The Knobstone Hiking Trail: Indiana’s 160 Mile Trail
The extended Knobstone Hiking Trail is Indiana's 160-mile long trek through the southern part of the state. It includes the original Knobstone Trail, the Pioneer Trail, Hoosier National Forest Trail, and Tecumseh Trail. These four sections wind through the hilliest parts of the state to show off the amazing beauty of Indiana. You’ll see state parks, state forests, nature preserves, and easements all over the state.
Ready to hike parts (or all!) of it? Get maps, tips, segment ideas, pictures, history, and more on the Knobstone Hiking Trail Association website. If you're into trail running, definitely sign up for the Knobstone 50 trail race.
You can read the original Outdoor Indiana article from 1981 about the Knobstone Trail here. It was written by Joe Payne, who worked with Jerry Pagec and was responsible for the physical construction of the original Knobstone trail.
You are going to learn about:
The vision for creating a 160 mile trail through the state
How the Knobstone trail was built (and rebuilt)
Adding on the Tecumseh Trail and Hoosier National Forest Trail
What’s needed to finish the Pioneer Trail section
Tips for hiking the Knobstone
Plus, you’ll meet four of the masterminds behind the trail whose stories are amazing!
Check out these great clips from the show:
00 Intro
00:48 The Epic Qualities of the Knobstone Hiking Trail
01:36 An Overview of the Four Sections that Create the Extended Knobstone Hiking Trail
04:34 How the Original Knobstone Was Created
10:43 The Building & Construction of the Trails
12:45 Restoring & Creating Sustainable Trails
15:05 Starting the Hoosier Hiking Council
16:02 Adding on the Tecumseh Trail
16:30 A Side Quest to Argentina
19:03 Meet the Current President of the Knobstone Hiking Trail Association
21:32 Trying to Connect the Tecumseh Trail to Martinsville
22:16 Adding on the Hoosier National Forest Trail
23:10 The Need to Complete the Pioneer Trail Section
25:27 What the Extended Knobstone Needs Now
26:55 Tips for Hiking the Knobstone
30:37 Reasons to Through-Hike North to South
32:05 Being Prepared with Supplies and Water
33:33 Maps and Resources on the KHTA Website
35:12 Safety & Precautions on the Trail
37:03 Favorite Times of the Year to Hike the Trail
38:55 Caring for Your Favorite Trails
41:12 The Future of the Knobstone
Go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!