2007 NSS Convention - Recreation

National Speleological Society

THE 2007 NSS CONVENTION at MARENGO, INDIANA July 23 - July 27, 2007

Recreation (quick links):

Crawford County

Southern Indiana

Indiana DNR

Hoosier National Forest

Harrison/Crawford State Forest

O'Bannon Woods State Park

Patoka Lake

Nature Preserves

Crawford County Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

Harrison County Outdoor Recreation Opportunities

Things to do (other than going caving with all that mud and water and darkness):


Canoeing - Blue River. Considered one of Indiana's purest streams, this spring fed river forms the easternmost boundary of the county. Providing approximately 30 miles of waterway for fishing, boating, swimming, and canoeing, this river was the first to be included in Indiana's Natural & Scenic Rivers System! Look at the river on a Map Here. More information about the Blue River here. How about a great Canoe Outfitter? See Cave Country Canoes. Hiking - State and National Forest Trails. The Indiana Trails Inventory lists over 1000 miles of trails open to hiking. These trails provide a wide variety of experiences, from short paved urban walks to 50-mile rugged backwoods hikes. For more information, check out Indiana Hiking. Hemlock Cliffs is a valley of special beauty in southern Indiana. A cool climate, created by the box canyon shape, sandstone rock formations, and seasonal waterfalls is responsible for the unique trees and plants that grow here. More information here. Yellow Birch Ravine Nature Preserve. 441 acres! Cliffs, a natural bridge, the southernmost home of the yellow birch - worth making a special trip. More information here. Carnes Mill Nature Preserve. 73 acres, with a towering sandstone backbone that dominates the whole preserve. Steep landscape (although the trail is not, it runs along the flat), unusual and varied flora. The Little Blue River runs along next to the trail in and apparently does a U-turn around this backbone. The "Mill" part is because there was once a mill here utilizing an underground short cut the Little Blue takes underneath the backbone. Birding might be worthwhile here. More information here.

Canoeing -

Blue River. Considered one of Indiana's purest streams, this spring fed river forms the easternmost boundary of the county. Providing approximately 30 miles of waterway for fishing, boating, swimming, and canoeing, this river was the first to be included in Indiana's Natural & Scenic Rivers System!

Look at the river on a Map Here.

More information about the Blue River here.

How about a great Canoe Outfitter? See Cave Country Canoes.

Hiking -

State and National Forest Trails. The Indiana Trails Inventory lists over 1000 miles of trails open to hiking. These trails provide a wide variety of experiences, from short paved urban walks to 50-mile rugged backwoods hikes. For more information, check out Indiana Hiking.

Hemlock Cliffs is a valley of special beauty in southern Indiana. A cool climate, created by the box canyon shape, sandstone rock formations, and seasonal waterfalls is responsible for the unique trees and plants that grow here. More information here.

Yellow Birch Ravine Nature Preserve. 441 acres! Cliffs, a natural bridge, the southernmost home of the yellow birch - worth making a special trip. More information here.

Carnes Mill Nature Preserve. 73 acres, with a towering sandstone backbone that dominates the whole preserve. Steep landscape (although the trail is not, it runs along the flat), unusual and varied flora. The Little Blue River runs along next to the trail in and apparently does a U-turn around this backbone. The "Mill" part is because there was once a mill here utilizing an underground short cut the Little Blue takes underneath the backbone. Birding might be worthwhile here. More information here.