Wednesday 7 June 2017

Camping at Clifty Falls State Park - Part 1

Candace, Riaan and I joined our friends Nathan and Anna for a weekend of camping fun at Clifty Falls State Park, two hours drive east near Madison, Indiana.(6th - 7th May 2017.) We had to do a number of detours on our travels to Clifty Falls because of major flooding on many roads. The end of April and start of May was really wet in southern Indiana.

We ended up arriving at Clifty Falls State park at around 11h30 in the morning. We first visited the interesting Nature Centre where we browsed at various exhibits and bird-watched out of the viewing windows. We then walked to the Fire/Observation Tower nearby.

Since check-in for the campground was only from 14h00, we decided to do a hike beforehand. We parked at the Big Clifty Falls parking lot and hiked a number of trails. There were some beautiful views over the ravine and the various huge waterfalls.

We went across to the campground at around 15h30 and set up our tents and spent the rest of the day relaxing there. We had lovely hobos - meat, potatoes, carrots and onions all wrapped up in cabbage and cooked in tin foil - for supper, drank delicious coffee, and enjoyed great fellowship on a rather cold evening.

 The massive power station just across the road from Clifty Falls State Park.
 Inside the Nature Centre.
 My little turtles. :)
 Riaan leading Candace on the hike to the Fire Tower.
 View over the Ohio River from the Fire Tower. Kentucky is across the river.
 Big Clifty Falls is 60 feet or 18 metres high.
 Huge tulip poplar tree - Indiana's state tree.
 A walkway under a cliff near Big Clifty Falls.
 A pretty flower known as columbine. It looks like a jester's hat.
 Cake Rock.
 Looking down at Little Clifty Falls.
 Little Clifty Falls is also 60 feet or 18 metres high.
 Candace and Riaan hiking in the forest.
 Tunnel Falls is 83 feet or 25 metres high.
 Rose-breasted grosbeak in one of the little streams.
 Our campsite at the primitive campground.
 Riaan leading me along the path.
 Little groundhogs across the way from us.
 Riaan trying on my glove.
 Delicious hobos for supper.
 Playing in mud is lots of fun!
Yummy after-supper coffee! :)

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