Turkey Run State Park, an Indiana State Park near Crawfordsville, Greencastle, Lafayette

USA

Indiana

Turkey Run State Park

Photo Courtesy Jody Leavitt Loney

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Facilities and Activities:

Day-Use Fishing yes
Hiking Trail, miles yes
Picnicking yes
Picnic Shelters, # yes
Nature Center yes
Nature Programs yes
Camping Electric Sites, # 213
Flush Toilets yes
Dumpstation yes
Showers yes
Camp Commissary yes
Camper Cabins, # yes
Youth Group Camp, capacity yes
Accommodations Lodge Rooms, # yes
Game Room yes
Tennis yes
Outdoor Swimming Pool yes
Restaurant yes

State Park Location Maps:

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State Park Photo Gallery:
volunteer positions open

State Park Event Calendar:
volunteer positions open

Photo Courtesy Ben Prepelka

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Nearby Parks:
Shades State Park
Shades State Park Airport

State Park Contact Information:
	Turkey Run State Park
Adopt-A-Park Contacts:
	Yogi's Helper: volunteer positions open Nature Programs: volunteer positions open Photography: volunteer positions open

State Park Overview:

You'll marvel at the natural geologic wonders of this beautiful park as you hike along its famous trails. Nestled along State Road 47 southwest of Crawfordsville, you'll want to explore the deep, sandstone ravines and walk along the stands of aged forests, and enjoy the scenic views along Sugar Creek. Visit the Colonel Richard Lieber Cabin which commemorates the contributions of the father of Indiana's state park system.

Reviews By Park Visitors:

visitor rating:

(4 votes) |Post Your Own Review

Fun for all

I used to love going as a kid now I have kids of my own not only is it fun for them but I still love it to!

Written by Jessica 17-May-2008

We LOVE it.

We went 30 years ago once, with a group of friends. Just started going back again about 8 years ago. We have to go a least once yearly sometimes as many as 4-5 times a year. Our adult children now enjoy going as well. We have always stayed at the inn and throughly enjoy the stay. The staff is wonderful. Thank You

Written by Mary 6-Jul-2008

Best Indiana state park

I have been coming to Turkey Run State Park since I was an eight year old kid in 1954 and now enjoy taking my friends and grand children to this wonderful park. It never seems too crowded, the hiking is great and the land is beautiful. The cabins are not the most modern but the lodge is nice and the food good. Try this park in mid-winter also.

Written by Don Scholl 24-Aug-2008

Absolutely Beautiful

This destination is enjoyable for adults, children, and in between. Wonderful for creating memories.

Written by April 8-Sep-2008

History of the Area:

In terms of history, the geology of Turkey Run offers a unique view into the past. A walk into one of the ravines takes the visitor on a trip through time when the sandstone gorges represent 600 to 300 million years of nature's handwork.

Mansfield sandstone, named after Mansfield, Indiana, is the main material which forms Turkey Run's cliffs. Many years ago, flowing water deposited sand, then pressure and cementation changed the grains of sand into sedimentary rock. Later, wind and water began to cut the sandstone after it was exposed to the air, but it was the ice age and glacial action that shaped the sandstone into familiar forms.

Glacial ice did at one time cover the north portion of the park. As the glacier melted, the debris collected by the moving ice was deposited. Stones of many shapes and sizes were ground against the softer sandstone by the rushing melt-water. This grinding action helped carve the Sugar Creek stream bed as well as many of the canyons of Turkey Run. Remnants of these hard round stones, called glacial till, may be found in the stream beds today.

In the last few hundred years, the erosion of the sandstone has continued at a slower pace. The gorges are very similar to what was seen by Native Americans and pioneers.

The Miami Indians walked many of the trails that today's park visitors still use. The last Native American, Johnny Green, is said to have died while fishing from Goose Rock. The early pioneers have left traces of their heritage. The historical Lusk Home and Mill site are reminders of early enterprise and ambition. Acquiring the land in 1825, Captain Lusk built a grist mill that was completed in 1829. The Lusk's stewardship of the land preserved the pristine nature of the land. Also, the log cabin museum, located on Sunset Point, was built in 1848. It was moved to Turkey Run in 1918, and the large tulip logs serve as a reminder of the large tulip tree forests that supplied builders of early America.

The log church across the concrete bridge near the Inn was originally constructed in 1923. It stands as a reminder of the religious heritage left by our forefathers. Non-denominational services are still conducted through the warmer months every Sunday at 10:00A.M.

Lodge:

Turkey Run Inn was built in 1919. Over the years, it has undergone changes, additions, and modifications. It has been decades since the excursion trains from Chicago delivered adventuresome travellers for a holiday at the Turkey Run Inn...but the allure of this beautiful facility continues as strong as ever.

Today, Turkey Run Inn provides the comfort of a modern facility with the ambiance of a rustic country inn. Sixty-one rooms in our main lodge, twenty-one sleeping cabins and a full-service dining room provide ample space for meetings, conventions, parties, and other group events.

In addition, event planners will find more than 5,500 sq. feet of versatile meeting space which includes a large conference area which is ideal for receptions, banquets, trade shows, and conferences.

Turkey Run State Park's location in the West Central part of Indiana makes it an idea location for statewide gatherings.

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