By John B. Thomas, The Lincoln Hills Patoka Lake Recreation Region
The hills, ridges and valleys of Southern Indiana offer an endless supply of autumn-dappled scenery. From hilltops with breathtaking vistas to dense woods that snuggle right up to the road, the area serves up a leaf-viewer’s smorgasbord.
Here are driving routes that put visitors on course to see some of the finest fall foliage imaginable.
Drive 1: Limestone to lederhosen
(Bedford to Jasper – approximately 75 miles)
In the heart of Indiana’s limestone country, Bedford provides a nice starting point for a Southern Indiana fall foliage survey. It’s just a quick jaunt to Spring Mill State Park, where you could easily spend a day cruising and gawking at leafy landscapes (and check out the memorial to local boy and Apollo astronaut Gus Grissom). From there, the drive south on Ind. 37 treats you to countless hilltop vistas as you head for picturesque little Paoli. Follow Ind. 150 and Ind. 145 to French Lick and a stop by the stunning dome at the West Baden Springs Hotel. Just down the street, hop aboard a train at the Indiana Railway Museum for a back-country view of autumn’s pallet. Grab lunch at 33 Brick Street, just south of the French Lick Springs Hotel — while you’re licking the sweet barbecue sauce off of your fingers you can eye the extensive collection of Larry Bird trophies, plaques and jerseys and other athletes’ memorabilia there. South of French Lick, pull into the Newton-Stewart State Recreation Area, just off Ind. 164 at Patoka Lake, and wander to the water’s edge at a boat ramp or beach area — the views of the fall-hued shoreline are unspoiled, thanks to a development-free buffer around the lake. Continue west on Ind. 164 and end at Jasper, where renowned German cuisine awaits at the Schnitzelbank Restaurant.
Route: Ind. 37S to Ind. 56W to Ind. 145S to Ind. 164W
Drive 2: Rural scenes, roller coasters and Lincoln
(Jasper to Rockport – approximately 45 miles)
The farm scenes and wooded landscapes along Ind. 162 provide a natural feast for the eyes, punctuated by spectacular manmade sights such as the Monastery Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph Church in Jasper. Kids will be excited to see roller coasters and water rides poking above the leafy landscape as you approach Holiday World, open weekends until closing for the season on Oct. 11. Grab a cup of coffee – as well as a sandwich and a little quiet time – at the Silent Night Café across the street from the park. Be sure to get back on the road with plenty of time to stop at Lincoln State Park and the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. History mixes with autumn splendor in these areas. To add a little more Lincoln history to your leafy odyssey, visit the Col. William Jones home in Gentryville and then cruise down to Rockport, once young Abe’s point of departure for a flatboat trip to New Orleans. Feel like a little antiquing? Then include Gentryville’s Antique Shak.
Route: Ind. 162 to Ind. 62 to SR 231.
Drive 3: Peaks to bluffs
(Paoli to Troy – approximately 60 miles)
The same hills that make Paoli a Southern Indiana skiing destination make this a great area for a fall. Visit nearby Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, 88 acres of virgin hardwood forest. Grab an all-natural nosh at Paoli’s Lost River Market and Deli and then head south on Ind. 36 for a roller-coaster of a drive, passing through picturesque little towns and alongside harvest-colored cropland as you delve into the Hoosier National Forest area. Head west at English and then south at Birsdseye and soon you’ll come to St. Meinrad Archabbey and Monastery, where distinctive architecture mixes with the Hoosier landscape to create a picturesque and peaceful place to pause. Continue south on 545 into Troy and head for the little town’s highest point and you’ll find yourself next to the 18-foot-high Christ of the Ohio, with a view of some 30 miles of Ohio River shoreline and countless miles of fall foliage.
Route: Ind. 37S to Ind. 64W to Ind. 145S to Ind. 62W to Ind. 545S
Drive 4: Skyline to Overlook
(Salem to Leavenworth – approximately 50 miles)
Start in Jackson-Washington State Park, just a short hop northeast of Salem. The park’s Skyline Drive winds through woods and up over ridges to offer five breathtaking vistas. Drive south of Salem and pause at Beck’s Mill, a restored 1864 grist mill nestled into a tree-packed hillside. Then take in the multi-colored countryside along SR 135 and SR 64 to little Milltown. Hunkered down along the Blue River, this little burg is home to Blue River Café, a hometown diner with a gourmet flair and a menu that changes weekly. Head to Marengo, then sweep through the countryside to the south. The big pay-off in Leavenworth: A tree-top, panoramic view of the Ohio River in all its autumn adornment … not to mention some down-home cookin’ at the Overlook Restaurant or tasty nibbles at the Dock Restaurant, down near the river’s edge.
Route: Ind. 135S to Ind. 64/66W to Ind. 66W to SR 62E
Drive 5: Big views, historic sites and a sip of wine
(Corydon to Cannelton – approximately 65 miles)
The longest of the drives features eye-popping vistas along the Ohio River, including the quaintly named Buzzard Roost Overlook (just north of Magnet), Leavenworth’s aptly named Overlook Restaurant (serving Sunday dinners seven days a week), and the fascinating Cannelton Locks and Dam. Starting in Corydon, Indiana’s first state capital, and follow the nationally designated Ohio River Scenic Byway – and you’ll understand how it earned that moniker. The stretch between Corydon and Leavenworth passes through O’Bannon Woods State Park and is especially picturesque. In little Derby, dash into the Derby General Store for, well, for just about anything you’d need. A few steps away, enjoy great catfish and “creek fries” (a potatoes-onions-and-bacon delicacy) at Ramsey’s Tavern, or wander over to Mulzer County Park for a quiet picnic. Leave time for an awe-inspiring view from the bluffs near Cannelton. Make it a winery-to-winery journey, visiting Turtle Run Winery and Best Vineyard near Corydon, and, near the end of the trip, Winzerwald Winery and Blue Heron Vineyard Winery, home of a 20-foot Celtic cross carved from stone natural to its location.
Route: Ind. 62W to Ind. 66W
For more information and maps, check out www.exploresouthernindiana.com. To get a preview of the colors, check out the Leaf Cams at www.VisitIndiana.com.
