story by GLENDA WINDERS
Philosophers have been touting the healing properties of being outdoors for centuries. It was Aristotle who said, “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous,” and Pulaski County has a whole bunch of “marvelous” for you to come and see.
The centerpiece is Tippecanoe River State Park, where the river offers big fun for canoers, kayakers and lovers of fishing. But there’s lots more, too. To get even deeper into the woods, some 23 miles of hiking trails are here to satisfy your need to immerse yourself in green. Nine miles are for hiking only, and the rest are also available for horseback riding. All of them are rated easy to moderate.
For panoramic views of the surrounding area, be sure to climb the 90-foot fire tower, built in the 1930s by the Works Projects Administration. That group also built the Tepicon Recreation Hall here, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you plan to stay for a few days, camping sites that range from primitive to electric-powered along with cabins welcome you to settle in. Just here for the day? Head for picnic areas with shelters to have your picnic.
Another place you’ll want to explore is the Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area. Here you’ll find 4,850 acres where wildlife habitats range from forest and croplands to pine plantations and shallow wetlands. You’ll also find three ranges for rifle, clay and archery shooting and two walk-in fishing ponds. You can hunt here, too, as long as you secure a permit.
The Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area is another good spot for fishing as well as hunting deer, rabbits, squirrels, snipes, doves, woodcocks, wild turkeys and waterfowl. Practice canoeing and kayaking on several 1-acre ponds, and swimming is allowed in the gravel pits. There are no designated trails, but hikers can use the fire lanes to explore.
The area’s 8,179 acres of woodland, upland and wetland habitats provide the perfect stopover spot for migrating birds. Come and have fun this spring and summer. Then if you’d like to see thousands of sandhill cranes come by, make plans to come back in the fall.
For more information visit: pulaskionline.org
