trails. All but number 11 have water you will have to step across or in. The water isn't deep, usually less than a couple of inches. Also there's usually some mud, so its nice to have waterproof shoes so you can just stand in the creek to wash them off. The "new" covered toe sports sandals are perfect for this trip. We've hiked trails 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 9. We liked 3 and 9 the best. They are also the most rugged. climbing up and down rocks in ravines and going up or down wooden ladders. However these are the two most spectacular trails. The walls of the canyons were gorgeous. At a couple of points you're climbing over boulders in the stream bed and thinking, this is a trail? But then you see a numbered sign post (sometimes buried in a bush or tall undergrowth) and yep, its a trail. Trail 9 has some virgin wood. (there's another trail which also has virgin wood but the number escapes me.) I saw some people had worn their bathing suits and were taking a dip in the punch bowl (intersection of trail 3 & 4) to cool off. Boy I wish I had known! I was sticky and it sure looked good Regarding trail 5 aka 140 steps, you might consider hitting that from the west going east. That way you're going DOWN the 140 steps. Then you're in a stream bed going down hill which is a bit easier. The John Lusk house is locked up unless there's a short program put on by the parks department on some days at 3 pm. (trail 4) All in all this has to be the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen in a state park. read more

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This place was great! I planned out a day trip for my friends and I to drive to Turkey Run to hike and hangout. We only got to be there for a short time because one of my friends had to go but it was awesome while we were there. We went on a hike and got to cross the bridge. The sights were awesome and I saw plenty of things I wanted to do when I got to go back. Next time I will definitely leave earlier to have more time there. I will also bring a bathing suit and a lot of water. I was only here a short time but I had so much fun and I will be back soon! read more

Love canoeing and hiking here when I was living in Champaign, IL (on the 2 days of the year when the weather is good, that is). It's not far from Champaign. read more

Turkey Run State Park was absolutely beautiful! There were trails for everyone, whether you like climbing up ladders and rocks, or just strolling through the beautiful woods. I'd recommend this Park over and over again. The park employees we ran in to were so helpful and happy as well. This stop made our whole trip. Very wonderful place! read more

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A family favorite ! It's clean and well maintained . Very charming and a nice place to bring the kids ! Staff are very helpful we feel lucky to have this little gem for our family to build memories from ! read more

This is a great park. There's hiking, camping, swimming and if you want an easy visit you can stay at the inn. There are about 10 trails running from moderate to very rugged , so something for everyone. We started coming here about 10 years ago when we moved to Champaign, IL (aka flatland). This place put me at ease being from PA, it get more like home. We typically come 2-3xs a year and now we bring our son since he was 1. Be mindful that even 2-3 year olds may have some issues with the very rugged trails and you'll need to wear your kid. A short hike for us here is about 2-3 hours. There are lots of steps and walking through ravines. Depending on the time of year you can be crawling through some mud or walking through streams. We think it's some great family fun. It can get busy at times. There is much to do around the park also. We haven't but we see canoeing, kayaking, tubing. And if that isn't enough Shades state park is about 20 mins away for more great hiking and camping. read more

Didn't spend much time in the park, but mostly went to a couple covered bridges in the area during the Covered Bridge Festival. The bridges were gorgeous, especially with the fall foliage. All in all it was a beautiful fall day for a drive and some sightseeing, and this area did not disappoint! read more

This place is perfect for hiking and really awesome for family fun. I would suggest visiting. Problem: We rented cabin 153. What was going to be a fun overnight trip turned out to be a huge disappointment. For instance. Rusty bathtub, rusty medicine cabinet, refrigerator was loud enough to wake me every time it went on. The bathroom door had a huge hole in it on the inside. Tv is vintage at best. Only 5 distorted stations. The window blinds even after being closed were mounted improperly. You could see into the room from the outside. The room was dark and dingy and really needs a complete overhaul. The beds were nice. read more

