Earlier this week we had some contractors at our house so we decided to go on an adventure. Since I wanted a location that would keep us away for several hours, we ventured to Pehkokia Woods in Huntington, Indiana. This is another Acres Land Trust location.
This location has two distinctly different areas to hike – the woods and the grasslands. Upon entering the woods the hike starts on a rocky path. After a short distance there is the option to turn to the left and enter the woods or continue straight ahead. We took the path straight ahead and soon passed a pond on the right. Then we had the option to turn right or left on a grassy path. We turned to the right and walked on a mowed grass path that wandered around a field of wildflowers. We saw a lot of pretty yellow and purple flowers and the grass was nearly taller than me. Since this section was out in the open with no shade, it was a little warm. Eventually the path looped around and brought us to a path that led into the woods.
Upon entering the woods we walked over a small creek. Sunny was quite interested in that and wanted to get down to it, but the path does not lead to the creek. We continued walking on the trail and through the woods passing a ravine and some downed trees. The trail started out fairly wide, but eventually narrowed as it twisted through the woods. Although there are some inclines and descents, it’s not too steep. Despite that the trail isn’t appropriate for those with mobility or stability issues.
The total distance of the trail, including the grasslands is about 1.2M. We decided to walk through the woods several times and managed to logged nearly 3M. This made it worth the long drive.
Our Rating
We rate Pehkokia Woods 2.5 out of 4 paws up. Although it’s a nice walk in the woods, it’s a long drive for just over a mile walk. We also prefer walking in the woods to walking in the grassy field, which makes up about a third of the distance. If we lived closer I’m sure this is a spot we would visit frequently; it’s peaceful, well-maintained, with nice views. It’s just a long drive for a short hike and there are other’s that are closer to our home. If you live near Huntington we recommend visiting Pehkokia Woods and if you want to walk longer than a mile you can do the hike several times, which is what we did.
How do I get there?
From I-69 take the Jefferson Blvd/24W exit. Follow 24 for about 20 miles to Huntington, Indiana. Turn right on Flaxmill Road and veer left to stay on Flaxmill Road. Follow Flaxmill Road, passing a church on the left. A short distance later you will see the Acres Land Trust sign on the right. Park in the lot to the right and walk a short distance to the gated entrance.
For more information check out the Acres Land Trust site.