Fall Hike at Shakamak State Park
I was inspired to take on each of the 12 hikes recommended by Only in Indiana in 2021, and I’m so glad I did! As I near the end of this year-long adventure I got to check out another new-to-me destination as I enjoyed a fall hike at Shakamak State Park.
With 24 state parks in Indiana, I still haven’t made it to all of them. But I am definitely making my way through the state parks and taking in the unique aspects of each one.
While going for a hike can be a spontaneous endeavor, that typically isn’t my style. Lucky for me, all the Indiana State Parks have great information online, allowing me to map out my adventure ahead of time. Plus, at the entrance to each park you can always pick up a map of the property.
The Only in Indiana article outlined for me exactly which park and which trail to embark on each month…except this month. I got to choose the trail at Shakamak State Park myself! Keep reading to find out which of the 7 trails I selected…
Shakamak State Park
Shakamak State Park can be found in Jasonville, Indiana, which is about 90 minutes southwest of Indianapolis and not too far from Terre Haute.
The park gets its unusual name from Native Americans who inhabited this area prior to the War of 1812. This area was also formerly home to many coal mines that were ultimately abandoned.
What we have today is nearly 1,800 acres of serene nature, including three beautiful lakes. Visitors to Shakamak State park can rent boats, go camping or stay in one of the family cabins, enjoy a picnic, frolic on a playground, check out the nature center, or take a dip in the pool (during the summer months).
Of course, lucky visitors stumble upon wildlife during their visit, possibly spotting a white-tailed deer, raccoon, or red fox. And with three lakes on the property, many people head to Shakamak State Park with fishing poles in hand.
On my visit to Shakamak State Park, hiking was the primary goal on my agenda.
Fall Hiking
While I think this year-long adventure has proven (to myself and hopefully to you!) that hiking is possible as well as fun no matter the season, fall hiking is still my favorite.
There is just something about that satisfying crunch of the leaves underfoot. The air typically has a chill in it, yet you don’t have to pile on too many layers. Nor do you have to worry about frostbite or heat stroke!
Fall in Indiana, and throughout the Midwest, is also a feast for the eyes. What starts as lush and vibrant green turns to amazing hues of red, orange, brown, and yellow as the leaves gracefully fall from their perch. And we get to frolic in the piles!
My hike to Shakamak State Park took place in mid-October, which unfortunately was a bit too early for the height of fall color in Southern Indiana. I guess I was a bit too eager for fall, given that it is my favorite season!
Regardless, I was able to see some of the fall color starting to peak through the green foliage. And on my path through the woods, I added to the sounds of nature with a good crunch every time I stepped on any of the fallen leaves I could find!
Trail 5
Having done my research online ahead of time, and with my map in hand, I decided to take on Trail 5.
Shakamak State Park trails range from easy to moderate, and they span from 1.08 miles up to almost 4 miles. Trail 5 was in the middle of the pack at 2.2 miles and was labeled moderate. Not too easy…not too hard…just right for me!
Luckily by studying the map I realized before starting my hike that Trail 5 is not a loop. That means that after hiking the 2.2 mile trail I would have to reverse course and walk back another 2.2 miles to get back to my car. Since I wasn’t up for a 4+ mile hike that day I prepared to walk just past the dam and then turn around.
While I didn’t see any wildlife besides birds and squirrels that day, apparently beavers had been busy on Trail 5 prior to my visit. The entrance to the trail was marked with a sign letting me know the Beavers had created a structure that was blocking the trail! Respecting the fact that I was the visitor and this was the beavers’ home, I followed the detour to enter Trail 5 a little ways down the road.
From there, the first leg of the hike took me through towering trees and along the edge of Lake Kickapoo. Other than the bumpy terrain with roots and rocks along the path, I found it to be a fairly easy and pleasant hike.
Yet I still made frequent stops. All along the trail were opportunities to take in a new angle of the lake as it peeked through the trees, which provided lots of great photo ops!
Then almost without warning the woods came to an end, and I was at a clearing.
There my hike continued on the grass trail. I had the warm sun on my face and unobstructed views of the majestic lake as a nice fall breeze blew through my hair. Ahh…fall!
I made my way through the clearing and stopped on top of the dam to admire the glistening water before turning around.
I then retraced my steps along the same path, finding beauty to admire that I had missed the first time through.
Almost Done
With hike number 10 completed, the year is coming to a close. And so is my year-long hiking expedition.
Even though winter weather will be arriving soon in Indiana, I’m determined to finish my quest!
I’ve often heard that there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.
So whatever kind of weather comes to the Midwest for the remainder of 2021, you can bet that Traveling Tanya will still be hiking…and bundling up, as necessary!
I hope you will continue to join me on this journey. If you have missed any of my hiking adventures thus far, check them out here: hike 1, hike 2, hike 3, hike 4, hike 5, hike 6, hike 7, hike 8, and hike 9.
I’ve got just 2 more trails to check out, including a return trip to a very popular Hoosier hiking destination and a visit to my very favorite Indiana State Park. So stay tuned!
Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya
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