Adventure Hiking Trail (O'Bannon Woods and Harrison-Crawford State Forest)

O'Bannon Woods State Park and Harrison-Crawford State Forest, Indiana DNR (near Corydon, along the Ohio River)

The Adventure Hiking Trail loops 25 to 25.5 miles, depending on the DNR source, through O’Bannon Woods State Park and Harrison-Crawford State Forest above the Ohio River in far southern Indiana. The Indiana DNR calls it a National Recreation Trail and part of the American Discovery Trail, with overlooks of Indian Creek, the Blue River, and the Ohio, and five trail shelters. The DNR says the full loop “generally takes 2 ½ to 3 days.”

It’s dry country. The DNR warns that “due to the karst landscape of the area, water is frequently scarce.”

The hike

The DNR’s brochure describes a trail through karst terrain, with caves, sinkholes, and natural escarpments, and views over Indian Creek, the Blue River, and the Ohio River. It’s marked with green and white blazes, and pink and black flagging marks temporary reroutes. The DNR lists trailheads on State Road 462 (including the Rock Creek trailhead), on Old Forest Road, on Cold Friday Road, and at the Pioneer Picnic Shelter on the main park road.

The brochure lists five first-come, first-served shelters. Old Barn Shelter is 0.3 mile east of the Rock Creek trailhead. Pioneer Picnic Shelter is reached from the main park road. Homestead Overnight Shelter is 1.4 miles north of Cold Friday Road. Indian Creek Shelter is “located on the bluffs above Indian Creek.” Ohio River Shelter is “fully enclosed with wooden floor, windows, door, and roof.” The brochure gives some distances: Cold Friday Road to the Ohio River Shelter is 2.8 miles, the Ohio River Shelter to the Pioneer Picnic Shelter is 1.3 miles, and from there it’s 2.5 miles to the campground and 1.1 miles more to the Old Iron Bridge.

Michael Ray hiked part of the loop with his sons in April 2012 and posted a trip report on the Backpacking Light forum. Because the trail had a reputation as one of the driest in Indiana, he cached water, getting most of it near Cold Friday Road and the Ohio River. He found “the trail was in very good shape everywhere,” but full of ticks and poison ivy, and his sons said “hiking in the rain was the best part.”

For a longer, steeper trail nearby, see the Knobstone Trail.

Tips

Register first. The DNR’s brochure says overnight hikers should register at the state park gatehouse or property office.
Plan your water. Water is available at the O’Bannon Woods campground turnoff; caching water helps.
Allow three days. The DNR estimates 2½ to 3 days for the loop.
Follow green and white blazes. Watch for pink and black flagging on reroutes.
Treat for ticks. Ray found plenty, along with poison ivy.
Don’t feed deer. The DNR prohibits it.

Camping

The DNR says “overnight camping is permitted along the AHT.” Hikers can use the five first-come, first-served shelters or camp at primitive sites, which must be “at least one mile from any main road and out of sight of the trail.” Fires are allowed only in designated areas. The DNR’s brochure says hikers planning overnight trips should register at the state park gatehouse or property office.

Inside Intel: The DNR’s brochure gives its highest rating to the Ohio River Shelter, the only fully enclosed one, with a wooden floor, windows, and a door. Ray spent his second night there. The Indian Creek Shelter, on the bluffs above the creek, gets the next-highest rating; Ray’s group camped near it, beside a sinkhole, on their first night.

Trail facts

Distance: About 25.5 miles (DNR park and forest maps); 25 miles (DNR brochure and backpacking list)
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Five shelters (Old Barn, Pioneer Picnic, Homestead, Indian Creek, Ohio River); primitive sites a mile from main roads and out of sight of the trail
Water: Scarce; O’Bannon Woods campground turnoff. Cache or carry.
Permits: None found; the DNR asks overnight hikers to register at the state park gatehouse or office
Markings: Green and white blazes
Trailheads: Rock Creek (SR 462), Old Forest Road, Cold Friday Road, Pioneer Picnic Shelter
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Hiking O'Bannon Woods in the rain:

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Compare the shells →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.