Morgan-Monroe State Forest

This is a favorite haunt of mine. I love taking a day off and just going on hikes. I usually will walk the Low Gap Trailhead or the Cherry Lake Trailhead. Both are great and worth the hike. This place is the home of the infamous Stepp Cemetery and has had heightened popularity in the past. Other than that, this is a great place to clear your head. Many picnic spots and restrooms as well.

Took a «daycation» here over my spring break when the weather was amazing. Not all the trails were open due to them having to rebuild and clear debris.
The trail I took was the Tecumseh short trail which is a 3 mile moderate course. Very beautiful scenery although everything was still dead from winter.
I did run into a couple if park rangers and workers and they helped with anything I needed and gave me a map of the park in it’s entirety. I will definitely be back for summer and fall to see changes in scenery.

Morgan-Monroe’s hiking trails are not for the faint of heart– but they are great if you’re looking for a long, quiet, uninterrupted walk. Scarcity of outhouses & picnicking areas keeps tourists out. Did not see any park staff out on a Sunday when I was there (and we couldn’t find a visitor center) but overall the park seemed clean and cared for.
Tip: do not take the Google maps recommended route to get in from 37– it took us on some backroads that a smaller car probably couldn’t handle in heavy snow/​mud. Check the park website ahead of time for a better route in!

Nice view, no water hookup in camp site, men’s shower affords no privacy, bathrooms were dirty but atleast had toilet paper. Price is right.

Just spent the weekend backpacking here and had a blast! I’ve been here many times before, but it had been a while. There are some decent hills to get your heart pumping, some babbling brooks for water (filtered, of course), and it’s beautiful, especially when the leaves are changing colors. There are lots of nice places to camp in the backcountry area, so we didn’t have campers anywhere in sight. We did see other campers, though, as well as a few trail runners.
Be aware — it’s deer season right now, so wear some blaze orange.

Morgan-​Monroe State Forest definitely has some interesting features… hiking trails, camping, old cemeteries, and a 100+ year old cabin that you can rent for the night. You can also see fossilized corals in the stream beside the cabin. However, the old cabin has been vandalized over the years which detracts from it’s scenic value. Also, being a «State Forest» means it doesn’t have the same amenities as a «State Park». They do have some shelter houses and a playground, but If you’re expecting much more that pit toilets and picnic tables you might be better off going someplace else. Not a bad place for a day trip or a picnic lunch, though.

While visiting my daughter who lives in Indianapolis, we decided to go hiking in the Morgan-​Monroe State Forest which is halfway between Martinsville and Bloomington in Southern Indiana’s Hill Country. My daughter attends law school in Bloomington and drives through this area frequently when returning home to Indianapolis.
We did a 9 mile hike yesterday and a 11 mile hike today on different trails in the Morgan-​Monroe State Forest. What a treasure that Indiana has! Being used to hiking in Northern California, what stood out to me was that the trails are prominently marked with white diamonds — called blazes — painted on the trees to assist hikers to stay on the trails. This is especially important when there is still snow on the ground.
Our hikes over the past couple of days have been so rewarding. The weather was wonderful — in the mid to upper 60’s — and while the foliage hasn’t filled out yet (since it is still winter), we enjoyed the diversity in this state forest. We saw some young deer near the road and they very nicely allowed us to photograph them :-)
Whenever I travel, I like to hike to experience the different regions and enjoy the diverse eco-​systems that are available locally. A definite 5 star experience!