Turkey Run State Park. Yep, that’s what it’s called. There aren’t really any turkeys here: they were hunted to near-extinction in this area, and now you’d have to be pretty lucky to find one. But local history tells of a time when wild turkeys would flock in the deep canyons. Hunters would then chase the birds through the steep-sided “runs” and directly onto their dinner tables.

Just like in Montgomery County’s other strangely-named parks, there’s plenty of history here. Before becoming state parks, these canyons and gorges offered good shelter for settlers and Native Americans. And before that, who knows what creatures prowled these canyon floors?

We do know that the environmental conditions in the gorges have hardly changed in thousands of years. While the rest of Indiana marched onward into agriculture and industry, these spots stayed exactly the same—and those of us lucky to step foot in Turkey Run’s canyons are rewarded with a trip back in time.

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Read the rest of A Trip into Indiana's Prehistory (689 words)

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Post tags: adventure, climate change, community, ecotourism, ecotravel, environment, hiking, Indiana, nature, outdoors, photography, recreation, state park, summer, tourism, travel, water, weather

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Indiana is full of two things: cornfields and soybean fields. They line the roadsides, flashing past as you drive: cornfield, soybean field. Cornfield, soybean field. Cornfields with rusty tin-roofed barns; soybean fields with power poles marching diagonally across. Soybean fields with tree-shaded farmhouses; cornfields with peak-roofed silo towers like shiny agricultural castles. And then more soybean fields, and more corn fields.

soybean field (with cornfield in background)

Most of Indiana looks like this: an expanse of farmland where the only variation is between those two ubiquitous crops. This is Big Ag country, where a farmer’s goal is to produce as many identical plants as possible. Soybeans and corn, after all, are the true backbone of America.

The fields are beautiful, in their way—but it’s an unnatural beauty, without mystery or variation. Like assembly lines, these cornrows produce ear after perfect ear with nary a bug or blemish in sight. But they rely on genetically-modified crops, nasty pesticides and irresponsible farming practices, and in the shade of those waxy green leaves lies distressed, unhealthy soil.

But I digress.

What I meant to say was: here in Indiana, there ain’t much but corn and soybeans. It’s flat and green as far as the eye can see… except in Montgomery County, where I met Lacy and Justin Smith.

Lacy is an ex-coworker of mine, and an Indiana native. I’d been looking forward to seeing her for months. We met in Lafayette and then headed out to the countryside where she grew up. There, we visited a few of Indiana’s most pristine, beautiful, and well-hidden spots: Shades and Turkey Run State Parks, and the Pine Hills Nature Preserve.

Pine Hills at the Devil’s Backbone – click to zoom in, it’s worth it

Sandstone cliff on the Devil’s Backbone trail

Pretty amazing scenery; more photos after the jump.

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Read the rest of Shades of Death and the Devil's Backbone (483 words)

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Post tags: adventure, ecotourism, environment, gorge, hiking, Indiana, nature, outdoors, photography, recreation, river, state park, summer, tourism, travel, water

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