Hoosier National Forest

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Information for Visitors to Perry County

Hoosier National Forest

Established in 1935, the Hoosier National Forest now consists of two ranger districts and offers 194,000 acres of public land open for exploration. With over 56,000 acres of Hoosier National Forest in the Tell City District, Perry County has more national forest and recreation area per capita than any other county in Indiana.

Outdoor recreation in the Tell City District of the Hoosier National Forest offers visitors a chance to spend time in a quiet, scenic setting. Clear, swift creeks, waterfalls, majestic cliffs and interesting rock formations dot the forest. Deep lakes, well-stocked with bass, crappie, bluegill, redear and catfish, can be found in the forest. The forest also offers facilities for horsemen, bikers, hikers, campers and all types of wildlife lovers.

Following are some recreation areas and what they offer:
Celina and Indian Lakes
Celina (164 acres) and Indian (152 acres) lakes are located about three miles south of Interstate 64 on Indiana 37. Both lakes are strictly fishing lakes—no swimming or gasoline motors are allowed.
Celina has a campground with 63 campsites and two modern toilet buildings with flush toilets and hot water showers. Southslope campground has electrical hook-ups. Northface does not. The campgrounds are operated by Recreation Resource Management Inc., an independent contractor. Fees are charged for camping. Call the RRMI toll free at (877) 444-6777 for the latest rates or to make reservations.

Also in the Indian-Celina area is Two Lakes Loop Trail, a 12-mile hiking trail that circles both lakes. It meanders along the wooded ridges, draws and shoreline between the two lakes. This trail is designated as part of the National Recreation Trail System. Only hiking is allowed and the area is open year-round.

There is a one-mile interpretive trail at Celina Lake, which meanders around the historic Celina (Rickenbaugh) House and the cliffs behind it. The trail is for hikers only. A $4 parking fee is charged for day use May 15-Oct. 15.

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Tipsaw Lake
Tipsaw Lake (131 acres) is three miles south of Indian-Celina lakes on Indiana 37. Tipsaw Lake has a swimming beach, beachside bath house, two picnic shelters, picnic units, vault toilets, boat ramp and handicap-accessible water contact area. The seven-mile hiking and biking trail offers a scenic lake view. The trail is open year-round.

There are three group campgrounds, a group picnic area with a large shelter, and a family campground with 35 sites and modern toilet buildings with flush toilets and showers. One loop of the campground has electricity; the other doesn’t.

The Tipsaw campgrounds are also operated by Recreation Resource Management Inc. Fees are $16 per day for double and $21 for double with electricity and $10 per day for single and $15 for single with electric. Call the RRMI at the number above for more information.

The swimming area at Tipsaw Lake contains a sandy beach with handicap-accessible wading areas and grassy picnic sites with shelters. A $4 parking fee is charged for day use.

Saddle Lake
Saddle Lake (41 acres) is located off Indiana 37 near Gatchel, about 10 miles south of Tipsaw Lake. Swimming is not allowed at Saddle. It offers 22 primitive camping units with vault toilets, picnic sites and fire pits. No water or electricity is provided. No fees are charged.
The shoreline trail is a great place to see birds and other wildlife on a three-mile hiking trail. The trail is open year-round.

German Ridge Lake
Located 12 miles east of Cannelton off Indiana 66, German Ridge Lake (four acres) was the first recreation area in the Hoosier National Forest.

Built for the forest service by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939-40, the park has a horse campground with 20 campsites, picnic sites, a small picnic shelter and a swimming beach.

The campground is open all year to those with or without horses. There is a $4 camping fee, and no electricity or water is provided.

The Tell City District and the Southern Indiana Horsemans Club established the horse camp and a 23-mile horse trail system. There is also a one-mile hiking trail around the lake and spectacular cliffs nearby.

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Buzzard Roost Recreation Area
Located on the Ohio River near the Crawford County line, the area offers one of the most spectacular views of the river anywhere. Camping and picnicking are allowed at the overlook, though there are no facilities.

Mogan Ridge
This ridge, located between Indiana 37 on the west and the Ohio River on the east, contains beautiful trails, rock formations and views of the surrounding valleys. Two trails—Mogan Ridge East and Mogan Ridge West—are found on the ridge.

Mogan Ridge East is for hikers only, as it winds through several prairies containing rare or endangered plants. The western trail is multiple-use, and can be used by hikers, horseback riders or mountain bikers. West is 11 miles long, East is five.

Oriole
The Oriole trail winds through the valleys and hills of northeastern Perry County. To reach the trailhead, travel along Indiana 66. Oriole Pond is located just west of Indiana 66 north of Oriole. The trail may be reached from the pond’s parking area. The multi-use trail is 10 miles long.

Wildlife Ponds
Several wildlife ponds are located in Perry County, including Deer Lake, Deer Pond and numerous others. Some are accessible; others are not. Likewise, some have been stocked with bluegill, redear, bass and catfish. Others merely have whatever nature has seen fit to put in them.

Fishing and hunting anywhere in the forest requires Indiana state licenses.

Hiking, mushroom hunting, rappelling, rock climbing, hunting (in season) and fishing are allowed in most areas of the forest. Some restrictions apply. Mountain biking and horseback riding are restricted to marked trails. Off-road vehicles are not allowed in the forest.

For more information, call the Tell City Ranger District office at 547-7051.
Source: The Perry County News<www.perrycountynews.com>, Discover Perry County

Additional Links of Interest:

Hoosier National Forest in Perry County
Hoosier National Forest

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Ohio River

Once the beautiful Ohio River served as the nation’s gateway westward and brought with it explorers, traders and settlers who found their way to Perry County. Today, the majestic river still plays an important role in commerce, but it also is a dynamic recreational asset as it winds along the county’s southern boundary.

