I hiked 200 counties within 210 miles (3 hours) of Indianapolis during 2020-21. These 10 were my favorites in the 60 counties more than 160 miles away.
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is south of Joliet, IL, not too far from Chicago. It features rolling prairie trails and a heard of bison. One trail features abandoned WWII ammunition shelters. Starved Rock State Park is about 60 miles west along the Illinois River and well worth a visit.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/midewin
Harmonie State Park is 20 miles south of Evansville, IN along the Wabash River before it empties into the Ohio River. It features Wabash River views and surprisingly rugged stream and woods hikes. The historic utopian community of New Harmonie is nearby. John James Audubon State Park is not far away in Henderson, KY.
https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/harmonie-state-park/
Cove Spring Park is near downtown Frankfort, KY, the state capitol, in the Kentucky River valley. It features stream hikes, a waterfall and steep hill climbs. Buffalo Trace distillery is nearby.
https://www.frankfortparksandrec.com/Parks/Cove_Spring/cove_spring.html
John James Audubon State Park is in Henderson, KY, across the Ohio River from Evansville. It features scenic hikes, historic architecture and a museum featuring John James Audubon’s time in Kentucky and his wildlife art. You could combine this hike with Harmonie State Park or the Patoka River National Wildlife Reserve northeast of Evansville.
https://parks.ky.gov/henderson/parks/historic/john-james-audubon-state-park
Ott Biological Preserve is a surprisingly tranquil spot within Battle Creek, MI. The trails follow streams, valleys and woodlands. Pair this with Fort Custer Recreation Area west of Battler Creek. This part of Michigan has many craft breweries, including Bell’s in Kalamazoo.
https://www.michigan.org/property/ott-biological-preserve
Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park follows it’s namesake west of Columbus, OH. 30 miles of trails in this 7,000 acre park. It has a heard of bison. Consider a stop at Gallagher Fen Nature Preserve about 40 miles west in Springfield, OH just off I-70. Or, head 50 miles north to the Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve.
Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve is 45 minutes north, northwest of Columbus is an area of rolling hills. It features an old growth forest. The highest elevation in Ohio at Campbell Hill (el. 1,550 feet) is nearby in Bellefontaine. Big Darby Headwaters Nature Preserve is 25 miles to the south.
The Highlands Nature Sanctuary is located 75 miles east of Cincinnati in a hilly area that drains south to the Ohio River. Several trails are worth visiting in this area, especially the Barrett’s Rim Trail. Combine this hike with the Great Seal State Park 30 miles to the east. Hocking Hills State Park is considered the Brown County + Hoosier National Forest of southern Ohio. It’s 232 miles from Indy and just 25 miles east of the Great Seal State Park.
https://arcofappalachia.org/highlands-nature-sanctuary/
The Great Seal State Park is located 50 miles south of Columbus, 200 miles east of Indianapolis. Similar to the knobs of the Knobstone Trail, it features a series of hills with ridgetop and stream valley trails that can be seen from a flatter surrounding area. Combine this with Highlands Nature Sanctuary or Hocking Hills.
https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/great-seal-state-park
Providence Metro Park is located southwest of Toledo along the Maumee River and the long abandoned Miami & Erie Canal. The park features a grain mill, river rapids and trails along the towpath. Combine the hike with other segments along the Miami & Erie Canal in Florida, OH (Daylight Falls) and Delphos to St. Mary’s.
https://metroparkstoledo.com/explore-your-parks/providence-metropark/
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