Indiana John's trip report

“It was 65 here on Sunday! Unbelievable!

Armed with my daypack and a hand-drawn map from a friend, I headed north about 20 miles, to what I now know is one of Perry County's best kept secrets.

The map led me down a maze of gravel back-roads, ending on a dead end road in a small section of Indiana Nature Conservancy property. The area is not signed or publicized at all.

I parked on the side of the road and headed south into the woods following a deer path along the rocky creek.

After about a quarter mile, the creek suddenly dropped 30-40 feet into a small canyon creating a breathtaking frozen waterfall.

I hiked the West rim of the canyon until I found a way down. In the canyon I found three more frozen waterfalls all melting quickly in the 65 degree weather.

In the pool below the main waterfall, the water was still frozen thick enough to walk out on. I walked out on the ice and it was so clear I could see the small fish swimming under the ice. (not sure what kind, I'm checking on this).

There was a small cavern where the water went under the rock. When the water fell between the ice and the rock, it echoed off the cavern and sounded like drum beats. Very Cool.

In the canyon I ran into a group of three other hikers. They couldn't beleive anyone else was there. I talked with them for a while and they said the place is kept very low key and that's the way they like it. I plan to help them keep it that way. It was so great to hike in place like this that had only the occasional footprint. Human that is! I saw many animal tracks, skunk, birds, fox, deer and squirrel.

I hiked back out of the canyon and followed the rocky cliffs (many of which are honeycombed) down the creek valley. I came across several more caves and frozen waterfalls. The largest being a waterfall that had frozen into a pillar more than 10 feet across. This ice pillar had a greenish blue tint. Either a reflection off the moss covered rocks, or from something in the water?

I also found a couple of bird nests made from sticks and mud that were attached to the walls of the rock caves. (I used to know what kind of birds made those mud nests, but it's escaping me at the moment.)

I now bushwacked west over the rocky cliff, then northwest toward a stand of pine. I came to a fence that was obviously the edge of the conservancy property and the start of private property. The view was great. Two horses stood shoulder-deep in a field of various dry grasses and weeds that looked golden with the winter sun shining on them. Behind the field, a line of deciduous trees was backdropped by a line of white pine then another line of deciduous each higher than the next as they went up the hillside behind. I found a good log and sat for a while to record in my journal.

I then bushwacked back to the west rim of the canyon and back out to my truck.

About a four-hour hike and a good break-in for my new boots.”

“sounds like a great place, cool report”

“Nice report. I like dayhikes to new areas.”

“I think I know what place you are talking about.

8)”

“Awesome!”

“Sounded like a really enjoyable day, John. I especially would have loved the melting waterfalls and seeing the small fish through the ice. Nice report, man!”