There are several old-growth forests in Indiana that are more than 150 years old. Their trees are taller and wider than any others in the state, meaning they’ve been around since before the state was a state.
Whether you love history or nature, these forest preserves will have something in store for you. Scroll on for more details.
- Bendix Woods Nature Preserve
Facebook/Bendix Woods County Park This 27-acre forest is mostly made up of beech and sugar maple trees. Located near South Bend, the preserve contains several trails throughout its grounds as well as a nature center.
- Wesselman Woods
Facebook/Wesselman Woods This nearly 200-acre forest is mostly virgin lowland hardwood that has been protected for many years. The oldest trees are believed to be more than 400 years old and reach 147 feet tall.
- Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve
Google/Arnav Sinha Taking up more than 1,600 acres of Turkey Run State Park, this area of canyons and sandstone is overgrown with hemlock trees, beech, maple, oak, and hickory. It lies along Sugar Creek and contains a few trails for hiking.
- McClue Nature Preserve
Google/Chris Kepa This patch of land is covered in old-growth tulip trees as well as red and white oaks. Wildflowers grow in the spring at the northern Indiana nature preserve that contains 80 acres.
- Pine Hills Nature Preserve
Google/Declan Lopez Located near Shades State Park, this nature preserve is 470 acres and known for many unique features like a honeycomb-shaped rock, a natural slide, an old mill, and more. White pine, hemlock, and Canada yew trees grace the grounds.
- Donaldson Cave Nature Preserve
Google/Ethan Fletcher Encompassing nearly 650 acres, this ancient forest is covered in white oak, black oak, and hickory trees. The caves are closed off but trails are still open for pedestrian traffic. This is one of the only virgin forests remaining in the Hoosier State.
- Shrader-Weaver Nature Preserve
Google/Travis Hannefey Covered in black cherry, tulip, black walnut, red elm, and bur oak, this 96-acre preserve contains 28 acres of old-growth forest and a trail to lead you through it. Take a gander at what Indiana might have looked like if it were never colonized and industrialized.
For more like this, check out five hiking trails in Indiana that lead to extraordinary ruins.
Facebook/Bendix Woods County Park
This 27-acre forest is mostly made up of beech and sugar maple trees. Located near South Bend, the preserve contains several trails throughout its grounds as well as a nature center.
Facebook/Wesselman Woods
This nearly 200-acre forest is mostly virgin lowland hardwood that has been protected for many years. The oldest trees are believed to be more than 400 years old and reach 147 feet tall.
Google/Arnav Sinha
Taking up more than 1,600 acres of Turkey Run State Park, this area of canyons and sandstone is overgrown with hemlock trees, beech, maple, oak, and hickory. It lies along Sugar Creek and contains a few trails for hiking.
Google/Chris Kepa
This patch of land is covered in old-growth tulip trees as well as red and white oaks. Wildflowers grow in the spring at the northern Indiana nature preserve that contains 80 acres.
Google/Declan Lopez
Located near Shades State Park, this nature preserve is 470 acres and known for many unique features like a honeycomb-shaped rock, a natural slide, an old mill, and more. White pine, hemlock, and Canada yew trees grace the grounds.
Google/Ethan Fletcher
Encompassing nearly 650 acres, this ancient forest is covered in white oak, black oak, and hickory trees. The caves are closed off but trails are still open for pedestrian traffic. This is one of the only virgin forests remaining in the Hoosier State.
Google/Travis Hannefey
Covered in black cherry, tulip, black walnut, red elm, and bur oak, this 96-acre preserve contains 28 acres of old-growth forest and a trail to lead you through it. Take a gander at what Indiana might have looked like if it were never colonized and industrialized.
Have you ever explored one of these old-growth forests? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Please share your experiences and photos with us below in the comments.
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Address: Unnamed Road, New Carlisle, IN 46552, USAAddress: Evansville, IN 47711, USAAddress: Shrader-Weaver Woods, 5299 N County Rd 450 W, Connersville, IN 47331, USAAddress: Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve, Cox Ford Rd, Bloomingdale, IN 47832, USAAddress: Pine Hills Nature Preserve, IN-234, Waveland, IN 47989, USAAddress: 611-999 E 400 N, Angola, IN 46703, USAAddress: Spring Mill State Park, 3333 IN-60, Mitchell, IN 47446, USA
