Turkey Run State Park: A Quick Visitors Guide

Turkey Run State Park is about an hour and fifteen minutes and 70 miles due west of Indianapolis. My wife and I stopped there on a summer morning during a road trip across the country. Let me be clear: this park did not disappoint.

We pulled into the parking lot around 9 a.m. It was not hot out yet, but it was heating up quickly. We had just spent the morning hiking in nearby Shades State Park, which was also excellent.

If you are looking for a wilderness experience, this is likely not the trail or park for you. Turkey Run is one of Indiana’s most popular state parks. We did not have a lot of time, so we decided to hike the 1.7-mile trail #3 loop. I read some reviews online that said this was the best trail in the park, and after hiking, I was inclined to believe them.

We parked near the nature center, the lot was not full or empty—maybe a quarter of the way full. I was a little surprised it was already so busy, given how early it was.

Hiking Rocky Hollow-Falls Canyon Nature Preserve in Turkey Run State Park

We quickly hit the trail. The air was still humid and smelled of decaying foliage from the previous fall. The trail was well-worn, lush, green, and still moist from the previous day’s rain. Soon, we came to one of the trail’s highlights: a giant suspension bridge across Sugar Creek. “Stop bouncing I mean it!” My wife said to me pointedly as she walked across the bridge. “Alright alright sorry” I said back with a chuckle.

After crossing the bridge, we followed the trail briefly and then angled to the right. There, we saw a sign letting us know we were entering Rocky Hollow-Falls Canyon Nature Preserve, which was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1975.

It soon became apparent why! This trail was excellent. We entered the deep, stand-stone gorge. Immediately, the temperature dropped significantly. “I knew I should have brought a fleece,” my wife told me. The area was still very moist, and large evergreens soared along the canyon edges. We passed a rock formation named Wedge Rock. Next up, we pushed through a narrow part of the ravine through a bit of water. Wet feet had by all at this point.

Next, we reached the Punch Bowl, with a small but beautiful little waterfall flowing.

From there, we continued our loop toward the Bear Hollow portion. This section requires the use of some ladders. There are pretty clear warnings that these can be slick and dangerous, so be careful! After turning onto the last leg of the loop, we came to the last-named formation along the trail, the Ice Box.

As we crossed back over the suspension bridge, marching towards our car, we both agreed that this trail was much more rugged and took longer than we had expected. We also both agreed that it was totally worth it and incredibly beautiful.

If you are in the area, I highly recommend this hike!