Turkey Run State Park may be Indiana's best-loved park! It was cherished by the Lusk family, the white settlers who owned the land in the 1800s. Later, the community fought to keep it as a park instead of letting a lumber company get their hands on it. The creator of our state parks system, Colonel Richard Lieber, also had a very strong connection to the property. There's something about the rugged beauty, adventure, and reminder of how small you are that keeps people coming back!

Learn about the Lusk family and how the park began, discover old and new trails, and hear about the Eagles in Flight weekend that happens every January. Plus, you'll find out how long I've been visiting this park!

If you want to support Turkey Run or learn about the Eagles in Flight weekend, be sure to follow their Friends volunteer group online.

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Any mistakes are my own.

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Head to Southern Indiana to visit Deam Lake! You'll enjoy time on the water and discover it's the gateway to more trail systems than you'd expect! Horse riders and hikers can camp at Deam Lake and access Clark State Forest, for more miles of exploring. The Knobstone Trail's southern terminus is at Deam Lake, and the Monon South has a trailhead here too.

You'll also learn that Deam Lake is named for Charles C. Deam, Indiana's first forester. Deam was a man of intense focus and conviction, an early conservationist who spent his life discovering plants in the state and beyond.

The Deam Lake Loop Trail Run is October 3, 2026, and you can sign up for the race here.

If you want to bring your horse to ride at Deam Lake, Indiana Trail Riders Association is a valuable resource.

Get maps, tips, segment ideas, pictures, history, and more on the Knobstone Hiking Trail Association website.

Follow Deam Lake on Facebook and be sure to take on their new hiking challenge!

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Get ready for an off-roading adventure at Interlake, one of two off-road state recreation areas in Indiana. Interlake OSRA offers hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, off-roading, fishing, kayaking, hunting, and more! It's a stunningly beautiful park whose history is literally visible on the land. Learn how this property went from surface coal mining to an exciting off-road experience!

I didn’t mention it in the episode, but please note that Interlake is in the central time zone because that’s where the front office is. However, as you drive back and forth across the 3,500 acres, you may switch from central to eastern and back. Not very often you can time travel so easily!

If you want to learn more about the history of coal, especially in Indiana, check out The Museum of the Coal Industry in Lynnville, not far from the park.

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Any mistakes are my own.

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