- O'Bannon Woods State Park Alerts (2)
- Temporary Closure: The property will be closed to the public for deer management hunts on Nov. 18-19 and Dec. 2-3, 2024. The property will close on the evening before the hunt and reopen the morning after. Only individual licensed hunters selected from the draw may participate at any site. Information about these deer management hunts can be found at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.
- STAGESTOP CAMPGROUND AND CANOE ACCESS RAMP CLOSED: Contact the office with questions.
- Description
O'Bannon Woods State Park (formerly Wyandotte Woods State Recreation Area) lies in the central and extreme southern part of the state, bordering the Ohio River. It is nestled inside 2,400-acre Harrison Crawford State Forest, but is managed separately, along with Wyandotte Caves State Recreation Area. For more information about O'Bannon Woods or Wyandotte Caves, contact the park office at 812-738-8232.
O’Bannon Woods was the location of one of the few African-American Civilian Conservation Corps units. The property also has a uniquely restored, working haypress barn, complete with oxen for power and a pioneer farmstead. Indiana’s first natural and scenic river, Blue River, flows through the state park and forest.
Stagestop Campground, including the canoe access ramp located at Stagestop, is Closed until further notice. Please contact the property with any questions.
During the summer, pool hours may change because of weather and staffing. Please contact the property office for exact times before your visit.
The Corydon Capitol State Historic Site is located near the park. Visitors can learn about early Indiana history as they tour the beautiful first state capitol building, built entirely of limestone, and old town square.
This property is a stop on the
- Activities
- Nature Center/Interpretive Naturalist Services
- Picnicking/Shelters (Shelter Reservations)
- Horse Trails
- Picnic Tables
- Fishing / Boating
- Hiking Trails
- Mountain Bike Trails
- Family Aquatic Center. Check office for hours.
Camping - See campground maps under MAPS tab
- Electric - 281 sites
- Horseman Non-Electric - 47 sites
- Group Camp: Bed self-contained structures - 50 bunks and 50 single beds
- Dumping Station
INFORMATION
- Trails
Note: For trail locations, view the property map under the MAPS tab.
O’Bannon Woods State Park offers a motorized wheelchair that can be taken on trails and around facilities.
AA. FIRE TOWER TO ROCKY RIDGE BIKE AND HIKE TRAIL (8 miles) MODERATE TO RUGGED— Begins at the fire tower and travels west, intersecting with the Rocky Ridge Trail. Combined with the Rocky Ridge Trail and with a return to the fire tower this route provides 6 miles of mountain biking and hiking trail. Parking, comfort station and water are available at the fire tower.
A. ROCKY RIDGE BIKE AND HIKE TRAIL (2 miles), MODERATE—Begins and ends near campsite 35. This loop trail passes through deep ravines and up scenic, rocky slopes. Parking and water are available at the campground.
B. TULIP VALLEY TRAIL (2 miles), MODERATE— Begins across from the Group Camp, passes through the woods in front of Hickory Hollow Nature Center, and continues up the ridge to the campground. One mile of this trail is universally accessible from the Nature Center.
BR. BREEDEN RIDGE BIKE & HIKE (1.5 miles), RUGGED—This trail begins at intersection of Rocky Ridge with a hand-built rock garden. A rolling climb takes you to the top of the Breeden Ridge. A log jump sends you toward a small woodland pond, the highest point on the trail. Twisting turns and other features lead to a horse trail crossing, where the trail descends to Potato Run. After a climb up the other side of the creek, the trail levels out and joins the Potato Run Trail.
C. CCC GHOST TRAIL (1.25 miles), RUGGED—This trail begins and ends at the Group Camp and follows both sides of a dry creekbed. Be prepared for long, steep climbs and rocky descents. Parking is available at the Group Camp.
D. CLIFF DWELLER TRAIL (1.75 miles), MODERATE—This loop trail crosses a dry creekbed, follows a beautiful, spring-fed creek and has some long stretches of climbing. Parking is available at the Pioneer Shelter House.
E. OHIO RIVER BLUFF TRAIL (1.5 miles), Rugged—This loop trail captures vistas of what the early settlers saw while traveling down the Ohio River. Follow the rocky escarpment bluff, as it meanders down to the horse trail from Shelter House 2 and back to the lower parking lot. It then skirts under the edge of the bluff and up the rock staircase, built by the CCC, back to the shelter.
F. POST-OAK CEDAR NATURE PRESERVE TRAIL (.8 miles), RUGGED—This trail is on Cold Friday Road, 1.5 miles south of the main property office. The Division of Nature Preserves requests that you register at the trailhead before entering the nature preserve.
G. SHARP SPRING TRAIL (1 mile), MODERATE— This trail loops around the perimeter of Wyandotte Wetlands and passes Sharp’s Spring on the lake’s backside. The parking lot shelter provides a beautiful spot for a picnic.
PR. POTATO RUN BIKE & HIKE (1.2 miles) MODERATE— This trail begins at the campground, sharing access with the Tulip Valley Hiking Trail. At Battleship Rock, the trail splits to the right and flows along the ridge behind the campground before descending into the valley. Bikers should yield to horses at two horse crossings. The trail intersects with the Breeden Ridge Trail, then twists and winds along the edge of Potato Creek before crossing the creekbed.
PLEASE STAY ON MARKED TRAILS.
- Maps
- Wyandotte Caves
Wyandotte Caves has reopened to the public for fee-based guided summer tours.
Tours are offered on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend.
Jackets are recommended for all cave tours since cave temperature is always 52 degrees F. Comfortable and sturdy shoes are a must. Pets, alcohol, and tobacco use are strictly prohibited.
Little Wyandotte Tour - EASY
The Little Wyandotte Cave tour is the shortest and easiest trip available. This smaller cave, totally separated from Big Wyandotte Cave, offers a comprehensive view of many flowstone and dripstone formations. Sometimes cave dwelling species can be seen as well. The lack of any long stairways inside the cave makes this 30 – 45 minute trip ideal for visitors of all ages.Tours of Little Wyandotte are open to all ages, and are offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only. Cost is $8 for ages 12 and older; $4 for ages 6-11; and free for ages 5 and younger. Maximum group size is 15.
Big Wyandotte Tour (Monument Mountain Tour) - RUGGED
The huge underground "Monument Mountain" is a highlight of this two-hour, 1.5-mile headlamp/helmet trip through the deeper sections of Big Wyandotte Cave. Rare formations called helictites, plus gypsum, epsomite and prehistoric flint quarries add variety. People who sign up for this tour must be in good physical health and must be able to navigate steep terrain and many stairs. This trip is rewarding for visitors with the time and energy to see these unique cave features.Tours of Big Wyandotte Cave are for ages 6 and older only, and are offered at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only. Cost is $18 for ages 12 and older; $9 for ages 6-11. Minimum group size is 15 and maximum is 25.
If you tour Big Wyandotte Cave, you will be required to walk across a rough decontamination surface near the cave entrance as you exit the cave to prevent the movement of the fungal spores that cause White-nose syndrome in bats. (WNS does not affect humans.) To learn more about WNS, visit dnr.IN.gov/batdisease.
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