It was a beautiful weekend to be out on the trail. The temperature was in the mid seventies and the sky was sunny and blue. I made my way down to Southern Indiana to the Columbia Mine preserve.
Located in Pike and Gibson counties, the preserve boasts of 1,043 acres and is operated by the Sycamore Land Trust.
It opened in 2012 and is managed by the Trust in partnership with the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, which is adjacent to and part of the preserve.
The Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1994 by the authority of the Emergency Wetlands Resource Act. It is a collection of wildlife refuges and habitats situated along the Patoka River in Gibson and Pike Counties in southwestern Indiana.
The wildlife area consists of 23,962 acres. The property follows about a third of the length of the Patoka River which makes it a very important refuge. It is a vast, beautiful place and contains a diversity of habitats.
This river bottoms refuge is strategically located to provide important resting, feeding, and nesting habitat for migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. The refuge features a mix of wetlands, prairies, woods, lakes, and marshes.
It’s home for many species of Indiana wildlife, including owls, Bobcats, river otters, the American Woodcock, and Indiana bats to name a few.
I had a pleasant drive down to the preserve and found it very easily.
There were several walking trails and it was hard to choose which one to hike. I decided to hike a shorter trail first, the “Timberdoodle path.” It was a half mile in length and connected to another trail that I wanted to hike, the ”Overlook” trail.
“Timberdoodle” is another name for the American Woodcock which makes it’s home in the preserve. The term was first used back in the mid 1800s.
American Woodcocks are short, plumb, wading birds. They have very long beaks and large heads. They blend in with their environment and stay hidden in the forest or fields most of the time. Their favorite food are earthworms.
Needless to say, I did not see any while on this path as they begin migration to winter habitats in early October.
In addition to this, they tend to be elusive birds. It was enough for me to know that they had found a home in this diverse habitat.
I soon came to the place where the path intersected with the Overlook trail. I turned off and followed a mown, grassy path.
I suddenly found myself surrounded by beautiful tall grasses, small trees, and mid season wild flowers.
The overlook trail was 0.75 miles in length one way. As I made my way back in and back out again, I was feeling very peaceful and relaxed in my sublime surroundings.
There were many more trails left in my day but I opted for a lunch break about then. I had brought a picnic lunch and decided to find my way to one of the lakes to enjoy both my lunch and the view.
I sat quietly, eating my sandwich and watched for signs of life across the lake. There were Canadian geese making their way across the sky in their classic “V” flying pattern. A Blue Heron stood in the water at the far end of the lake. This wild habitat made a good place for refreshment for the migrating birds.
After I finished my leisurely lunch, I decided I would explore the Wildlife refuge which lay all around the preserve I was in. It was a good day and would just get better.
I left the preserve with high spirits in anticipation of my next hike which awaited me just down the road.But that’s a story for next time.
To find this wonderful preserve: from I-69, take exit 33 and head East on IN-64 towards Oakland City. Pass through the town and turn left on CR 1275 E. Turn right on CR 75 S, then veer left on CR 25. Turn left in CR 125 W and follow the gravel road back into the preserve.
A quote for your week: “When I would recreate myself, I seek the darkest wood, the thickest and most impenetrable and to the citizen, most dismal, swamp. I enter a swamp as a sacred place, a sanctum sanctorum… I seemed to have reached a new world, so wild a place … far away from human society”. Henry David Thoreau, Walden and Other Writings.
Until the next trail.
Susan Anderson is a resident of Owen County who enjoys hiking and backpacking and writes a weekly column about her experiences. Readers can reach her via email at saanders@hotmail.com or on Instagram @farsideoftheedge.
This article originally appeared on Evening World: The Columbia Mine Preserve | A Hiker’s Path
Reporting by Susan Anderson, For the Herald-Times / Evening World
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Susan Anderson, For the Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
