Kentuckiana Hiker’s Review

As a Kentucky native, I must say that I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so much SKY. Most of the hiking I do in the Kentucky and Indiana area is through forests, so I wasn’t quite prepared for the scope of this park.

There are only 4 trails in the park that include a 4 mile loop, an additional 2 mile loop and a short 1.6 mile wildlife trail along with a one-way trail to an overlook which can also be seen via a bus ride and interpretive tour. The trail to the overlook is 3.2 miles one way. Needless to say that if you had a mind to, you could hike all of the park’s available trails in a single day.

There are very few trees in the park and there are cattle on the site as well for the complete experience. Most of the trees that are in the park are gnarled cottonwoods. It really is a beautiful place and I would highly recommend checking it out if you’re ever in that area of the country. It is a distinctly different hiking experience.

If you’d like to see all 28 photos I took while in the park and elsewhere in the Flint Hills of Kansas, check them out here in the album Tallgrass Prairie.

Collared Lizard

Use these as a guideline to avoid getting tick bites:

• Use insect repellent on your legs and make sure to spray your socks
• Never wear white, especially white socks
• Avoid light colored clothes
• Check your socks and legs after walking through grass or around brush
• Check for ticks regularly during your hike and pick off those you find
• When hiking in a group, make sure to give everyone a good check at the end of the trail

(Author’s note: I’ve read several web sites and health official’s reports that RECOMMEND wearing white or light colored clothes to help spot ticks while on the trail. This might be a good idea for some Western states, but in Kentuckiana, where the primary risk is from deer ticks, white ATTRACTS more ticks. I’ve found that neutral outdoor colors and grey hiking socks minimizes the attraction of ticks. Also, spray your socks with deet, even if it does tend to make them wear out faster.  I’d rather buy more socks than worry about Lyme disease. On a recent 3 hour / 6 mile hike in Hoosier National Forest, I removed several dozen ticks during and after the hike was done.)

It’s a rare treat when you discover something really wonderful that has been right under your nose all along. That was my first impression after finishing the 16 mile Two Lakes Loop Trail in Hoosier National Forest.

Not only is Two Lakes a first rate recreational area with camping sites and boat ramps on two good sized fishing lakes, but the loop trail within offers one of the longest single loops within an hour and a half of Louisville. And even at 16 miles, the trail is not exhausting. In fact, it is considerably easier than some of the 10+ mile trails I’ve hiked within the last few months.

That being said, the conditions were optimal, with 60 degree temperatures and light rain for the majority of the hike. Take on the same 16 miles in 85-90 degrees in the humidity of the Ohio Valley, and the length of the trail alone can make it tricky, if not dangerous.

The Two Lakes Recreation area is easy to find. Just head West on Interstate 64 and look for Indiana State Highway 37 at exit 79. At the exit, turn South (left if coming from Louisville) and head down HWY 37 for about a mile and a half and look for the entrance on the right. It is the first Hoosier National Forest entrance from I-64.

Once you enter the Recreation Area, proceed past the Lake Celina boat ramp access road for about an eighth of a mile and take a left on the gravel access road to the main Two Lakes Loop trailhead parking area (see trail map). If the trail is busy and this parking area is full, there are several small parking areas along the road to the Indian Lake boat ramp that include access trails to the main loop.

Here is the topographical map of the trail with the main trail head highlighted:

Regardless of where you begin, I highly recommend hiking toward the Lake Celina section first (clockwise on the loop) for one very good reason. The two creek crossings on the map that are North of Indian Lake are crossings that require wading in wet weather. And it’s much easier to hike 16 miles with wet boots for only the last 5 or so miles as opposed to hiking the majority of the trail with wet feet. There are a lot of creek crossings on this trail, but those were the only two that were not negotiable without wading. Stay apprised of the weather conditions on the days leading up to your hike and you might not even have to worry about wet feet.

Main Trail Head

The Lake Celina section of the hike from the trail head to the the lake dam featured rolling hills with several small creek crossings and no steep grades of any type. Along with several nice lake views, the dogwoods were still in bloom at the time of my hike. Look for loads of wild flowers near the creek crossings and keep an eye out for tortoises on the trail. During my day-long jaunt, I saw literally dozens of tortoises along the trail. I should also mention it’s tortoise mating season right now, so if you happen upon a couple in the act, try not to disturb them. I would imagine it’s hard enough to reproduce as a tortoise without human interruptions.

