5 Indiana Nature Spots That Rival Colorado

Everyone thinks that Indiana is just one big corn field, but they're flatout wrong. In this episode of the Roots Podcast, we're diving into why Indiana is one of the best nature states in America. If you haven't seen us before, we are Roots Real Go, a real estate team that cares deeply about this state. So, today we're breaking down the hidden nature spots that most locals miss and breaking the myth that it's all just corn fields in Indiana. I have a super controversial take that I've been thinking about, which is that Indiana is a more beautiful state than Colorado. The reason I'm asking you this and why you're on the show is you're a transplant from Colorado. You've also lived in another gorgeous state which is South Carolina. What is your thoughts on my take? Can I say this? You pay my salary. Um I think it's an egregious take personally. Uh again, growing up in Colorado, I was there for 20 years and I do think it's one of the most beautiful states in the entire country. Once you get into the Rocky Mountains, it's so apparent that like everything around you is just pure beauty and glory. And I haven't found that here in Indiana. There hasn't been one place that I visited that I was just like astounded with its beauty. But I'm ready to be proved wrong. So give me some spots that I should go visit. Absolutely. We got five spots. So we're going to start in the nucleus. First we have Broadbolt. I know what you might thinking. Isn't that like a village in like a college bar area? not like nature. Uh it has some of the most accessible to nature points in the city. Starting with the Monon Trail, uh amazing greenway, the White River, awesome access points for kayaking, for canoeing, all that sort of stuff. And then Merritt Park with Williams Creek. So what kind of why Broadripple became like a hub of nature is because it's where Williams Creek, one of the biggest creeks, runs into the White River. Okay. and also where the central canal breaks off which was a huge project back in the day where they were trying to make a canal across the whole city and now it's just like a canal but has like a cool walking trail amazing running trail literally my favorite running trail in the city it's called the tow path I can vouch for this I can vouch for this because our office is right off the Monan and I walk and bike there every single day and that is the one slice of life in Indie that makes me feel like home is being on the Monan putting my running shoes on let's It also is comparable to where I lived in Greenville, South Carolina. We had the Swamp Rabbit Trail there and it just gives me that peace of getting out in nature, the silence, the birds. So, I can vouch for that and I do appreciate you saying that cuz the Monon and Broadripple and the White River absolutely raw. Absolutely. Undiscovered. Merritt Park, which is connected, has amazing little like beaches by a creek. Just a great place for kids to play and it's like you can get right off the Mon down there in those trails. Okay. It's amazing. Good to know. All right, our next one. Southwest way Park. Southwest way Park is honestly the one I know the least about. I'm just going to name it. I've not been to Southwest Way Park. However, the amount of friends I know that love mountain biking and hiking and golfing, it checks all these boxes. Okay, it's not even 30 minutes from the city. It's right by 465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Sits on the White River, just kind of the main river where there's a lot of beautiful nature. And it has like 7. 3 mi of mountain biking trails literally in the city. Wow. I need to check that out cuz mountain biking is one of my favorite things and I haven't been in a long time obviously. So that's important. Do you know if you can rent mountain bikes there? I don't know. We'll have to we'll have to find Yeah, I I have no clue if you can rent mountain bikes. I I think probably got to bring your own. Okay. Uh [snorts] we're not really known as a mountain biking hub yet. [laughter] So I wouldn't think maybe someday we'll we'll get there. Okay. What's next? What else you got for me? Yeah. Number three, we're getting into some bigger, more well-known ones. Fort Ben, so Fort Harrison State Park. I used to think I went on like a picnic there every year as a family reunion. And I was like, "This place sucks. It's like [laughter] just got like this like shelter and it's like some woods and it's like cool. It's like essentially a glorified like yard with a playground." I I was absolutely dead wrong. Fort Ben is immaculate. What's cool about Fort W is it has um an it was an active army base and has like these like military like barracks um an old military housing and um literally a fort there um and now it's been converted into a state park right on the Fall Creek which runs into the White River. Fall Creek like anytime you're driving on like Fall Creek Parkway or around there it's like winding there's little bluffs and this just like encapsulates it all. Yeah. So, it's got like some of the best trails that actually have elevation and viewpoints over Fall Creek. It's got um the Fort Golf Course, which I've not played. I've heard it's absolutely gorgeous. I've heard from every single person like you're you don't feel like you're in Indiana. Yeah. And I do know the fort well, even though I've never played it. I've looked at it on Google for hours before because I do miss the golf in South Carolina. So pure. You got to get out there. I think it would remind you of the just the crisp greens and fairways mixed in with the tall trees. Yes, that's my favorite thing in the world, the fort. Okay, it's got a lot of undulation too in the terrain. So, it's a Pete die golf course. I mean, uh that's kind of like a big deal around here. Pause. A quick break from the episode. 