Indiana · Hiking

Discovery Trail

Discovery TrailPhoto: b_nicodemus, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
loop
57 ft
climb
1,015 ft
high point
Loop
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Clear at last check

Weather is good · OpenWeather · checked 22 h ago

Discovery Trail is a short, easy loop in Brown County State Park in Indiana, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is about half a mile long, with a total elevation gain of 57 feet and a high point of 1,015 feet. It is a low-commitment outing, and the climb is back-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.32 miles in, reaching a grade of 8 percent. The trail is a loop, so it starts and ends at the same point. It is not a route for horses or bikes, and the nearest town is the park itself, which makes it an easy addition to a day spent exploring the park's other trails. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Bloomington show May highs around 74°F and September highs around 78°F, with September also seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Several other trails sit close by. Strahl Lake Trail is about 0.6 miles away, Rally Campground Trail is about 0.9 miles away, and Vollmer Trail and Ogle Lake Trail are each about 1.3 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Discovery Trail

    Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      37° / 21°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    2. Feb

      42° / 23°

      10 wet · 3 snow

    3. Mar

      52° / 32°

      11 wet · 1 snow

    4. Apr

      64° / 42°

      12 wet

    5. May

      74° / 53°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 62°

      11 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 65°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      85° / 64°

      8 wet

    9. Sep

      78° / 56°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      66° / 44°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      53° / 34°

      10 wet · 1 snow

    12. Dec

      41° / 26°

      11 wet · 3 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bloomington Indiana Univ, IN, 15.8 mi away at 830 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Strahl Lake TrailPhoto: Elizabeth Nicodemus, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Strahl Lake Trail

Next door

Easy point-to-point lakeside trail in Indiana with scenic water views.

Hhc TrailPhoto: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hhc Trail

~2 min drive

A 3.88-mile point-to-point trail through Indiana's countryside.

Sycamore TrailPhoto: usfs_Eastern_Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Sycamore Trail

~16 min drive

9.60-mile out-and-back trail in Indiana with 622 ft elevation gain

Rally Campground TrailPhoto: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rally Campground Trail

~2 min drive

Short point-to-point trail near Rally Campground in Indiana.

Crooked Creek LoopPhoto: aspidoscelis, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Crooked Creek Loop

~7 min drive

5.24-mile loop in Indiana with 1,167 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Nebo Ridge Trail 1

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Challenging 16.46-mile out-and-back ridge hike in Indiana.

Ogle Lake TrailPhoto: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ogle Lake Trail

~2 min drive

1.20-mile loop trail in Indiana with 673 ft gain.

Terrill Ridge TrailPhoto: usfs_Eastern_Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Terrill Ridge Trail

~16 min drive

3.73-mile out-and-back hike in Indiana with 127 ft of elevation gain.

Vollmer TrailPhoto: Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Vollmer Trail

~2 min drive

2.39-mile point-to-point trail in Indiana with 690 ft elevation gain

Hickory Ridge 19Photo: usfs_Eastern_Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Hickory Ridge 19

~17 min drive

3.54-mile out-and-back trail in Indiana with 180 ft elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors