Miami Whitewater Forest 10/26/2008

Oakleaf Trail


Parcours Trail


Badlands Trail Outer Loop


Badlands Trail Outer Loop


Badlands Trail Outer Loop


Tallgrass Prairie Trail


Tallgrass Prairie Trail


Shaker Trace Inner Loop


Shaker Trace Inner Loop

This morning was great for walking at Miami Whitewater Forest. I started at the Oakleaf Trail, which is one of the shorter nature trails at 9:00 AM. The temperatures were in the 40s,and I love hiking when the weather is cooler in the fall. The Oakleaf Trail is only 0.8 miles long,but I love the fact that three nature loop trails are all very close to the parking lot where there is a restroom and water. I saw a bag tied over the drinking fountain handle, so the park might have turned off the water for the winter. I am not sure, and since I carried my own water, I did not check.

Once I finished the Oakleaf Trail, I walked the Parcours Trail, which is a 1.4 mile figure 8 loop style trail. I have never hiked this one before, but it is also another beautiful nature trail.

I completed the Parcours Trail and then walked the Badlands Trail Outer Loop, which is 1.7 miles long. I really like this trail with the small ups and downs, turns and short bridges. This is probably my favorite nature trail in this area, although I have to admit there are a lot of trails I have not walked.

After I completed the Badlands Trail, I got in the car and drove to the Tallgrass Prairie Trail, which is a short 0.6 mile nature trail.

If I would have more time to hike today, I would have liked to have tackled the entire outer Shaker Trace loop, which is a paved 7.8 miles, so I chose to finish the morning by walking the inner loop, which is only 1.2 miles. An interesting fact, is that the Shaker Trace Trail is part of the American Discovery Trail, which runs from Delaware to California. The trail is routed over 6,800 miles through 15 states. For more information about the ADT, check out

I did not put in a lot of miles, but it was about 5.7 miles when I add up the mileage.