 Bendix Woods Click to Enlarge |
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Introduction Bendix Woods County Park is a sprawling county park that contains, among other things, a large mature forest. The Studebaker Corporation once owned the property, and one striking if slightly bizarre feature is the half-mile long stand of pines planted to spell out the word Studebaker when seen from the air. There are shelters, playgrounds, a nature center, and Carlisle Hill, the second highest point in the county. There are also several miles of trails. You could spend most of a day exploring the park. However, I recommend devoting the bulk of your time to the Bendix Woods Nature Preserve. The most direct access is from the Runnels Shelter area; to reach it, take the first right on entering the park and drive to the parking area near the end of the road. The preserve contains 27 acres of old growth woods. Most of the largest trees are of just four species – beech, sugar maple, red elm, and basswood, and oaks, hickories, and tulip poplars are relatively scarce. The woods have been free of logging since at least 1926, with only the lack of certain intermediate tree sizes suggesting long-ago disturbance. In any case, many of the trees are well over a hundred years old. The action isn’t restricted to the tree canopy. Early spring visitors should see one of the better wildflower displays in northern Indiana. Prairie trillium, trout lily, toothwort, Dutchman's breeches, wild ginger, May apple and other species carpet the forest floor, making for a most impressive spectacle. Trails From the Runnels Shelter area, the Big Tree Trail (0.5 miles) loops into the Bendix Woods Nature Preserve, and tacked onto its eastern end is another loop, the Lower Big Tree Trail (0.35 miles). Facilities Restrooms, nature center, shelters. Directions
Nearby Natural Areas Potato Creek State Park Spicer Lake Nature Preserve References Habeck: Wild Indiana  ; Page 31Indiana Department of Natural Resources McPherson: Indiana Best Hikes  ; Page 79 |
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