I had no clue this magnificent place existed 60 miles from where I live. After TWR, CS indulged my wild nature side and introduced me to Turkey Run State Park.
They have about 14 miles of trails around the park. On the drive down I plotted 2 courses, one long - 7 miles and one short - 3.5 miles. Of course I picked all the paths that said "Very Rugged" or "Rugged". Might as well do the hard stuff and see what its all about! Since we had just done a 5k, I wasn't sure what our legs were in store for since we were both new to the trails. We fueled up with some lunch then headed out over the bridge to start in on the short loop first. Immediately I felt like I was not in Indiana. The rock formations and scenery were gorgeous.
You basically were winding through a moderately dry creek bed with solid rock towering around you.
The path would narrow and weave around anything it wanted. This part reminded me of something from Lord of the Rings.
There were tons of people out that day, as it was the first day we've seen sun and warm temps in weeks. Kids were just drenched from playing in the water. Some adults too actually. What was interesting... it was people of all ages, sizes, and ethnicities. I really thought it was great that so many different cultures were out to appreciate and support the park.
Several coves had waterfalls that provided a brief cool off from the heat
Lots of knooks had us wondering how much time and pressure had created these kind of spots.
Of course, I tried to run through the low parts but you had to bounce off rocks and tree limbs so I was being a bit cautious. After cruising through the low parts, we made our way up top to some real trails that I was able to get a run going. CS even joined in! We reached a spot called "The Ladders". There are 3 heavy ladders that take you back down into the creek. You probably had to climb down 50 feet in total.
Of course, I had to christen the park, so I dropped a log. Can you see it?
Another waterfall
CS was enjoying himself so much he sprouted some wood that definitely needs to be seen by a doctor.
As small homage to Colorado, we found Boulder Canyon! On a smaller scale, it certainly reminded me of a few mountain climbs I've been on with B.
After a long days work at the 5k and this 3.5 loop, we were done. CS wanted a few moments to be with his thoughts and reflect on the day. He found the perfect size spot!
I decided to curl up and take a nap.
Turkey Park exceed all my expectations! Admittedly they were low since I didn't really know what to expect. I had a blast! Thanks to CS for the awesome introduction to this place. I will certainly be back and am planning an informal inaugural adventure race/run here. It would be a blast to get some friends to come run around for a few hours then relax at the campground... and then do it again the next day! Look for your invitation in the mail!
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