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Outdoors: Peninsula Trail Peninsula Trail The Peninsula Trail is one of the better hikes in the Deam Wilderness of the Hoosier National Forest. The trail begins at the Grubb Ridge parking area and follows the John Grubb Ridge out onto a peninsula that juts into Lake Monroe. According to the Forest Service trail map, the total trail distance from trailhead to the shores of Lake Monroe is 4.8 miles, one way. This makes the round trip a good day-hike candidate. Because camping is allowed at designated sites along the trail, off-trail locations, and at sites along the shores of Lake Monroe, it is also suitable for short backpacking expeditions. Expect to lose 350 to 400 feet in elevation your way out, and of course that will have to be regained on the trip back. You can also expect to see horses or their consequences, though the damage I observed on my trips appeared to be rather minimal save in a few spots. The trails passes through a number of pineries, some of which have designated campsites. My own recommendation for backpackers is to continue to the end of the trail and camp at one of the several sites along Lake Monroe. During a late-October weeknight trip I appeared to have the place to myself, and enjoyed a great sunset, views of the Milky Way, and the sounds of a coyote chorus somewhere in the distance. Most of the sites along the lake have nice fire circles made of flat stones from the rocky lake shoreline, and the sound of the waves striking and jostling the rocks has a certain tranquilizing effect. The smaller stones are also great for skipping. Enjoy! Getting There: From the intersection of IN 46 and IN 446 on the east side of Bloomington, south on IN 446 for 12.3 miles to Tower Ridge Road, which is prominently marked with a Deam Wilderness sign. Turn left (east) on this gravel road and proceed 4.3 miles to the Grubb Ridge parking area on the left. GPS Coordinates: N 39 01.982 (Grubb Ridge Trailhead) W 86 20.468 N 39 02.968 (intersection with Grubb Ridge Loop) W 86 21.691 N 39 04.413 (Trail's end, Lake Monroe) W 86 22.570