After a soggy, chilly spring we finally have some good weather so Sunny and I decided it was time for an adventure. We’ve been so many places in Northern Indiana that it was a challenge to find a new place to explore. I finally decided on the Salamonie River State Forest in Lagro, IN. We’ve been to several other spots in the area so we expected the State Forest to be a nice spot. And we were not disappointed. What we found was a heavily wooded area with trails and some views of the Salamonie River.
Our Adventure
Although the trail map shows quite a few different trails we started with the Three Falls Trail because we wanted to see the waterfalls. I also knew that although it is a short trail it intersects with many other trails so we could have a nice hike. After entering the forest we followed County Road 100 S until we saw a sign for the Three Falls Trail. There was a small parking lot on the right so we parked and started our adventure.
The start of the trail is gravel and dirt with trees and vegetation on both sides. It continues for a short distance before you feel like you have truly entered the woods. Not too far after that is the area where there are two waterfalls. Unfortunately on our visit the creek that feeds the waterfall was quite dry so there were no waterfalls. We were disappointed, but enjoying our hike in the woods so we continued hiking.
We found ourselves on the Blue Trail which meanders around the entire forest. Despite that I am sure I could not replicate our hike. We walked on the cliffs and then in one area we hiked down to the ravine. Once we were in this area we heard some running water and thought it might be a waterfall. We crossed the creek bed which was nearly dry and eventually found a trickle of a waterfall. Although it wasn’t the waterfall we were hoping for, it was fun to see.
We retraced our steps and ended back up on the cliffs. We could see peaks of the river as we hiked. At one point we found an old chimney and fireplace. That was an interesting find. We continued on and eventually found ourselves out of the forest and on the road. We headed to the left and just as we walked out of the forest we saw our car about a quarter of a mile away. Our total hike was just under 3M and we could have hiked for many more miles.
Sunny’s Perspective
It was a long ride to get to this adventure and once we arrive I was sprayed with Cedarcide. Andie said something about protecting me from ticks, but I was not amused. Thankfully things got much better after that. The smells were amazing and I saw quite a few squirrels. As usual I was not allowed to chase them, but I enjoyed trying. I especially liked when we climbed into the ravine and along the mostly dry creek bed. The waterfall was kinda lame, but it was fun to put my toes in the water. All in all this was great fun.
Our Rating
Sunny and I give Salamonie River State Forest 3.5 out of 4 paws up. We loved the solitude of the forest and the somewhat challenging trails when we climbed down into the ravines. We would have loved to see the waterfalls, but Mother Nature had a different idea. Although we did not find a restroom there is a visitor center on Salamonie Dam Road which likely has one. Parking and trail signage was good, although I would recommend downloading a copy of the trails.
How Do I Get There?
From I69 take exit #296B – Lafayette Center Road W and continue for 2M when it turns into E 900 N. Follow that for another 1.8M and turn left onto US-24 W. Follow that for nearly 12M and then continue straight onto IN-9 S. Continue for 4.7M and turn right onto W 100 S. After 1.1 M turn right onto S 600 W and then take the next left onto W 100 S. Follow that for 4M and then it turns into Salamonie Dam Road. Cross the dam and then take a sharp right onto Pefley Dr./S. Salamonie Dam Road. Continue toward Horseman’s Camp. Once past the camp look for the Three Falls Trail sign on the left and the parking area on the right.
For more information about Salamonie River State Forest check out this website.