Bloodroot Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Lake

This is a multi-use trail, allowing backpacking, mountain biking, and snowmobiles.

There is a fee to enter the park, and there is a fee to use a backcountry campsite also. Visit the Interpretive Center at the trailhead, where there is a patch available for the hike. You'll need waterproof footgear and sun screen; hiking through the grass in the morning will get your feet wet from the dew, and hiking through the fields and open will have full sun exposure.

The trailhead is by the Salamonie Interpretive Center in Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area (SRA). The trail wanders through fields and woods to Mt. Etna SRA. It is posted as 13 or 14 miles depending on where you look; I got 12.17 miles on my track. Regardless of length, the trail is well marked using road type signs to warn bikers and snowmobilers of direction and terrain changes.

Trail has some field hiking so you are in the sun for a few miles, but there is also some nice sections next to the lake. Proximity to the lake means locating water to filter should not be a problem.

Reference the Indiana DNR Salamonie Lake Bloodroot Trail brochure for pertinent information.

Check out Interpretive Center for information; they have excellent exhibits.