This Ohio River highlands area is as rich in history as it is beautiful, and abounds with countless points of interest and recreational opportunities.The river offers access to more than 18,000 acres of water for boating, fishing, swimming and other outdoor recreation.

Indiana 66 follows the river and has been named a national scenic byway by the U.S. Congress and is known as the Ohio River Scenic Byway. New signs have been posted marking the route, and other visitor related development is taking place, including the re-opening of an overlook park above the Cannelton Locks and Dam. To open a map of the byway in a new window, click here.

The drive from Sulphur in the north, to Magnet, through scenic river towns of Derby and Rome, to Rocky Point, Cannelton, Tell City and Troy is dotted with numerous points of interest. Some of them include:

• Magnet is a small community just off Indiana 66, located along the river in the northeastern part of the county. It has a private boat dock that can be used to access a quaint restaurant. There is also a small boat ramp in the community, which used to be called Rono (many locals still use the name).
• A Civil War steamboat explosion memorial, located about a half mile south of Magnet, was dedicated to the memory of 10 Ohio soldiers who died while returning home when the steamer USS Argosy (No. 3) exploded Aug. 21, 1865. The soldiers, members of the 70th Ohio Regiment, were killed when the steamer ran aground and its boilers ruptured during a storm. Nine of the 10 died at the scene, and one was taken to Louisville. The bodies were buried at the site, which is at a scenic point along the river. The location, with its marker, is maintained by a local family.
• Mano Point and Port Derby provide visitors with access to the river and recreational opportunities in the Derby area. Mano Point, just upstream from Derby along Indiana 66, is U.S. Forest Service property and has a maintained boat ramp. It also provides access to nearby Oil Creek, a popular fishing and boating stream. Port Derby, located at the intersection of Indiana 66 and 70, offers boat rental and storage.
• Mulzer Park in Derby is a small county park located on the river along Indiana 66. It has a scenic overlook, places to fish and picnic, and is near boat rentals, gas, groceries and a restaurant. It is the county’s first park and the land was made available by Mulzer Crushed Stone, which formerly used part of the area as a boat dock and loading facility.
• The Rome Courthouse is located in Rome off Indiana 66, about five miles south of Derby. It was the county’s second courthouse and is being preserved as a historical site and is open during the county’s Dogwood and fall festivals and for other community events. It also served at one time as a school.
• The Perry County Parks and Recreation Department rebuilt the boat ramp in Rome in 1999.
• Rocky Point Marina has been a recreational area since 1970, providing facilities for camping, fishing and boat rentals and space for overnight boat docking. The marina has gas for boats and autos and has a grocery store. Many bass tourneys are fished from the marina. It is located at the intersection of Indiana 66 and 166. It is at the mouth of Deer Creek, which is well known for its good fishing.
  

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• Lamb Cemetery, northeast of Tobinsport, is the resting place for several Revolutionary War veterans, including Thomas Green Alvey, John Lamb, Alexander Miller, Jacob Weatherholt and John Winchell. There are 21 Revolutionary War veterans buried elsewhere in Perry County.
• Cannelton Locks and Dam was begun in 1965 and dedicated in 1974 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It created a 110-mile long lake stretching from Louisville, Ky., to Cannelton, eliminating three other dams along the channel. Today the locks have a picnic area, restrooms and an information and visitors center for watching barges, riverboats and pleasure craft lock through the dam. Fishing by boat below the dam is excellent; however there is very limited access for shoreline angling. The dam is south of Cannelton on Indiana 66. There is a beautiful overlook above the dam. The Perry County Parks and Recreation Department plans to open the road and an interpretive center and observation tower there in the near future.
• Lafayette Spring, located just up river from the Cannelton Locks and Dam, commemorates the French Revolutionary War General Marquis de Lafayette, who reportedly stayed overnight there when his steamboat sank in the river May 9, 1825. The Lafayette Springs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a plaque at the site, which is along Indiana 66.
• The Bob Cummings Lincoln Trail Bridge stretches over the Ohio River at Cannelton to provide a link to neighboring Kentucky. Construction on the bridge, which was named for a well-known local newspaper editor, was completed in 1964.
• Hargis Hafele Riverside Park, located behind the Cannelton floodwall, offers a boat ramp and a spectacular view of the river and Hawesville, Ky. It is a good ramp and the one which provides the best boat access to the fishing below the Cannelton dam. It is located at the site of the old ferry crossing.
• Sunset Park is a playground and picnic area located behind the Tell City floodwall. There is a boat ramp, and in the park local artists have painted the history of the area on a floodwall mural. The floodwalls protect Tell City and Cannelton from the times when the river had significant flooding. They were built after the devastating flood of 1937.
• The Christ of the Ohio statue overlooks the river from the highest hill at Troy, adjacent to the Fulton Hill Community Center, a recreational and meeting facility. The statue, which serves as a landmark for pilots and river traffic, was created by German sculptor Herbert Jogerst as a silent message of peace. It was placed at Fulton Hill in 1956.
• Riverplace, also known as the old Nester House, was originally built in 1863 as a grocery store and later served as a hotel. The basement, which has been filled in, was a link to the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves move northward. The house is located on the riverfront in Troy and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a private home. There is a nearby park and boat ramp. It also is near where the American Queen riverboat went aground on its maiden journey.
• Just across the county line in Spencer County, Lincoln Ferry Park commemorates the site where 16th President Abraham Lincoln spent many a day as a youngster ferrying travelers across the Anderson River to and from Perry County. The small shelter and grassy lawn are a great place to stop for a picnic.

Source: The Perry County News, Discover Perry County

Additional Links of Interest:

Perry County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Indiana Tourism Information

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