5 Best Hiking Parks in Indiana

There are many good places to hike in Indiana, but these five stand out among the rest.

Jeff Stant, Executive Director at Indiana Forest Alliance, hikes in a remote part of Brown County, Indiana, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. Senator Mike Braun has introduced a bill that would double the size of the Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area, and designate land near Lake Monroe as a National Recreation Area. / Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY

The state of Indiana is not one that a lot of americans take much notice of when it comes to potential vacation destinations. There is no beach, there are a lot of cornfields, and there is not much to do from an entertainment perspective.

While the state is relatively slept on, there are many different things to do outdoors.

Hiking is a favorite passtime in Indiana. Thankfully, there are many different parks and trails throughout the state that offer amazing hiking for those who love the outdoors.

Let's take a look at the five best hiking parks throughout the entire state of Indiana.

5. Mounds State Park

One of the best-kept surprises in the state of Indiana is Mounds State Park. The quite, sprawling park offers many different hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty.

Mounds is known for the Native American presence that still is obvious to this day. The centerpiece of the park is a giant mound that was created by the prehistoric Indian tribe called the Adena-Hopewell people. The biggest mound in the park was estimated to have been constructed around 160 B.C.

4. Clifty Falls State Park

Another amazing park that doesn't receive as much publicity as it deserves is Clifty Falls. Located in Madison, Indiana, the park offers beautiful hiking, nature, wildlife, and waterfalls.

One of the most interesting aspects of the park is Clifty Creek, which is a place littered with fossils from a former marine ecosystem that has since disappeared. While the collecting of fossils is prohibited at the park, there are many different entertaining things to do and see while hiking the trails.

3. Indiana Dunes State Park

While there might not be a single ocean beach in Indiana, residents and tourists can visit Lake Michigan while in the state. Indiana Dunes State Park gives people a taste of hiking and water.

Currently, the park boasts 140 camping sites and beautiful hiking trails through the dunes. If it gets too hot, visitors can enjoy the "beach" of Lake Michigan. The Dunes are truly one of Indiana's best tourist attractions.

2. Shades State Park

Next up on the list is Shades State Park. While located close to the No. 1 hiking park on this list, Shades offers incredilby beautiful scenery.

Visitors will hike alongside sandstone ravines and Sugar Creek as well. Shades is more of a rustic park, which is certainly appealing to many avid hikers. It's a place to visit if you enjoy long, tough hikes.

1. Turkey Run State Park

For those who have visited Turkey Run, no one leaves disappointed. Turkey Run is by far the best hiking park in the state of Indiana.

There are 11 different hiking trails at Turkey Run. On the more rugged trails, you will walk through a sandstone gorge and also weave around Sugar Creek. In addition to the rustic hiking, there is a beautiful inn called the Turkey Run Inn that is available to stay at during the trip.