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Outdoors: Bryan Nature Preserve Bryan Nature Preserve Bryan Nature Preserve lies in western Clinton County, in an area that is largely agricultural. A big confined-feeding operation recently went up next to the preserve, a fact that both helps locate the property and probably drives the visitor count down. After parking in the spacious lot, visitors will head east along a narrow strip of overgrown land between two fields. A sign-in box is midway between the parking area and the preserve proper; sometime, copies of a trail guide are available here. The trail dives immediately into the woods and veers off to the right (south). The trail is somewhat like a figure eight, and hikers have the option of taking the first left (short loop) or continuing on through the long loop. This is something of a wet woods, with several wooded ponds, and during spring or especially wet weather the trail can have standing water. During the warmer months, this can mean that you'll be serenaded by frogs as you are eaten alive by biting insects. One possibility is to visit during April and early May, when spring wildflowers are at their best. You can expect to see May Apple, Dutchman's Breeches, Spring Beauty, and Bloodroot in large numbers. Trout Lily, also known as Adder's Tongue, is especially abundant here, and the blossoms are a lighter shade than those typically seen elsewhere in the state. Winter visits can also be enjoyable, when crunchy snow underfoot, crisp Canadian air, and the slow creaking of gently swaying trees combine to make for a brisk and invigorating stroll through the woods. Getting There: From IN 38 between Frankfort and Lafayette, north on County Road 450 West about one mile to the parking area on the right. GPS Coordinates: (Parking area entrance) N 40 21.527 W 86 35.370 References: Indiana's Dedicated Nature Preserves 2004, Indiana Department of Natural Resources.