Salamonie Lake: A Park for Every Personality
At Salamonie Lake, there are so many diverse activities going on, I think you'll need to take a personality inventory before visiting! The park’s wildlife specialist Justin Emmons said, “I think we have a very diverse group of users. We have horse camping and an extensive trail network for being in northern Indiana. And we have the hunting set of folks, fishing, the lake users, so just lots of different groups.” That’s not to mention the people hiking the Bloodroot Trail, checking out the disc golf course, birdwatchers, or mountain bikers! I narrowed it down to nine personality types who can all find something to love at Salamonie Lake.
IN the Podcast Episode
I break the park up into various sections based on the diverse interests represented here. The park’s staff give me updates on the activities and history while the Friends volunteer group also lets me know how they support the park. I also learn about the word “Salamonie” – where it came from, what it means, and which plant it’s named for.
Park Features
Salamonie Lake is about 30 minutes east of Peru. It's the middle of three reservoir properties in the area that were created in the late 1960s. These Upper Wabash Valley lakes flow into the Wabash River, which winds across the state, eventually forming the Indiana-Illinois border.
Salamonie offers biking, hiking, and horseback riding trails. They have canoes and kayaking, a nature center, 245 modern electric campgrounds, a horseman’s campground, a disc golf course, and plenty of shelters and space for picnics. This is a park that truly has something for everyone. It would be a great place for family reunions because there’s space to be together, but plenty of opportunities for people to branch out and explore their interests.
The Academic
Salamonie is a great spot for the person who spends time reading every plaque, interpretive sign, and historic pamphlet. You'll find lots to learn about Salamonie's past in the nature center. It's interactive, engaging, and very kid-friendly. You can learn about Native Americans as well as its more recent history. Before the dam was built and covered by water, the area was full of farms and small towns. The recreation areas around the lake are named after these communities: Mount Etna, Mount Hope, Dora, New Holland, and Monument City. You can also learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps who helped develop the nearby Salamonie State Forest.
The Zoologist
If this sounds like you, you'll be thrilled to hear that Salamonie was part of reintroducing river otters to the state. After live trapping otters from another part of the country, they were brought to Indiana. The park naturalist Teresa Rody told me, before being released, the otters had “teeth and pregnancy checks and everything” to ensure they were healthy. A local school helped fundraise for the project as well. The nature center has great videos from release day. River otters move fast and don't stay in the area, so Teresa hasn't seen them that often since then, but she knows they're in the park.
There’s also a raptor center at Salamonie that was constructed by their Friends group. They have a great horned owl, barred owl, screech owl, turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk, and an American kestrel. These birds of prey live at the center due to injuries. Teresa explained, “Most of them are permanent residents because they have an eyesight issue. Without both eyes working, then they don't have that great depth perception that they need to successfully hunt.” The birds were really amazing to see in their enclosures, but then my day got even better when Teresa got out the smallest owl, a brown screech owl. His feathers were so detailed with subtle color variations. Teresa explained why, “Think how wonderful that camouflage works on a tree bark. You'd never be able to spot it.” I loved learning about their separate eyelids and how their heads can turn around so far.
Finally, another fan favorite visible at Salamonie is the bald eagle. There are several bald eagle nests in the area, including on the property itself. One of the best places to see bald eagles in the winter is from Salamonie Lake’s beach. Teresa said the wide vista makes it easy to see them in flight for a long time. You can also spot them from Lost Bridge East Recreation Area because there’s a nest on Monument Island.
The Trail Heads
Salamonie has plenty of hiking options. Park property manager Ronnie Hileman told me, “I think our trail system is one of the top-notch in the country because of our variety. We've got a mountain bike trail. We've got a snowmobile trail; the only one in the state. I'm proud to say we've got horse trails. We've got a backpack camp trail, and just the regular nature hike trails that are anywhere ranging from a mile long to 14 miles.” If I had young kids, there's a really cool storywalk trail right behind the interpretive center where the kids read a story as they go along.
Finally, the park's most epic hike is the Bloodroot Trail which is about 11-13 miles round trip. While categorized as moderate, it's been used by people prepping for the Appalachian Trail so they can get their camping plan figured out. The Bloodroot Trail is also multipurpose. It's a great starter mountain bike trail, and it's also the home of the snowmobile trail in the winter, if they have enough snow. They need a minimum of four inches of packed snow to open up the horse trails and Bloodroot for snowmobiling.
The Happy Camper
In addition to the horseman's campground, there are 245 electric campsites, two dump stations, four comfort stations, seven youth tent areas in their own sectioned off spot, and 38 sites in the Apple Orchard primitive camping area. Ronnie takes great pride in the campground. He said, “We've got several sites that overlook the lake, and you can pull your boat right up really close to your campsite. Beautiful views, and I'd put them up against any campsite in the state.”
The Water Babies
Salamonie Lake’s primary purpose is flood control. Its second priority is recreation. The Army Corps of Engineers made these reservoirs to protect cities like Peru from constant flooding. In a rainy season, the reservoir may be especially high, even covering the beach. The park staff are not able to change the water levels; those decisions come from the Army Corps. They consider rain, reservoir levels, the level of the Wabash River, and how releasing water will affect farms, fields, and communities downstream.
When it comes to recreation, be sure to visit Pirate’s Cove Marina. They offer boat rentals, pontoons, party barges, paddle boats, and kayaks. If you own a boat, you can also rent dock space. The marina also has a mini camp store with food, drinks, and basics for camping.
The Gardeners
At Salamonie Lake, the park staff are also focused on fostering native plants by starting pollinator fields. At Lost Bridge East, the park has a very successful restoration area with a massive field of native wildflowers. There are several other native pollinator gardens throughout the park. Teresa uses the beds near the nature center as a living experiment and lets them grow on their own. The park uses controlled fire, mowing, and soil disturbance to mimic the natural processes the fields would have gone through as much as possible. Their goal is to continually eliminate invasives and promote native flowers.
The Hunters and Fishers
Salamonie Lake is also a popular spot for hunters and people who enjoy fishing. In the podcast, I learned the purpose of hunting and asked if it still has a place today. I walked away from the interview understanding that hunting maintains the balance in the recreation area’s ecosystem, specifically ensuring the deer population remains healthy. The recreation area is also home to rabbit, turkey, and quail hunting. If you prefer your dinner comes from the water, the biggest draw at Salamonie is crappie. There are plenty of places to fish scattered around the lake, but don’t ask anyone to give away their favorite spot!
The Frolfer: The Frisbee Golfer
If you're a disc golf enthusiast looking for a new course to try, you'll find a lot to love about the course at Salamonie. Their 26-hole disc golf course has become a destination for people. Park manager Ronnie Hileman said, “We've got some really long bombers…three and four hundred yards.” All the tee-off pads are concrete, and they’re updating all the baskets too.
The Volunteer
Salamonie Lake, and all our state parks, are perfect places for the person who works hard, steps up, and uses whatever skills they have to make a difference. Salamonie wouldn't have raised as much money to reintroduce otters without volunteers. It wouldn't have all the nature center features, a raptor center, a pollinator field, electricity in the campground, or updated disc golf tees without the Friends of Salamonie or the Friends of Upper Wabash Interpretive Services. Basically, the park wouldn't be the same with volunteers! You can help at your favorite park too. Just ask how you can get involved.
Planning Your Visit
Academic, zoologist, horse lover, trailhead, happy camper, water baby, gardener, hunter and fisher, frolfer, or volunteer, you're all welcome at Salamonie Lake. The park is big enough that you'll find there's room for every personality and interest here. Go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!