Indiana’s Beautiful Brown County State Park

Indiana’s Beautiful Brown County State Park

Friday night, another work week enters the realm of history. The weather forecast is predicting rain for Saturday and Sunday. Last weekend, Memorial Day, I listened to a similar false alarm forecast and missed out on a nice Sunday afternoon ride. Not willing to make the same mistake two weeks in a row, I place a blue chip bet that the gloom-and-doomers will be wrong again. A full weekend of dividends in blue sky is the payoff. Fully optimistic, I pack my gear and ready for an early morning express run down Interstate 65 to Southern Indiana.

Brown County State Park has been on my mind for the last two weeks, ever since my last trip to Southern Indiana. The beauty of this park demands more time and attention than I could afford to give it on my last trip, which I devoted to a few Indiana scenic byways in the same area. This weekend’s excursion will focus on the park, and for a bit of extra added fun, a few favorite back roads coming and going.

Up early Saturday morning, I make the 207 mile trip from my house to Bloomington without stopping for gas, pushing the upper limits on the mileage range. Stopping for gas in Bloomington with less than half a gallon to spare, I stop for a quick bite to eat, then I’m off for the remaining 16 miles to the Park on Hwy 46 east.







Arriving at the west entrance to the park on Hwy 46



Of course, a trusty map is always a nice thing to have in any park, so I pick one up upon paying the $4.00 entry fee.





The view from Hesitation Point









It’s one of the first truly summer-like days in Indiana with temps approaching 90 and high humidity. I make my way toward the park’s Abe Martin Lodge, my home for the night, to check into my room.







One of my favorite spots in the park, I spend some time here trying to capture the turn. Only the folks reading this could understand why. The park visitors passing by in their cages appear curious, to say the least, about the guy pacing back and forth along the side of the road, carrying a camera, wearing a helmet and riding gear. They may have thought the heat had finally fried my brain!