Hiker's Path: McCloud Nature Park
It was a very beautiful day in Indiana when I set out to go hiking the other day. The temperature was in the mid-seventies and the sky was blue. The sun was shining brightly overhead. I headed north in my car traveling on highway 231. My hiking destination for the day... McCloud Nature Park in Hendricks county. I had not visited this park in a while. I was looking forward to an afternoon’s adventure in the north country.
McCloud Nature Park is nestled in the middle of the country in central Indiana. It contains 232 acres. There are over six miles of hiking trails in the park and access to Big Walnut Creek, year-round programs at a Nature Center, and a wide variety of wildlife viewing opportunities. It is owned and operated by the Hendricks County Park board. The land was purchased in 2000 but the park did not officially open to the public until 2003.
The history of the land goes back much further though. Early inhabits in the area appear to have been part of the Wea Indian tribe. The Wea people were one of six tribes of the Miami Nation of the Northwest Territory. Later the first settlers in the area were from the "McCloud" family, hence how the park got its name.
When I arrived at my destination, I got out of my car and took off on my first chosen trail of the day: the "Big Walnut Crossing" trail. This trail is only 0.4 miles, but it crosses over the Big Walnut creek via a wonderful old 100-plus-year-old bridge. I love old bridges especially when someone has spent time and money to restore them.
The eight panel "Warren through truss" bridge at this park is an unusually early example of a truss bridge with bolted connections. It’s pretty much the centerpiece of the park. It was built in 1913 by the F.M. Williams Construction Company of Winamac, Indiana. The bridge, originally located on CR 700 South over the Big Monon Ditch in Pulaski County, Indiana, was saved from demolition by the McCloud Nature Park which acquired the bridge. They moved it to it's present location in 2010 and had it beautifully restored.
The bridge, which is 120 feet in length and 14 feet in width, provides a wonderful view of the Big Walnut creek which flows beneath it. It’s a steep drop below the bridge, but I assure you, the bridge is sturdy and safe!
I followed the short trail along Big Walnut Creek and soon I was standing at the bridge. What a beautiful bridge and an even better view. The landscape around me was amazing. Spring was quickly turning into summer as evidenced by the trees leaving out. Everything in the woods was full of shades of green.
I walked slowly across the wooden planks of the bridge to get to the overlook on the other side, the “Cardinal’s Perch”.
No cardinals about but it was a nice quiet place to meditate. And the view of the creek below was amazing. I decided to hike the Barred Owl Roost trail next as it was located right across the bridge. It was a loop trail, easy to hike and only about a third of a mile in length. No owls today but a nice little jaunt all the same. Then I decided to cross back over the bridge to hike some of the other trails. The nice thing about this park is that most of the trails intersect with one another.
I headed up to the Paw Paw Pathway trail. Yes, there are Paw Paw trees growing along the trail. This trail is a loop trail that is a little under a half-mile. It lives up to its namesake. There are Paw Paw trees scattered all along it.
Paw Paw trees used to be called the “Hoosier banana” trees. Some call it “America’s forgotten fruit”. The fruit tastes something like a combination of bananas, mangos, and pineapples. It has a custard-type texture on the inside with big seeds in the middle. No ripe Paw Paws today but it was a fun hike. The trail intersected with the “Acorn Pass” trail. This was a short loop trail of only a third of a mile. This little trail lived up to its name as there were Oak trees along the path. It didn’t take long to hike it and soon I was headed back to my car.
This park supports several different types of ecological communities including a hardwood forest, a prairie, a restored wetland area, and a creek. In addition, there’s a nature center, a corn maze, a bird-watching area, fishing, family activities each week, and of course the wonderful old, historic bridge.
I had a wonderful time hiking these fun trails. It’s worth a visit and most of the trails are pretty easy to hike.
To find this place, go up past Cloverdale on Highway 231 North and through Greencastle. Continue until SR 36 and turn right. Go through Bainbridge and continue to SR 75, Drive North to Hughes road. Turn left. Drive approximately 5 miles. Park is on the right. The address is 8518 Hughes Road. They are open from dawn to dusk.
A quote for your week: “Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known”. - A.A.Milne - English Author - 1882-1956
Until the next trail,
Susan
The Warren “through truss” bridge in McCloud Nature Park originally built 1913.
This article originally appeared on Evening World: Hiker's Path: McCloud Nature Park
