Hiker's Path: A new look at the Avoca Park and Recreation Area
Once in a while, I find a really unique and rare place to hike. Last week, I hiked on the grounds of the old Avoca State Fish Hatchery, now called the “Avoca Park and Recreation Area”.
The hatchery property dates to back 1819, when a grist mill was built on the property. It was later sold to the Hamer brothers, who built the large colonial house in 1823 that now serves as the property manager’s residence. In the early days, the house served as an inn, post office and grocery store for the area.
The DNR purchased the property in 1919-1924 from Hayden Bridwell. Pond construction began in 1923. When finished, there were 13 earthen ponds constructed on the grounds. The service building behind the residence was built in 1924.
The hatchery used to produce between 500,000 and one-million fish a year for placement in Indiana waterways. Even though the hatchery was decommissioned starting back in 2013 and the fish were moved to other hatcheries, the property is still open to the public for hiking and for picnics. The park now has 43 acres, 13 ponds, grassy levees around each pond providing walking paths, and even a Civil war era graveyard. Eventually, the park became Lawrence County’s first public park and is now in the hands of the Avoca Parks and Recreation of Marshall Township.
There are several walking paths that cross the wooded hillside behind the ponds. The main trail is 1.5 miles in length and is a loop trail. But you can hike as much as you want from side trails. Last Sunday I made the trip down State Highway 37 south towards Bedford and found the hatchery grounds right off the highway in the small hamlet of Avoca.
The day was very warm and the sky was overcast from the previous night’s rain. The air smelled like damp earth, one of my favorite scents. Everything smelled fresh and clean. Much needed rain. I set about walking along the path of the grounds. It was quite scenic. The first place I came to was the underground fresh spring. I couldn’t see the actual springs, but I saw the end result of it in form of a waterfall. To the right of the spring area, I noticed a very nice, park-like picnic area with several picnic tables and grills.
I began my short ascent up the trail, marveling as I hiked along at the beautiful wooded landscape. I passed by old sinkholes, many varieties of hardwood trees, and a population of different birds singing cheerfully from their perches among the tree branches. The trail was narrow in places and the forest undergrowth was rather thick I took care to stay in the middle of the trail.
The trail eventually intersected with another trail and I followed the trail down to the wonderful old stone shelter. There was a beautiful fireplace at one end and several picnic tables inside. The beautiful old stonework of the shelter house and old walls were built back in the 1930s by WPA (works progress administration). The WPA was a New Deal agency that employed millions of job seekers to carry out public works projects. It was started under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935. There was a stone wall that led up to old stone steps which in turn led to the main trail. This trail, a one-mile loop trail, leads to a beautiful overlook, access to an old cemetery, and eventually to the old stone shelter house.
After this, I continued on down the trail to come out by the old ponds. Though the fish were now gone, the ponds still had some water in them and I saw several water turtles with their small heads bobbing up to the surface of the water. The grassy trails took me around the old ponds, some with cattails growing around them. There were picnic areas in various places and benches. Very nice.
The grounds are open from dawn to dusk every day of the year. Though the trail is short, it's a beautiful and interesting place to visit and hike.
To find this place, as I already mentioned, take State Road 37 south out of Bloomington towards Bedford. Drive about 6 miles, turn on State Road 37 South at the intersection of I-69 and 37. Continue 15 miles, turn right into Indiana 54 west. Then turn left on Avoca-Eureka Road. The parking lot is on the left. No admission charge.
A quote for your week: "I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets." Hamlin Garland.
Until the next trail, Susan
This article originally appeared on Evening World: Hiker's Path: A new look at the Avoca Park and Recreation Area
