Special places

What visitor to Brown County State Park hasn't stopped at Hesitation Point? It is one of many special places to view Indiana's natural wonders.

We may not have mountains to climb or an ocean coastline, but Indiana has an impressive diversity of landscapes and natural features. And we have added some features to make some of these special places more enjoyable.

You can fish for 10-pound trout and salmon in South Bend in the morning, and walk hand in hand with your sweetie along the sand of the Indiana Dunes at sunset.

Indiana does have one mountain. It happens to be the world's largest underground mountain, and you can see it at Wyandotte Caves in Crawford County.

Pokagon State Park in Steuben County is a beautiful summer resort, but it may be known best as Indiana's winter wonderland. Cross-country snow skiing, ice fishing and a toboggan run are just some of Pokagon's winter activities.

Forests and water are reoccurring themes in the destinations recommended by DNR employees. You'll find a variety here ranging from the Upper Wabash Reservoirs, which were designed to control flooding, to Lake Shakamak, which was an abandoned coal mine. These and other locations preserve beautiful forested areas with excellent wildlife habitat and extraordinary lakes.

If you want to go really primitive, take a hike along the boardwalk at Twin Swamps Nature Preserve in Posey County. This place looks more like a Louisiana bayou than Midwestern wetland.

Indiana has a rich history, and we have included some in this issue. The Indiana State Museum is a must visit, as are the ancient coral sea fossil beds at Falls of the Ohio State Park. That's where Louis and Clark met in 1803 to begin their monumental journey west.

The Pioneer Village at Spring Mill State Park is a time machine taking us back to the early 1800s.The dark and drafty cabins, lit by candle light and wood fireplace, are a stark contrast to our 21st century lifestyle.

What places have we left out? Plenty. There are simply a lot of wonderful places in Indiana for weekend outings and extended vacations, and you'll read more about them in future issues of Outdoor Indiana.

In the meantime, enjoy. And don't forget to reserve a campsite, cabin or room at an inn at www.IN.gov/dnr.

Stephen Sellers, editor