Creek Crossings

Dwarf Crested Iris

Lake Celina dam

Leaving the forest just before the Lake Celina dam, you’ll hike about a half mile or so in high grass. This is the first area along the trail that you will most definitely find ticks. Once you get past the dam, be mindful and check your socks and shoes. There’s even a convenient bench at the western end of the dam for a rest and a tick check.

The next 2 mile section of the trail includes two other trail intersections. The American Discovery trail shares and bit of the same trail along the way as the Two Lakes Loop. You’ll also pass an access trail that essentially cuts the loop in half if you don’t want to try all 16 miles in one trip. To stay on the loop, just keep following the white diamond trail markers.

This section of the trail also has the first major signs of downed timber from the ice storm of this past January. When possible, try to go over or under any downed trees. If you find any timber crossings impassable, look for side detours that previous hikers may have taken. Make an extra effort not to break any new trails yourself to preserve the natural environment.

Downed timber

At the Indian Lake dam, you’ll pass through another quarter mile of high grass for your second major tick alert area along the trail. Once past the dam, you’ll follow the trail for almost a mile close to the bank on Indian Lake. Here you’ll find rocky sections that will be slick in wet weather, along with lots of wet environment plants like jack in the pulpit. Once you take a turn uphill and away from the lake, you’ll hike the first serious incline of the day at approximately 9 and a half miles into the trail. Once you crest this hill, you’ll proceed along a back country route that looks like a fire road, and is loaded with burrs. This section is another tick laden area.

Indian Lake

The first wading creek crossing will signify the start of the final section of the trail. It will include your best opportunity for spotting a bald eagle as you hike the northernmost section of Indian Lake. I spotted one during my hike, but I could not get a good photo.

You’ll also be treated to the best wildflowers variety of the entire hike. Spiderwort is a dominant flower along the higher banks to the left of the trail along with loads of fire pinks and many other flowers. It was also along this section that I spotted my very first yellow lady’s slipper. It was the only specimen that I spotted all day of this fairly unusual member of the orchid family and it was the highlight of my photo opportunities for the day.

Fire Pinks

Yellow Lady’s Slipper

The second deep creek crossing will signal that you are in the home stretch of completing the trail. There are 3 access spurs in the last two miles of the loop to parking areas along Indian Lake Road. Access trails are marked with orange diamonds and all lead back to parking areas adjacent to roads.

Follow the white diamonds

I can’t say enough about the beauty and diversity of the Two Lakes Loop trail really. It was the first trail in the Ohio Valley that truly reminded me of some of the lush areas I’ve hiked in the Smoky Mountains. The only thing missing were the rhododendrons.

Get out and hike the Two Lakes Loop trail this spring and you won’t be disappointed. I’m already planning my next trip back to tackle it again.

I took LOTS of pictures along the hike and I hope you enjoy the photos in the Two Lakes Loop photo album

It doesn’t matter really, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that horses are best viewed from the other side of a fence or on the television. This past Saturday was the culmination of a 2 week festival here in Louisville that ends in the “most exciting 2 minutes in sports”; the Kentucky Derby. I’ve gone to the Derby several times in my life, and this years lack of any compelling stories and my lack of any tickets made me decide to go hiking.

With cool weather and rain showers predicted, I decided to do a little bit more than the mile and a quarter that the horses run at Churchill Downs. I took off on this cloudy Saturday to take on Bernheim Forest’s 14 mile Millennium Trail.

