This Scenic Drive Loops Through Indiana’s Brown County State Park, And It’s A Breathtaking Journey
It’s absolutely no secret whatsoever that Brown County State Park is considered the single most beautiful state park in Indiana. It’s not surprising, either; once you’ve been there at least one time, you’ll likely be inclined to agree with this assessment of the overall charm of the place. It’s filled top-to-bottom with natural wonders, incredible vistas, awe-inspiring hikes, and so much more, but if you don’t have all day and just want to hit the highlights, that’s fine: we’ve gone ahead and found the perfect scenic drive for you. This isn’t your average scenic drive in Indiana; this is one of the most beautiful loops in the state nestled right within the most beautiful park, and it’s a doozy. Buckle up, buckaroos!
This handy-dandy scenic drive was put together by our friends at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
If you do the entire loop without stopping (why, though?) you can expect it to take about an hour, but we strongly - STRONGLY - recommend making plenty of time for several stops.
From the parking lot, you'll drive past Raccoon and Taylor Ridge campgrounds. The speed limit is 30 miles per hour, and this is a blessing - you won't want to rush things, after all.
To state that this drive is breathtaking is to understate, well, just about everything.
After all, this state park isn't famous for being ridiculously beautiful for no reason. Some of the stops you'll make along this drive include some amazing lookouts like Hohen Point and the vista...
...which offers killer views year-round, but most especially during the warmer months, when everything is lush and emerald, and again in autumn, when the woods are ablaze with color.
You'll also pass by a little place known as Kelp, Indiana, which was once a small hamlet that had its own post office (though nowadays it's... a lot quieter). After Kelp, you'll pass by Strahl Lake, which is sparkling blue and utterly amazing.
Should you go past the fifth stop and proceed, you'll eventually find your way to the lookout tower.
It's an old fire tower that you can climb to the top of... if you're brave enough! We promise the epic birds-eye view of the whole park you get from the top is worth the mild fear of heights!
If you’re interested in doing this delightful loop drive in Indiana, check out the official route map (the same map at the beginning of the article) and the National Parks Service website. You’ll love it! What are some of your favorite scenic drives in Indiana? How many of them go through (or around) state parks? Let us know!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Brown County State Park, 1801 IN-46, Nashville, IN 47448, USA
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.
