Signs of Spring

Spring has finally arrived here in Indiana, although, winter is still putting up a heck of a fight! Still, we have gotten a few warm weekends in and the forest flowers are showing all their color! On recent hikes through our favorite parks (Holliday Park and Cope Environmental), I did manage to get a few pictures of Spring in all her wild beauty.

Cataract Falls Reborn

The pictures above were taken at Cataract Falls at the beginning of February. Indiana has had its fair share of rain, ice, and snow this winter and nowhere was that more apparent than the Falls.

If you look back to the pictures I took of the upper and lower falls in October, the water levels have significantly risen! The clear, slow moving river that barely trickled over the falls had regained its voice and now crashed over them in a muddy majestic fury! It was truly a wonder to behold. Nowhere could be seen the amazing limestone bed formations that we saw and walked on during our earlier trip. The river appeared to have risen by approximately 3-4 feet in the flat areas and oxbows between the falls.

The lower falls, that had a drop of maybe 25-30 feet in October, had been the most visibly reduced, appearing now to be only a few feet tall, completely hiding the actual depth of the pool. A large stone slab that had fallen along the cliff wall opposite the lower falls was now vitually impossible to see except a small triangle of stone poking up out of the water. What would account for this change of depth? My guess would be the reservoir located further downstream was backing up due to the extra water from this season's runoff.

The upper falls, which is closest to the covered bridge and the entrance of the park, were still quite visible, but where once had been pathways that children could follow to get directly behind the falls, deep water prevailed. The water was also the most turbulent here, as it had further to fall than at the lower falls location. It was amazing how much the landscape had changed!

Hidden Treasures

 

Sometimes small towns are not given nearly enough credit for developing beautiful parks. Today we found just such a park to hike in Pendleton, Indiana, located in Madison County just north of Indianapolis along I-69. The park covers approximately 150 acres and is located centrally to the town of Pendleton. It has trails that follow Fall Creek and a couple of small tributaries in the area. There is also a decent sized children's play area and a variety of sports areas (ie...basketball, baseball, etc.) located on the grounds.


I would consider this a beginner's hiking park or more of a casual stroll. All of the trails appeared to be either paved or covered in gravel. There were very few real physical challenges beyond distance. Still, the grounds are well-maintained and well worth the walk in any season. The view from the bridge over the upper waterfall was enough to make the trip worth while for me. The backwash of the river just before crashing over the edge was truly amazing! I am endlessly fascinated by how water moves under pressure and waterfalls are always a delight, no matter what size.