Indiana’s first state park sets the bar for all the rest. In this episode, I get into all the awesome park features like the Canyon Inn, trails, the legend of Wolf Cave, Stone Arch Bridge, and the waterfall. I also share about finding the place where my grandparents took a picture on a date in 1952! You’ll also hear about the impact of the devastating tornado that hit the park on March 31, 2023.
McCormick's Creek State Park in Spencer is a beauty! For over 100 years, people have been wading in the creek, hiking trails, and admiring the waterfall. In 1916, citizens of Owen County raised enough money to purchase the canyons, woods, and creek, and the first state park opened.
In 1952, my grandparents went on a date to McCormick's Creek State Park with some college friends. They crossed the creek, climbed onto a ledge along Echo Canyon, and took a picture. In 2024, I climbed onto the same ledge and got a picture sitting in the same spot my grandparents did over 70 years ago! Finding the ledge and hearing my grandma share the memory was an absolute highlight! My grandpa died years ago, but I got to imagine him as a 20-year-old, falling in love with my grandma.
As the oldest state park, McCormick's Creek has been part of the memories of countless people over the last century. Yet what stands out most about this park is the resilience it exemplifies. After a tornado destroyed parts of it in 2023, the staff had to grieve, heal, and rebuild one of Indiana’s most treasured places.
IN the Podcast Episode
Learn about the park’s geology, history, iconic bridge, and trails from the interpretive naturalist, assistant property manager, and a Friends group volunteer. You’ll also hear from former Indiana DNR director Dan Bortner. He provides information about how the park is rebuilding after a tornado came through in March 2023. While this episode was released in September 2024, you’ll still hear relevant updates on the campground restoration plan and updates on how trails have been rebuilt.
Listen to McCormick’s Creek State Park: Coming Back from Tragedy on Apple or Spotify.
Park Features
McCormick’s Creek is a stunning park! There are miles of trails and shelters for picnics and group events. Some trails are wider and fairly easy to walk on; others are more rugged. The trail to the waterfall has a lot of stairs and climbing, but that’s what makes it fun! The waterfall and pools around it are perfect for a warm day, and the creek stomping and wading will keep kids happy.
When I visited, I loved climbing down to the creek from the trail at the Stone Arch Bridge. My biggest excitement was hiking the new Echo Canyon Trail, then finding my way to the ledge where my grandparents took their picture together in the 1950s.
The park also has a large nature center full of informative and interactive areas that will keep adults and kids engaged. The fire tower is always worth a climb. Plus, there’s the Canyon Inn with over 70 rooms and a restaurant open to the public. The inn has a swimming pool, tennis courts, a rec center, outdoor sports courts, and fire pit. It was beautiful, and I was ready to check in after a day of hiking!
The Legend of Wolf Cave
One of my favorite places to hike was Wolf Cave. With some trails still closed after the tornado, the best way to access it is by taking Trail 8 from the nature center, then hiking on Trail 5. It’s an emotional hike to the cave because you can clearly see the path the tornado took through the park. The trails go from scenic beauty to the aftermath of destruction, then back to untouched valleys and trees.
Thankfully, the area around Wolf Cave was not affected and remains full of lore. The original owner of the land, John McCormick, had a daughter named Nancy. She married John Peden, and they lived on a farm nearby. You can still see the Peden homesite from Trail 9. Nancy regularly sold butter and milk to the White River ferry, walking what is Trail 8 today.
Legend says, one day as Nancy walked the trail, a pack of wolves spotted her and began to chase her! Nancy was terrified! She managed to find shelter in a nearby cave where she waited until the wolves finally left. After that, the Peden family referred to the place as Wolf Cave.
What’s exciting is that you can still visit the cave and even crawl through it! The park’s interpretive naturalist Jessica Filer told me about the guided hikes she leads to Wolf Cave. She warned me, “It is a tight fit. The ending of the cave is a crawl out, so you get about 14 to 20 inches to be able to crawl out of that space, and it's a little hole.” She also said there are lots of salamanders, cave crickets, and spiders in Wolf Cave! If creepy crawlies aren't your thing, you might want to stick to the above ground trails.
The Tornado’s Impact
While trails like the one to Wolf Cave are still open, unfortunately, one major park feature people are really missing is the campground. On March 31, 2023, an EF-3 tornado tore through the campground, destroying acres of land and, worst of all, taking two lives. In the aftermath, the staff have had to mourn and process the losses, yet still find ways to move forward.
I spoke with Indiana DNR director Dan Bortner about the rebuilding process. He said, “It completely destroyed the campground. I mean, to the point where thousands, thousands, thousands of trees were damaged and had to come out of there. I just saw the pictures the other day from the clearing. We finally got everything out, and there's not a tree, there's not a road, there's nothing. It's just a clean slate.”
The healing and rebuilding processes take time, but through all my interviews, the staff impressed me with their grace and resilience in the face of hardship. The park staff realized they now have an opportunity to improve places in the campground that were outdated and provide larger campsites to meet today’s needs. In the podcast episode, you’ll hear all about their plans to improve the campground, amenities, shelters, and trails impacted by the tornado.
Finding Hope in Tragedy
After interviewing so many McCormick's Creek employees, it's inspiring to hear how they're doing the work of healing. When there's a loss, we need to grieve, but also consider how we should walk forward. The awesome thing about McCormick's Creek is that the place affected by tragedy is the same place that provides healing.
Colonel Richard Lieber started Indiana’s state parks in 1916. He said, “Our parks and preserves are not mere picnicking places. They are rich storehouses of memories and reveries. They are guides and counsels to the weary and faltering spirit.” Though McCormick’s Creek and the community suffered loss, they are also discovering the power of memories. They’re able to find comfort for their weary spirits through those memories and by creating new ones. There's deep-seated hope in the staff at McCormick's Creek.
Planning Your Visit
McCormick’s Creek is a must-visit park! There are a few trails or sections near the campground that are still closed as restoration work is being done. However, the majority of the park is open and ready for you! After hiking at McCormick's Creek, you have to stop at Jiffy Treet in Ellettsville. It’s the best ice cream of any spot I've been to in the state, and I have now been to a lot!
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