I grew up in a suburb of Rochester, NY so when I came across the Ruth Kern Woodland Preserve in Rochester, IN I knew we had to visit it. Although Rochester, IN is much different than Rochester, NY we enjoyed visiting the community and the preserve. And we found a second spot to visit – Germany Bridge County Park.
It was a beautiful spring day with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s so Sunny and I hit the road. We arrived at the preserve just after 10A and were the only car in the parking lot. What we found once we entered the preserve was a nice wide trail with a forest of trees on either side. A short distance from the parking lot and entrance we found a trail to the left. We didn’t take it, though, as our normal routine is to take the trails to the right. This keeps us from getting lost. So we stayed on the wider main trail.
As we continued to walk we started to see the Tippecanoe River in the distance. The trail followed the river for awhile, but never close enough for us to get our toes wet. Despite this, we did get some nice views of the river. Eventually the trail led to another entrance to the preserve. This one was just a gate, with no parking. There was a sign indicating the parking lot was .4M down the road. After investigating the secondary entrance, we turned around and found a smaller trail to right that led through the woods. The trail wound around the woods and ended up back on the mail trail near the parking area. This is the trail to the left that we saw shortly after the start of our hike.
Germany Bridge County Park
Since this park was less than a mile from the preserve we decided to check it out too. It’s basically a boat ramp with a picnic gazebo and a grassy area that follows the river for a short distance. We were able to get down to the water and put our toes in it. We also had better views of the river at this location. This would be a nice spot for a picnic or to launch a kayak.
Sunny’s Perspective
What a long car ride to get to this hike. Despite that the smells at the preserve were fantastic. And I heard and saw quite a few squirrels. I really wanted to chase them, but someone would not let me. We also visited another park that had better access to the river. That was fun!
Our Rating
We hiked all the trails at the preserve for a total distance of 1.6M. The trails were easy to follow and mostly flat. Despite that since the trails are dirt and grass with roots, twigs, and leaves, they are not appropriate for those with stability or mobility issues. It’s a peaceful walk in the woods with partial views of the river. Parking is good, but there are no restrooms. Sunny and I give Ruth Kern Woodland Preserve 3 out of 4 paws up and recommend this hike for those in the area. It may not be worth a long drive since the trails are not very challenging and the total distance is less than 2M.
How Do I Get There?
The address for the Ruth Kern Woodland Preserve is 3681 W. 450 N in Rochester, IN. From IN-25 S, turn right onto IN-110 W and follow that for just over 6M. Turn left onto US-31 S and continue for 3.6M then turn right onto E 450 N. At just under 4M, look for the Acres Land Trust sign on the left.
To get to the Germany Bridge County Park from the Ruth Kern Woodland Preserve, turn left out of the preserve. Then turn left at the next road – N 375 W. Follow for a short distance and the park is on the right.
For more information about Ruth Kern Woodland Preserve and Germany Bridge County Park check out these websites.