This past week we went on one of our favorite fall time trails, and it helped me realize a past desire to share some of our favorite hiking locations on the blog.
So let me present the Bloodroot Trail, a hiking & biking trail located alongside the Salamonie Lake. So named for the bloodroot plants that used to be quite prolific in the area, this area is a must-hike for our family every October!
Indiana hiking is at its finest when we trek through fall colors near Lake Salamonie in northern Indiana on our latest Karth Trek!
Name: Bloodroot Trail
Location: Lost Bridge State Recreation Area Andrew, IN
Mileage: 13 (approximate)
Difficulty: 3 out of 5, mostly due to length, some varied rugged terrain in middle section
Special notes: Wear orange blaze or bright colors in fall, as some areas are open to hunting.
This trail originally attracted us due to the length. Northern Indiana doesn’t have many long trails and our desire to eventually thru-hike had us ramping up our mileage pre-kids. Now we obviously can’t hike 13 miles in one day with four toddlers in tow, but it does offer some beautiful fall landscapes, plus while occasionally the walk in the woods get hilly, it’s otherwise quite an easy trail.
Like most of northern Indiana, the Bloodroot trail can get quite muddy so be prepared to get your feet wet or dress appropriately!
If you enjoy exploring nature, you may want to start on the trail at the Lost Bridge SRA where the trail officially starts and ends. You’ll pay a $7 entry fee, but have access to nicer restrooms and their nature center, which includes an outdoor aviary featuring various rescued owls and rapture birds.
We choose to use the Mount Etna parking area to access the south trailhead. It’s extremely basic, with just a few pit toilets, remote parking but no fee plus less people. If you reserve to hike out to camp, this is a great place to start. We picked it mostly because we knew we could hike towards Lost Bridge for about a mile, then cut back to our car on a straight shot on the east section.
One convenient feature of the bloodroot trail is the various points where the loop intersects, so you can modify the length of your hike.
We definitely have various challenges hiking with children aged 5 and under, but we’ve found that getting out and making hiking happen increases our chances of everyone being willing to do it again. What we lack in mileage we are making up for in curiosity, nature journaling and plenty of snacks!
Me on Thursday, enjoying fall hiking with our sons, plus our English Lab Daisy!
If you are looking for a trail that offers abundant fall colors, easy terrain and a variety of Indiana landscapes in one trek, then the BRT is definitely one to put on the list.
Also, one added fun option, if you hike the full trail (which we’ve done twice in the past) they have a patch you can purchase for your pack to commemorate the journey.
Boost your natural energy with Nitro, a juice based shot of B vitamins and iodine for thyroid support. Plus super tiny so easy to pack!
IF you are planning to hit all 13 miles, you may want to pack more than the just one NITRO energy shot, like I did on Friday! Happy trails!
Stay safe & well! ~Naomi
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