Hiker's path: A quiet November stroll through Shakamak State Park
It’s November in Indiana. It is one of my favorite months to hike out in the woods. It’s a transition month between seasons. The fall season is dwindling down but winter hasn’t quite made its appearance.
The forest this time of year is made up of darker earth tones. Some leaves still cling to the tree branches, but most are scattered around on the ground.
The colors of gray, brown, and beige are dominant in the landscape.
Every season and month of the year in Indiana has its beauty.
But there is just something about November.
I decided on a trip down to hike in Shakamak State Park and to see the late fall colors.
Shakamak is the seventh state park in Indiana and was established in 1929 on a tract of land donated to the state by Clay, Greene and Sullivan counties.
The 56-acre Lake Shakamak was created using an abandoned railroad as a dam. Lake Lenape, a 49-acre impoundment initially named Lake Jason, was created in 1933, while the 290-acre Lake Kickapoo became a reality in the '60s. Shakamak and Lenape's waters overflow in Lake Kickapoo, which runs off in the Big Branch Creek.
All of these lakes makes up the park. It's located off West State Road 48 near Jasonville. "Shakamak" is a Kickapoo Indian word meaning “river of the long fish” (eels). Although absent in the lakes because of the dams which cut the natural water flow from all three of them, fresh water eels are found in the nearby Eel and Wabash rivers.
The Lake Lenape trail was my chosen path for the day.
Trail 3 is 1.4 miles in length and takes the hiker through oak woods along the north shore of Lake Lenape, to the camp store. It intersects with Trail 4, which is 1.6 miles in length and follows a path through some beautiful oak trees and white pines.
Both trails are considered moderate in ease of hiking.
It was a cool, late fall day when I hiked these two trails.
I took off down the path in front of me with the November sky overhead, and the autumn forest around me.
There was a series of wooden steps, boardwalks, and bridges to cross, and several wildlife viewing stations along the trail. This made the hike more enjoyable, giving it more of a rustic feel walking across the weathered boards and the dirt trail beneath.
It did not take long for Lake Lenape to come into view.
I was walking as quietly as possible in hopes that I might be able to observe some wildlife around the lake.
As I walked along through the wooded landscape, I heard the sounds of woodpeckers drilling in trees and the high pitched calls of a pileated woodpecker in the distance.
I heard several crows cawing as a few scattered from the tree limbs above me. They did not enjoy my disruption of their day.
Even with the sounds of the winter birds, I have found an inherent stillness in the woods during this time of year. The forest can be very tranquil in the quiet of November.
It’s these moments that keep me going back for more every chance I get.
The lake was beautiful. No ripples in the water. No fishermen about. In the distance I saw a few Canadian geese floating along, seemingly without a care in the world.
I knew I was in the right place.
The rest of my hike was pretty uneventful but very scenic. I took several decent photographs, and soon found myself heading back to the parking lot.
It was a good day on the trail. And it had been a wonderful hike!
To get to this place: Take State Road 46 West out of Spencer and turn left on State Road 246 to Clay City. Continue to Jasonville on State Road 48 from there and the entrance is close to the town. The address is 6265 W. State Road 48, Jasonville, Indiana.
A quote for you this week: “In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones. Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers. They know it is time to be still”. — Cynthia Rylant, American author
Until the next trail,
Susan
This article originally appeared on Evening World: Hiker shares sights and sounds of a November visit to Shakamak park
