Leaf peeping right here in Indiana: Hike, see owls, paddle and climb

Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune
·7 min read
A climber descends on a zip line Oct. 15, 2022, at the Edge Adventure Park at South Bend's Rum Village Park.
A climber descends on a zip line Oct. 15, 2022, at the Edge Adventure Park at South Bend's Rum Village Park.

Leaf peeping has been pretty good this autumn, and it's likely to ripen even more this week. So let's dive into a smorgasbord of things to do while absorbing the colors ― even the feathered kind.

Hikes

∎ Coal Line Trail: The local chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino welcomes others to join their hike on South Bend's new paved, 0.75-mile Coal Line Trail, departing at 5 p.m. Oct. 20 from Brownfield Park, at Angela Boulevard and Riverside Drive. Walkers will gather at Fiddler’s Hearth in downtown afterwards.

∎ Rum Village: A naturalist will lead hikes on Rum Village Park's wooded trails in South Bend at 2 p.m. Oct. 23 and 30 and Nov. 6. Meet at the nature center, 2626 S. Gertrude St.

∎ Berrien County: Berrien County Parks will lead fall hikes at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 and 30 at Love Creek County Park, 9292 Huckleberry Road, Berrien Center, and at 10 a.m. Oct. 22 at Galien River County Park, 17424 Red Arrow Highway, New Buffalo.

∎ Madeline Bertrand: Join the Harbor Country Hikers on a 2.5-mile hike at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at Madeline Bertrand County Park, 3038 Adams Road, Niles, led by county parks naturalist Derek Pelc.

A climber navigates through the trees Oct. 15, 2022, at the Edge Adventure Park at South Bend's Rum Village Park.
A climber navigates through the trees Oct. 15, 2022, at the Edge Adventure Park at South Bend's Rum Village Park.

Wild birds

∎ Owl banding nights: Indiana Audubon invites the public to come watch as tiny northern saw-whet owls are safely captured during their fall migration, then banded as part of a research project in the Indiana Dunes that has been going on for more than a decade.

The owl banding will be on select nights from Oct. 20 through Nov. 12. Registration is required because space for this popular activity is limited each night. Each demonstration will begin at 7 p.m. CDT (6 p.m. CDT starting Nov. 6) outside at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 N. Indiana 49, Porter. Special behind-the-scenes nights also are available on certain nights.

Visitors should bring their own lawn chair or blanket, warm clothing, and their snacks and drinks. A campfire will be available on most nights.

Registration includes a $5 fee towards the donation-based research project at indianaaudubon.org/events. All of the banding nights depend on the weather ― high winds and storms don’t work well for the owls. Even in good weather, there’s no guarantee of seeing an owl.

Also in parks:Halloween goblins and ghouls invite you to these spooktacular events in Michiana

∎ Sandhill crane trip: Join naturalists from St. Joseph County Parks for a trip Oct. 29 to Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area in Medaryville, Ind., to see sandhill cranes as they gather to eat, dance and preen, often more than 1,000 at a time. This will begin at Bendix Woods County Park in New Carlisle with an indoor presentation at 3 p.m., then depart at 3:30 p.m. and return by about 9 p.m. Cost is $10. Register at 574-654-3155.

Fall colors reflect in the St. Joseph River in South Bend, seen from a kayak Oct. 16, 2022.
Fall colors reflect in the St. Joseph River in South Bend, seen from a kayak Oct. 16, 2022.

On the go

∎ Pumpkin “O”: Use an orienteering map to search for hidden pumpkins on Oct. 22 at St. Patrick's County Park, 50651 Laurel Road, South Bend. If you find the scarecrow, you’ll be entered into a drawing for free innertubing and skiing passes at the park. Maps will be available for $5 from noon to 3 p.m. in the brown barn. This event is weather permitting.

∎ Black River paddle: The Two Rivers Coalition will lead a three-hour canoe or kayak trip for paddlers of all abilities Oct. 23 on the Black River near South Haven, going upstream a few miles, then returning. Bring your own boat. It will launch at 1 p.m. from Baseline Road between 72nd and 71½ streets near South Haven. Because parking is limited, you’re encouraged to carpool, dropping your boat there and parking further away. Find a link to a map of the launch site in this column online.

Lake Chapin is seen through fall colors along Lake Chapin Road near Berrien Springs on the Love Biketober Fest route on Oct. 9, 2022.
Lake Chapin is seen through fall colors along Lake Chapin Road near Berrien Springs on the Love Biketober Fest route on Oct. 9, 2022.