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But, uh, hiking trails, massive reservoir that you can have motorized boats or kayaking and, um, bird watching, bird sanctuary. Do you know what Ornanthology Center is? No, [laughter] absolutely not. That's a tough word. I probably butchered it. This is a nationally recognized wildlife bird sanctuary. If you want to see thousands of species of birds. Wow. In Indiana, literally like coming from Canada down to Florida, wherever they hibernate and vice versa when they go in the winter, this is uh one of the best spots to do bird watching. It is immaculate. Massive bluffs right on the reservoir. It's one of those places where you actually get a beautiful like horizon view of like the sunset across water. Okay. So, like if you want some like lake type views Yeah. next to the city. This is exactly where you need to to go. Okay. Colorado has Rocky Mountain National Park and Garden of the Gods. Do you have anything in Indiana that compares to this? Been there, seen that. Tons of crowds. Overpriced. Forget the gardens. Forget the gods. Canyon Country Indiana, baby. Off the beaten path. Okay. Have you heard of Turkey Run or Shade State Park? I have not. You You need to go book a trip this weekend. It's an hour and 20 minutes from Indianapolis. We have sandstone cliffs carved out by ice age glacial meltwater with like ladders bolted to cliffs. You can go up, down, up, down. Waterfalls, the punch bowl. Uh, beautiful amazing creek that everyone kayaks. Sugar Creek with like they call it like Indian beads. They're just like a certain type of shell that you can find there that everyone's searching for. This place is incredible. Wow. uh right outside of Indianapolis in half the not even half, a fourth of the crowd that you're going to see in those places in Colorado. This is all fine and dandy, but I still feel like Indiana's a Walmart version of Colorado. So, I need you to change my mind with this last pick. All right, we're going to break out the Gucci, the big the big kahuna in terms of Indiana nature, which is Brown County, a whole county, but specifically around Nashville, which used to be an artist colony, now has tons of cute beds and breakfastes, right next to the hills that pop into Brown County State Park, which is 16,000 acres. It is the largest state park in Indiana, probably the most wellknown. And the what's crazy about Brown County is it's 90% still forested. Mare tall ancient trees mixed in with rolling topography. It it really feels like you're in the Smoky Mountains. They actually call it Little Smoky Mountains. Okay. But it is nationally acclaimed for its mountain biking. So people come from all over the nation to mountain bike in Brown County. Okay. They have races there. They even have like an ultramarathon I saw there recently. I wanted to do it. Didn't do it. Brown County has become the premier Midwest mountain biking destination. Not Kentucky, not Michigan. It is the premier mountain biking destination. So, people travel from thousands of miles away to mountain bike in Brown County. Brown County has more than a million visitors a year. Really? Yeah. I mean, this is pulling from all across the Midwest. Yeah. So, Brown County, Indiana's very own mountains. They're the Little Smokies. You got to get there. Get your Colorado house to Browen County this weekend. I want to see you there. Take me there, bro. I'll go. This cornfield myth will be erased forever. Indian Indiana is just cornfields and pancake. All right, those are just five places. We spent like a half a day putting together this list. Like we could have named literally thousands of other places. Do you still think Indiana is the great value of nature in the nation? I will admit my mind has changed a little bit. I didn't know there was mountain biking here, let alone critically acclaimed mountain biking. I didn't know there was easily accessible lakes and reservoirs that I could go swim or go boating on. And I think what I didn't really realized was how accessible most of it is to downtown Indianapolis. I feel like I've been in my little bubble when I don't have to go very far to access nature. And that's something that you truly don't get in Colorado. Again, I was driving 2, three hours just to get to the mountains and then you got to drive back. And so this is really, really good to hear. and I'm going to go try out every single one of these places and I'll report back to you and let you know if you change my mind. We will see you out there. I'm posted up in Indiana this summer. Not going to Colorado, not going to California. I'm posted up in Indiana cuz it is beautiful. And if you want to find out more hidden things about Indiana, we are unpacking all of it. Indiana's beauty, Indiana's nature, but also Indiana's real estate um and how to win. So follow along, subscribe roots. co, Follow me on Instagram as I dive into more fun adventures [music] in Indiana's nature. Tyler Lingal. Okay, peace.