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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

TURKEY RUN STATE PARK




This state park, close to Interstate 70, seems fitting for the week of Thanksgiving, doesn't it?  I wonder if it was named for turkeys running from hunters.  Just kidding.
location of Turkey Run State Park in Indiana - click for more detailed maps
great hiking in Turkey Run State Park


Hiking at Turkey Run takes you on many adventures.  If you walk through some of the parks ravines of sandstone dating back to what scientists believe to be 300 to 600 million years.









suspension bridge over Sugar Creek leading to many hiking trails



There are eleven miles of hiking trails in Turkey Run with one taking you over this suspended bridge.  Prepare yourself as nature will show you its glory.    



As at Brown County State Park, get your canoes and kayaks and explore the waterways within the state park and beyond the park's borders.  

Sugar Creek flowing under the Suspension Bridge at Turkey Run State Park



unique geological features at Turkey Run State Park
hiker resting where a Turkey Run State Park trail meets Sugar Creek



Sunset Point is the location of the Lieber cabin, built in 1848 with native Indiana Tulip trees. The cabin was moved to the park in 1918 by Richard Lieber, the German-American known as the father of Indiana's state parks.  His ashes are buried at Turkey Run. Lieber Cabin

Lieber encouraged charging admission to the state parks saying that by charging admission the visitors would hold the parks at higher value.


Another structure within the state park is the Salmon Lusk home and mill site.   

Lusk Home

Lusk and his family cut the stone for the foundation of the home, made all the bricks by hand, dug a coal mine for fuel to heat and built a gristmill with a horizontal water wheel.  

A community sprang  up around the Lusk home, remaining until in 1847, a Sugar Creek flooded and washed the community away leaving only the brick dwelling intact. 

In 1916 using funds donated by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Lusk home and property were purchased and Incorporated into Turkey Run State Park.

Another covered bridge is located in one more Indiana state park.  


The Narrows Covered Bridge

Thanks for taking the tour of Turkey Run with me. Hopefully, one of these days, we will meet at the campground.  Until then....

Be safe out there on the roads today and God Bless.  









12 comments:

  1. You have some really neat places to explore (in all your spare time). Maybe next year if we decide to go east we'll go through Indiana.

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    1. Yes, in all my spare time and and in today's 21 degree temperature. There is more to come.

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  2. Thanks for another great history lesson and photos. It always amazes me to read about these folks who built their own homes from scratch with very little in the way of tools.

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  3. You are right Rick. There is so much history that we are unaware of. I cant imagine having to do all those tasks. I wonder what people will say about us in 100 years.

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  4. Another great tour today, thanks for all that interesting history.

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    1. You are welcome! Hope you can visit Indiana sometime on your way back to Canada.

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  5. Awesome! I love the name of your campground this week.

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    1. Thanks Leigh, hope to see you at Clark's dry lake this winter.

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  6. Another great park report. I love those covered bridges. Looks like one could spend at least a month in Indiana and have wonderful places to stay. So what's the best month to do that?

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    1. I recommend April or early to Mid May in the Spring. In the fall, September and October is great. Peak leaf color time is around October 17th.

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  7. I would do those trails BUT avoid that bridge at all cost!

    Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. I take it you do not like covered bridges.

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