Indiana can be explored through a wide range of discoveries: from long trails and beaches along Lake Michigan to fossils, historic buildings, and literary landscapes. The state’s public hiking and other trails alone cover nearly 4,600 miles. They are managed by local, state, and federal agencies, as well as nonprofit partners. This gives you plenty of options when planning your trip; individual places each have their own distinctive focus.
Lake Michigan, Trails, and Changing Landscapes
On Lake Michigan’s southern shore are two parks with beaches of different lengths: Indiana Dunes National Park has 15 miles of sandy beach, while Indiana Dunes State Park has more than three miles of beach. The national park also has more than 50 miles of trails, spread across 15 different trail systems. The beach and trail lengths describe different ways to experience the park; it is also among the four most biologically diverse national parks.
Trails are also a major feature beyond the coast. Indiana’s state parks collectively manage more than 700 miles of trails. More than 600 miles of natural-surface trails on public or nonprofit land are open to mountain bikes in Indiana, including hundreds of miles of purpose-built singletrack. Access rules vary by property. If you’re looking for longer hikes, you’ll find trails at least ten miles long, with natural surfaces and at least one camping option on or near the trail.
The landscape also reveals itself through changing waterscapes. Depending on the weather and season, the waterfalls at Clifty Falls State Park range from roaring cascades to delicate veils of mist and gleaming, frozen giants. Along with its changing waterfall scenery, Clifty Canyon offers year-round opportunities for hiking and enjoying the landscape. At Turkey Run State Park, you can explore deep sandstone ravines; the Colonel Richard Lieber Cabin commemorates the contributions of the father of Indiana’s state park system.
Fossils and Local History
An unusually ancient natural history awaits you at Falls of the Ohio State Park: it is home to 390-million-year-old Devonian fossil beds, among the largest exposed fossil beds of their kind in the world. The visitor center overlooks the beds and features interactive, immersive exhibits.
Historic sites, meanwhile, tell stories of architecture, daily life, and remembrance. The restored Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park was founded in 1814 and includes 20 historic buildings. The Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site preserves a historic home directly connected to documented Underground Railroad activities. Admission includes a scheduled tour of the Coffin house and a self-guided tour of the Interpretive Center. Since tour arrangements may change, it’s worth checking the latest information before your visit.
At Lanier Mansion, you can see one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum’s historic vehicle collection features more than 300 race cars and pace cars. The Eiteljorg Museum’s collection of Native American and Western art is available through an online database; tours are free with paid admission. The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites offer hands-on and educational experiences for visitors of all ages at all twelve locations.
Literature, Recreation, and Regional Discoveries
Nature and literary history come together in Limberlost. Limberlost Swamp inspired Gene Stratton-Porter to write articles and fiction and to take photographs. During the 25 years she lived in Limberlost, she wrote six of her twelve novels there. You can hike independently in the Limberlost Conservation Area’s nature preserves throughout the day; check the latest access information before your visit.
Other experiences range from heights to agriculture: at Conner Prairie, visitors can ascend more than 350 feet in a balloon; operating conditions may vary. The refrigerated toboggan run at Pokagon State Park is a quarter mile long, and riders reach speeds of 35 to 40 miles per hour. Indiana also has nearly 300 agritourism destinations. These include farm tours, pick-your-own activities, farm markets, Christmas tree and flower farms, as well as wineries, breweries, and other agricultural visitor attractions.
If you’d like to explore a longer route, the Indiana stretch of the Ohio River Scenic Byway runs for 302 miles. Together with the trails, parks, historic sites, and agritourism attractions, it shows how varied a trip through Indiana can be. Choose the discoveries that interest you most, and check the latest visitor information for attractions with changing tour or operating conditions.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Vanderburgh, Clark, Pike, Scott, Monroe, Morgan, Johnson, Hendricks, Marion, Parke, Hamilton, Allen, Porter, Ripley, Lake, Lawrence, Vigo, Delaware, Elkhart, Tippecanoe, Jackson, St. Joseph, Laporte, Hancock County, Boone County, Grant County, Perry County, Floyd County, Miami County, Madison County, Harrison County, Henry County, Steuben County, Spencer County, Montgomery County, Newton County, Warren County, Dubois County, Indiana County, Knox County, Lagrange County, Cass County, Rush County, Washington County, Marshall County, Jay County, Posey County, Putnam County, Noble County, Gibson County, Benton County, Orange County, Whitley County, Fayette, Kosciusko County, Jennings County, Adams County, Bartholomew County, Clay County, Howard County, Carroll County, Fulton County, Fountain County, Vermillion County, Tipton County, Wabash County, Pulaski County, Huntington County, Greene County, Starke County, Wells County, Shelby County.
For the main travel overview: USA.