It has been almost 2 years since I last hiked the Millennium Trail and I was anxious to see what kind of shape it was in. The Millennium remained closed for almost 2 months after the January ice storm that struck the Ohio Valley and I couldn’t help but wonder how it had effected the trail. In cool weather, hiking anything up to 6 miles on a day hike is pretty simple. Even up to 10 miles, the average hiker can manage it with just some extra liquids and some snacks in order to stay hydrated and keep energized. Once you push past 10 miles, you should plan ahead and take some precautions. My provisions for the hike were simple, but helped me a lot along the way and gave me enough energy to finish the hike with a little spring still left in my step. I took the following:

One full 1.5 litre hydration bladder (Camelbak)
2 16 oz bottles of Gatorade
2 high fiber/protein energy bars
1 single service bag of baby carrots
1 gala apple
1 peanut butter sandwich

Of the provisions I took, all were gone except the apple by the time I reached the end and I enjoyed it during my drive back home. Spaced out over the day, I made sure that I never got that lead footed feeling you can sometimes get when you have little energy left. (As a general rule, pack what you think you need, then pack one or two extra things to eat just in case).

Arriving at the park at just after 10 AM, I headed to the Welcome center to sign in before my hike. When hiking the Millennium Trail, Bernheim requires you to sign in for your safety. When you sign the hiking ledger, be sure to include where you intend to park and begin your hike.

The trailhead for the Millennium Trail is located in the Guerrilla Hollow parking area, and this was where I began my hike. Using the trailhead as 12 o’clock, I proceeded to hike the trail clockwise, covering the northern half of the trail first.

Trailhead Marker

Overcast skies, 60 degrees, and light sprinkles were with me all day, but surprisingly, the majority of the trail wasn’t terribly muddy or slippery and the creek crossings were all very manageable. When there has been a lot of rain, this can be a very wet-footed trail. Although it was drippy all day, it didn’t slow me down.

Wet isn’t always bad.

What can you say about a vibrant forest in Spring? I don’t think it is coincidental that I really enjoy hiking and my favorite color is green. Bernheim Forest is alive and well and growing like gangbusters. Although the ice storm has scarred a good deal of the forest, the first 8 miles of the trail were fairly clear of large debris. There are some minor detours around downed timber, but nothing alarming.

After eating my lunch at the halfway point around 2 PM, I proceeded across one of several fire roads to the southern half of the trail. This is where the more adventurous section of my hike began.

Halfway Marker: 7 miles

In between mile marker 8 and mile marker 9, you will proceed from a ridge down into a creek hollow. About halfway into the hollow, you will lose the trail. I guarantee it. For about the next mile or so, don’t be surprised if you have to back track in order to find the last trail marker and start looking around for the next one again.

Find the trail marker

The problem of course is that there is a lot of large downed timber here. In fact, there was so much, it was a little alarming at first. The bigger problem isn’t the downed trees, but more so the downed trees that had trail markers nailed to them.

My advice for this section is simple: be patient. When you’re in a creek bed and can’t seem to find a marker ahead, be sure to check the banks of the creek. Twice, I had to scrabble up steep banks to continue on the trail. The markers weren’t easy to spot because they were almost 90 degrees perpendicular to the last marker, and they were also 10-15 feet above my sight line.

Additionally, pay attention to traditional trail marking: a cut log directly across what looks like a path means “don’t go this way”. I remembered that little tradition only after scrambling over about 50 yards of fallen trees and scratching the heck out of my shins. (In one particular case, I followed what looked like a trail thanks to orange tape markers tied to tree trunks. I assume they were marked for cutting later. DO NOT FOLLOW ORANGE TAPE. They don’t mark the trail and more than once I walked a hundred yards forward before back tracking to find the last yellow trail marker.)

Donate Blood, Go Hiking!

The orienteering section of the trail only lasts for about a mile, and the biggest problem sections are contained in two creek hollows on the southern half of the trail. I apologize to any wildlife that might have been offended by my long, loud and highly descriptive expletives I utilized while in these areas.

I’m not sure if it was the cool weather, but during the entire hike, I brushed against many branches and brambles, but I didn’t spot a single tick the entire day which is really surprising since the Millennium Trail is tick central during the Summer months.

Trail

My one suggestion for the trail would probably be to wear long pants to protect your shins. (I brought my gaiters with me, but with my usual wisdom I left them in the trunk of my car.)

I truly enjoyed my Derby Day celebration in the great outdoors on the Millennium Trail in Bernheim Forest. If you want to tackle this 14 mile loop, make sure to plan ahead, arrive early and have a great day in the forest. If you’d like to view all  of the pictures I took in Bernheim Forest, be sure to check out the photo album entitled Derby Millennium.

Ferns