New trails will add to hike options at Fairfax State Rec Area near Lake Monroe
Three new trails are open at Fairfax State Recreation Area and each offers a view of Lake Monroe.
"We are almost done with installing the signage," said Jill Vance, interpretive naturalist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. "People are still welcome to use them, they just have to be aware there is currently no map out for them."
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Two of the new trails connect with other trails. The Homestead Loop is 1.84 miles long and gives hikers a rugged option off the existing Big Oaks Trail, which begins right behind the Big Oaks Shelter just up the hill from the Fairfax beach area. The Quarry Extension is a .41-mile trail that comes off the Homestead Loop. The Quarry trail is not a loop, so if someone walks the full length, they have to walk back, for a .82-mile easy walk.
"The Quarry Trail end is a really nice overlook of the lake," Vance said, adding it has a picnic area.
The third new trail, the Osprey Outlook Trail, is just under a mile in length and takes hikers near the lakeshore where they can view the osprey nesting tower that was installed in October 2020. Ospreys began nesting there this past spring. The trail is an easy walk, Vance said.
"It will not take you right to the nest," Vance explained, "but it's a perfect observation point across the water."
She suggested people bring binoculars to get a better view, although she believes adult ospreys will be visible without scopes or binoculars from the trail overlook.
Visitors to the state recreation area have requested additional overlook options along the trails, Vance said.
"Everyone would like to walk a trail at the edge of the lake," Vance said, adding that's not what the new trails offer. The reason is that a trail along the shore would probably be flooded in the early spring and disappear due to erosion. "The new trails bring you to some high points where you have some scenic views of the lake.
"This is a flood control property," Vance said of Lake Monroe. "By necessity our trails need to be up on higher ground."
New trails are former paths for First Day Trail Run and Walk
While the designated trails are new, Vance said they are the existing paths that have been used for years as part of the First Day Trail Run and Walk, conducted for the past nine years on Jan. 1.
This year's First Day Trail Run and Walk will begin at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 1. There are three distances — 3.7, 2.9 and 1.3 miles — as part of the noncompetitive event. Each takes participants through fields and forested areas. As they cross the finish line, people are encouraged to tap a bell to ring in the new year.
Advance registration, through Dec. 30, is at bit.ly/firstdayrun2023 and costs $15 per person. The first 300 advance registrants receive an embroidered collectable event patch.
Same-day registration is $20 per person (cash or check only) from 2:15-3:15 p.m.
A post-event food station with soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, hot cocoa and snacks will be open to all participants. There are also drawings for prizes. For more information, call 812-837-9967 or email jvance@dnr.in.gov.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: New trails at Fairfax State Rec Area add to overlooks at Lake Monroe