Turkey Run State Park is an unexpectedly miracle of nature. Nestled in what appears to be very flat farm country in west central Indiana, water, over the centuries, has carved out a wonderland of canyons, hollows, and even a "punch bowl." The good people of Indiana have opened this land up for the public to get up close and personal with Mother Nature, mostly in the form of various hiking trails (rated easy, moderate, rugged and very rugged). These are more vigorous than ordinary park trails, but that makes them all the more fun. The trails are well marked. You can also go horseback riding, play all kinds of sports, swim, camp, etc. (check their website). Some hints: shoes are important. I felt invincible in my waterproof hiking shoes. Your feet will get wet, and tennis shoes will drown. My wife used her trusty walking stick for balance (and many hikers found a suitable branch among the millions of choices lying around). Even the moderate trails have some tricky passages; be patient with yourself and you will figure it out. The stone steps can be slippery and are always uneven--take your time. Even the wooden stairs are often uneven, and prone to crumbling. Again, watch what you are doing for a safe journey. I visited this park when I was very young, and have vivid memories of its wonders. Time has not diminished my joy at seeing this place as filled with wonder as it always has been. read more

Turkey Run State Park - Sugar Creek - Parks Near Me - Marshall, Indiana

My wife and I hiked trail 3, and the views were beautiful. It was described as "very rugged," which it was. A good majority of this particular trail followed a creek bed, so bring some water-proof boots with a good grip. The only thing I wasn't fond of was the crowd, most of which were friendly, but it makes the hike that much more difficult. Not to mention everybody likes to stand there and watch when others are attempting the more difficult parts of the trail---basically they're waiting/wanting you to fall in the water. I should also mention, the ladders aren't for the faint of heart, or if you have a fear of heights. Even if you don't, in fact, they're still pretty intimidating. Again, everyone watches (and there's a nice impatient crowd waiting). You put your hands in the mud from the previous person's boots, and they're generally kinda slippery. Fortunately they aren't very steep though. Hope to go back soon and check out some of the other trails. If you're into nature, this is a good place to check out! read more

Great spot to walk or swim ! Also heads up there are catfish in the water so bring your fishing rod ! There harmless in the water , there are also frogs ! read more

This is the most Fantastic Lodge and park , have stayed here twice now and will return many more.had dinner at the lodge great country cooking. wow. then Sat out front after dinner in a rocking chair with the family . Brought out a few cheetos we saved to feed the racoons. they come up and take them out of your hand. So relaxing , we love the woods and peace. read more

Beautiful park in the early spring, wildfflowers are like blooming, The park is clean and well-kept. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The trails are absolutely beautiful, I must see for people who enjoy a quiet camping read more

Great park to visit in Indiana! Wonderful ravines, canyons, and huge rock formations. The suspension bridge you walk on to get to the trails is pretty unique as well. The only downside to this park is that it can get very crowded in season. If you like the park to yourself and are attempting to get some peace and quiet, you may not find it here. However, don't let this deter you from visiting the beautiful rock formations unique to this area of Indiana. read more

I stayed at the Sugar Creek and the cabin was horrible I end up getting a lot of bug bites on my body had to stay off of work for three days until I got the swelling down the bathroom was nasty there was one toilet that worked out of three. nobody never came to even fixed or install anything in the bathrooms it's not a good experience. read more

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This is the place to go for hiking trails. Three couples came here to camp out and do some hiking trails. It was a great weekend and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for cool scenic outdoor activities. read more

Great park with a wide range of terrain, from challenging canyon hikes to laid back wooded strolls. read more

Turkey Run State Park - Parks Near Me - Marshall, Indiana

Camped here for 4 nights. The campground is beautiful and the employees were helpful and friendly. We were near a large bathroom/bath house and it was very clean and had several toilet and bath stalls separated by hand sinks. Definitely the nicest campground restrooms we have ever used. There were several hiking trails of differing levels of ease, some leading to a nice suspension bridge. There is also a nature center, Olympic size pool, inn, and camp store. Would definitely go back. read more

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Great place, Great times. Beautiful hiking trails, outstanding scenery. Sugar creek was fabulous for kayaking. The staff was thumbs up!!!!

The scenery is spectacular, but once you've gone past the suspension bridge, be careful. Many of the trails, even moderate ones, require walking along narrow ledges, have unstable stairs or wet rock, and are generally challenging. Signage in some places (like trail 4) is nearly non-existent, where in other place that are straightforward, there are signs every few hundred yards. We passed many people struggling to find their way out. Very crowded. read more

Great place to hike and camp. It's an Indiana hidden gem! Can get busy at Campground so use the online reservation system.

