Turkey Run State Park: The Rugged Beauty of Indiana

Turkey Run State Park may be Indiana's best-loved park! People love the trails that let you descend into ravines and canyons, and there are so many iconic places from the ladders to the suspension bridge to the red covered bridges.

This area was also cherished by the Lusk family, the white settlers who owned the land in the 1800s. Later, the community fought to keep it as a park instead of letting a lumber company get their hands on it. The creator of our state parks system, Colonel Richard Lieber, also had a very strong connection to the property. There's something about the rugged beauty, adventure, and reminder of how small you are that keeps people coming back!

In the podcast, you’ll learn about the visionary Lusk family and how the park began, discover old and new trails, and hear about the Eagles in Flight weekend that happens every January. Plus, you'll find out how long I've been visiting this park!

If you want to support Turkey Run or learn about the Eagles in Flight weekend, be sure to follow their Friends volunteer group online.

You are going to learn about:

• The visionary Lusk family who first owned the land and how the preserved it

• Colonel Richard Lieber and Juliet Strauss who wanted to turn this land into a state park

• How the trails were formed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and which trails are the best

• The Eagles in Flight Weekend, your best chance to see dozens of bald eagles

Check out these great clips from the show:

00 Intro

01:12 My Mom Shares Her Turkey Run Memories

03:32 Meet the Property Manager

05:34 The Lusk Family Who Owned the Property Originally

07:03 Why We Should Thank the Lusks (They Preserved the Land!)

09:26 Saving Turkey Run From Being Logged

12:01 Colonel Richard Lieber’s Work Developing the Park

13:54 Juliet Strauss’ Work to Turn Turkey Run Into a State Park

14:25 The Civilian Conservation Corps Building the Park

15:26 How Glaciers Created the Ravines

17:53 The Popular Trails at Turkey Run

20:00 The Popular Nature Center

21:01 Stay at the Inn or Camp at the Park

22:21 Try Visiting in the Spring or Winter for a Different Feel

23:15 Covered Bridges on Either Side of the Park

23:50 Annual Park Events 

24:33 Eagles in Flight Weekend and Eagle Restoration

33:26 The Park’s Friends Group’s Contributions

34:02 Taking My Nieces & Nephews on the Ladders

Go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!