Hiking Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: November 6, 2025
We drove to west central Indiana about a dozen miles from Illinois. We were celebrating our 43rd anniversary and stayed one night in a cabin at the State Park. Daughter Jacque surprised us by having a bottle of wine, special glasses and candy in the cabin. The park had 11 total trails totaling 14 miles. We hiked 5.1 miles concentrating mainly on Trail #4 & #8. At the beginning you immediately descend 70 steps then hike to a long suspension bridge crossing Sugar Creek. The trail took us into Rocky Hollow with large rocks and a sandstone canyon on each side of us. Near the hollow’s end was the Punch Bowl, a deep round rock area. The temperature immediately plummeted until we finally exited the hollow. The trail became more rolling in a high canopy forest. Lots of squirrels running nosily over the fallen trees. The tree leaves color was beautiful. After 2.5 miles we came to the pioneer Salmon Lusk Home and then the beautiful Narrows Covered Bridge which crosses Sugar Creek. The trail then turned westward parallel along the creek and came to an old coal mine all boarded up. The trail led us past low cliffs and rocks and back onto the suspension bridge followed by the fun 70 step ascent to the trailhead.
Afterwards, we had dinner in the state park lodge and met Marvin, a 90-year-old farmer from Lafayette.
