Everyone In Indiana Should Visit The Epic Pine Hills Nature Preserve As Soon As Possible
By Tori Jane|Published July 25, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
If you could tell by now, we here at OnlyInYourState kind of have a thing for the amazing natural wonders of Indiana (and the entire country, honestly). We’ve brought you some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Indiana, some of the best hiking trails in Indiana, and more – and today, well, we’re bringing more of it. If you ever get the itch to check out one of the Hoosier State’s great outdoors, you might want to check out one of the single most awe-inspiring nature preserves in Indiana: Pine Hills Nature Preserve! Seriously, you’ve gotta see how fascinating, unique, and otherworldly this little corner of Shades State Park is:
Pine Hills Nature Preserve is a fascinating and unique place. Just see the sign for an idea of what you're in for:
Arborists will marvel at the sheer number of trees growing here, including groves of old-growth oak, virgin beech/maple woods, white pine, hemlock, and more.
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You'll quickly find that here be some odd-sounding places and features, like the Devil's Backbone... or Turkey Backbone.
Fear not, for you aren't treading on any literal spines; the "backbones" (of which there are three) are narrow rock ridges called "incised meanders." They are formed by erosion over the years, and in this case, the backbones of Pine Hills Nature Preserve have been carved out of the bedrock by centuries of contact with the several miles of crystal-clear creek that flow through the area. Amazingly, they're recognized as one of the best, most textbook examples of incised meanders in the eastern U.S. Neat!
Of course, that being said, you'll want to be very cautious when climbing or hiking across them - they each have steep drop-offs of anywhere from 70 to 125 feet, which spells bad news for anyone who might slip and fall.
We strongly suggest you wear good hiking boots, and be sure to use your best judgment following rainstorms when the rocky surfaces of the preserve become slippery and dangerous.
Another feature that geology lovers will enjoy is the honeycomb rock formations also present within the preserve.