∎ Science Sunday: Check out kid- and adult-friendly, hands-on science demonstrations from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 30 at the portion of St. Patrick’s County Park in South Bend that the University of Notre Dame uses to study ecosystems. Scientists from Notre Dame’s Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility, as it’s called, will lead the demonstrations and give tours.

∎ Edge Adventure Park: This year’s season for aerial adventures at South Bend’s Rum Village Park will continue Saturdays and Sundays until Nov. 6. No night climbs this fall. For details and reservations, visit edgeadventureparks.com or call 800-590-8347.

Fall colors reflect in the St. Joseph River in South Bend, seen from a kayak Oct. 16, 2022.
Fall colors reflect in the St. Joseph River in South Bend, seen from a kayak Oct. 16, 2022.

Fishing reports

∎ Salmon run: Trout and salmon have continued to arrive in the St. Joseph River below Mishawaka’s Twin Branch dam, though the salmon are “dwindling,” according to the Oct. 14 fishing report from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.  

“Some very large kings are still showing up in South Bend,” the report states. “Anglers report catching them on a variety of presentations, such as spinners, spawn, live bait, beads and plugs. So far during September and the first week of October, a total of 844 steelhead and 619 coho and 114 kings have gone through the fish ladder in South Bend.”

From the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Oct. 14 report says: “A few straggling salmon, and a couple steelhead have been caught by pier anglers. Even a couple stray northern pike, a few bass, and lake trout have shown up. Glow spoons, skein, deep diving cranks and Oslo spinners are good baits to try. Lake trout will be showing up around the piers and harbors in larger numbers over the next couple weeks.”

More sweet pictures:Fall color adventures in photos

∎ Rainbow trout: Indiana DNR planned to stock about 200 rainbow trout in South Bend’s Pinhook Lagoon by the end of October. The trout average more than seven inches long. The bag limit there and at inland waters (except for Lake Michigan and its tributaries) is five per day, at a minimum of seven inches long.

∎ Channel catfish: Indiana DNR is stocking 147 sites across the state this fall with about 63,742 channel catfish, each about eight to 10 inches, all coming from state hatcheries. The stocking should be complete by early November. These include 320 in South Bend’s Pinhook Lagoon and 500 in Tamarack Lake in LaPorte (Kingsbury FWA), and in LaGrange County: 1,700 in Messick Lake, 900 in Meteer Lake, 1,750 in Nasby Mill Pond, 2,200 in Westler Lake and 2,040 in Witmer Lake.

Hunting heads up

∎ Seasons listed: Did you see The Tribune’s listing of fall hunting seasons for various kinds of game in Indiana and Michigan this past week? If not, link to them in this column online.

Hunting in Indiana:Here are hunting seasons for deer and other game for fall 2022

∎ Private land for hunting: The state-runIndiana Private Lands Access program has a new self-service sign in system for hunters who are seeking private land for hunting, whether it’s small or large game. Link to it in this column online. It lets you sign up for a three-day window. But game bird (pheasant and quail) and turkey hunts are still run through the state’s reserved hunt draw system, also linked here.

Hunting in Michigan:When you can hunt deer, other game in Michigan this fall

∎ Tests for chronic wasting disease: Hunters can have their deer tested for chronic wasting disease this season. They can drop off deer heads in designated coolers. That includes from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Bodine State Fish Hatchery, 13200 Jefferson Blvd., Mishawaka (574-255-4199), or 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CDT Mondays through Fridays at Kingsbury Fish & Wildlife Area, 5344 S. Hupp Road, LaPorte (219-393-3612). Or call the office to make an appointment for a biologist to take a sample. For other sites statewide, visit a link in this column online.

∎ Sick birds?: Waterfowl hunters in Indiana are being advised to watch their game for signs of avian influenza. The bird flu decreased this summer in Indiana, but some states then saw a resurgence of deaths from the disease, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources advises. Symptoms may include unusual behavior, such as swimming in circles, tremors, a twisted neck and/or a general lack of coordination. Sick birds may also have nasal discharge, a cough, sneezing or diarrhea. If you see this or multiple dead birds in one area, report it at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife. As a precaution, don’t harvest birds that look sick. Wear gloves, wash hands and disinfect equipment after handling birds. Cook meat thoroughly. Learn more at on.IN.gov/avian-flu.

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Things to do to see fall colors like hike paddle climb or watch owls