Morgan Monroe State Forest, an Indiana State Forest located near Bloomington, Greenwood and Martinsville

MORGAN MONROE STATE FOREST

MORGAN MONROE STATE FOREST
Martinsville, Indiana 46151-9499

(lat:39.3463 lon:-86.4248)

Morgan-Monroe State Forest encompasses more than 24,000 acres in Morgan and Monroe counties insouth central Indiana. The forest land encompasses many steep ridges and valleys, and is forested withsome of the state's finest hardwoods.The original settlers of the area cleared and attempted to farm the ridges, but were frustrated by rocky soilunsuitable for agriculture. The state purchased the eroded, abandoned land to create Morgan-MonroeState Forest beginning in 1929.

FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW

GeneralLand, acres24,000

Day-UseFishingyes

Huntingyes

Hiking Trailyes

Picnickingyes

Picnic Shelters, #4

BoatingBoating Limits-1

Launch Ramps, #2

CampingPrimitive, #32

Camper Cabins, #1

Youth Group Campyes

Cabins

Draper Cabin is a primitive, wooden-floored log cabin that takes visitors 100 years back in time to thedays before electricity, vehicles and modern plumbing. Reservations for the cabin are accepted for anynight from the first weekend in April to the weekend before Thanksgiving. The cabin may be rented on aday by basis, depending on weather conditions, during the winter. Click here for rental information,reservation form, and a picture of the cabin.

Camping

Primitive camping is available for a fee; campers must register for camping at the forest office. MasonRidge Campground, located behind the fire tower north of the forest office, has vault toilets and seasonaldrinking water available. There is a picnic table and grill located on each of the campground's 21 sites. Onbusy weekends, overflow camping is available at Oak Ridge Campground. Oak Ridge has 11 sites andthe same facilities as Mason Ridge.Scout Ridge Youth Tent Campground is available for scouts or other groups . Sites in Scout RidgeCampground are larger than regular campground sites and there are several picnic tables and grillsavailable. Scout Ridge Nature Preserve is located in this area.

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Boating

Boat ramps are located on Bryants Creek and Cherry Lakes; boat motors are limited to electric trolling motors only.

Fishing

Three forest lakes, Bryant Creek Lake (9 acres), Cherry Lake (4 acres) and Prather Lake (4 acres) are all open to fishing; a valid Indiana fishing license is required.

Whitetail deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, squirrel, fox, and raccoon. A valid hunting license is required. Hikers are advised to wear hunter orange or other bright clothing while on trails during hunting season.

Location

Morgan Monroe State Forest is located near Bloomington, Greenwood and Martinsville

Nearby Parks

Yellowwood State Forest

North Fork State Wildlife Refuge

TC Steele State Memorial

McCormicks Creek State Park

Brown County State Park

Picnicking

Several picnic areas and picnic shelters are available for day use. Picnic shelters are located at Cherry Lake, Bryant Creek Lake and Scout Ridge Campground. The Walls Picnic Shelter with a large picnic area and playground is located at the junction of Forest Road and Beanblossom Road. Use of all shelterhouses is on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations are not accepted. There is no charge to use the picnic shelters. The picnic shelter at Beanblossom Lake is closed. Other picnic areas, with picnic tables and grills, are located throughout the forest.

Trails

Hiking Trails The following trails are near the Forest Office and Mason Ridge campground. Scout Ridge Nature Preserve Trail -1/2 mile Pathfinder Trail - 2/3 mile Tree Identification Trail - 2/3 mile Features numbered posts with tree species identified in a corresponding map available at the forest office.

More Hiking Trails

Rock Shelter Loop - 3 miles (moderate)Scenic trail. Departs from the Low Gap Trail parking area.

Mason Ridge Loop - 2.7 miles (moderate)Trail circles the main forest road. Pick up trail at the Orcutt Road parking area near the Forest Office, orat the Low Gap Trail trailhead.

Three Lakes Trail - 10 miles (rugged)Connects Cherry, Beanblossom and Bryants Creek Lakes. Trailheads are located at the south end ofCherry Lake and at Bryants Creek Lake shelter.

Low Gap Trail - 10 miles (rugged)Loops through the Back Country Area, east of Low Gap Road, where overnight backpack camping ispermitted. The trailhead is located along Forest Road just east of the turn for Beanblossom Road and theWall Picnic Shelter. Although there is no fee for camping, you must register at the forest office beforecamping in the Back Country Area. For a detailed map of the back country area, obtain aMorgan-Monroe State Forest trail map or purchase a topographical map of the Hindustan quad.

Visitor Comments, Memories and Reviews

April 23 fire by fire

This is half the story I called DNR at 11pm to report this fire. They told me sorry we have zero staff. They sent the Sherriff dept at 11:30pm they showed up went back and said yes people back there had huge fire and partying from Indianapolis. They said was NOT IN THERE ability to make them put it out because its a DNR issue. They then left.