HIKING INDIANA: SHADES STATE PARK

Sometimes you just need to do, without a plan. I was looking for some great landscapes around our home in Indianapolis, IN and I stumbled on Shades State Park. Located just an hour or so outside of Indianapolis, we hoped in Jep The Jeep and hit the road.

One thing I hate about Indiana is the lack of hills. This corn-riddled flatland simple dulls my senses, but it also makes for a challenge in capturing interesting shots.

If you know anything about Shades, then you know it is hard to find a dull shot. We hit trail #2. It was labeled rugged. Seemed way off base, but a half-mile in we found ourselves scaling up a creek of boulders and flowing water. Thankfully, I had our waterproof Oboz boots on.

It was hard to not spend a good twenty minutes around each turn. Every ten steps left me astounded by the untouched beauty. There were sections of fallen trees left for the challenge of the hikers.

My recent upgrade to the OIympus EM5 Mark II allowed me to grab some great shots in some of the tightest spots and wet conditions. Around the bend, Jack stumbled onto a small waterfall. This was truly awesome. The water cascaded down with just enough room to sit below the falls and view the world from a new perspective. Though water seeped through the cracks in the slab above, old Olympus stood up to the challenge. Got to love that weatherproofing.

Seeing as this was a national forest protected by the DNR, there were some obvious restrictions. Don't scale the Lover's Leap they say, no hikers beyond this point they say. Well, we like a challenge and a dash of risk. After all, how do you get some of your best shots?

Until next time.
-Oly Outdoors