What a wonderful and beautiful l place to hike and soak up all of natures beauty. Here is enough to keep all your family members busy and active. Highly recommend for those of you looking for a great family time together. read more

Entry $5/car. Plenty of parking. Take a dip in the pool for $2/psn. Lots of photo opportunities. Went on a Saturday and it was well-attended and crowded at some trail intersections and popular trail sights but you could be on a trail by yourselves at some points. What's up with trail #10 (camelback)? Not too impressed. Trails 3,5,9, and 10 were explored on this trip. Hope to do the rest next time. A few spots reminded me of the slot canyons of Utah. After a rain, you might want to bring water shoes to hike through some parts. Saw people in innertubes, canoes, and kayaks. Looked like fun! There are BBQ grills, bathrooms, water fountains, etc. The visitor center is air-conditioned. read more

We stayed at the turkey run inn- at the roost, we had an ultimate Midwestern getaway winter weekend! The food was perfectly Midwestern, service was great. The price was great too, make sure you check out their special weekend packages available throughout the year! Grab some friends and rent the roost!! read more

Humbly suggest this state park is the most scenic in Indiana, and that includes Brown County. It's a canyon, it's very dramatic, you even have to use built-in (sturdy) ladders on one trail. And when we went, last Monday, it was 7 or 8 degrees cooler than out in the open. The lunch and service at the lodge's restaurant were also excellent. All the Indiana state lodges are very rustic and friendly. Advice for Chicagoans: instead of taking the superhighways down, you might try U.S. 41. It was uncrowded (on a Monday), passed through some pretty countryside and towns, and we could go 55+ mph most of the way back to Chicago. read more

I just returned from a weekend trip to Turkey Run. This is the 5th time that I've been to Turkey Run, but usually I'm supervising a group of teenagers, so it was nice to explore it with adults. It's just outside of Marshall, Indiana, and about 3.5 hours from Chicago (not including rush hour traffic) and well worth the drive. I can never understand why everyone from Chicago goes north to some mediocre Wisconsin parks (although there are some great ones there too!) and never think to go anywhere in Indiana except for the dunes. I've now stayed at both the youth campground site and the regular campground sites. The youth campground is different from most in that it's right next to the road. There isn't a ton of traffic at night though so it's not like it's noisy. There is no electricity or indoor toilets though so be prepared. The youth campsite is right next to the campsite store, which was surprisingly convenient when we realized that we'd forgotten an item and also needed firewood. The regular campsites are always packed so be prepared for that and book early. Kids were kind of loud, but we were also right next to the playground so I'm sure that didn't help. (The playground, as well other item amenities, are clearly listed on the map when you reserve a site, so we picked the site knowing this). Quiet time starts at 11pm though and we were shocked how quickly it got quiet at that point. There is indoor bathrooms and showers, which were fine. Considering that they were camping bathrooms and showers, I thought they were great (I'm used to a hole in the ground!). I did see staff cleaning them twice/day on Saturday. Hiking at Turkey Run is great!!! Definitely bring good walking shoes that you don't mind getting wet! Trails include many stairs, some ladders, and actually walking through creek beds and many rugged areas. It's not mountain climbing, but it's a huge step up from the hiking at many state parks which can sometimes consist of just mowed paths through fields of weeds and tall grass. They are beautiful!!! Trail #3 is my favorite, although we did #2 this time and definitely found it very rugged. You could definitely spend an entire weekend just hiking here, but if you did, you'd be missing out. I have been canoeing, kayaking, and tubing (floating down the river on a tube, not tubing behind a boat) on Sugar Creek, which is also a blast. There are other activities available too, like horseback riding, and a pool. And if camping is not your thing, there is an inn in the park that you can stay at. This is the first time that I stayed over the weekend (always visited during the week on previous trips) and the park was definitely much much much busier, as was to be expected. If you're looking for a fun time with a group or just a weekend away, the weekend should be fine. If you're looking for a quiet time out enjoying nature, definitely go during the week. In either case though, Turkey Run State Park, is a real gem!!! Be sure to check it, and other Indiana State Parks out - they have a great system! read more