Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Indiana / West Central Indiana

Shades State Park Backpack Trail

Shades State Park, Indiana DNR Division of State Parks (near Waveland)

Shades State Park is known for its shady ravines and the sandstone cliffs above Sugar Creek, and its backpack trail is the gentle way to spend a night there. The trail runs 2.5 miles through relatively flat woods to a small hike-in camp with seven sites and, in season, a water hydrant. It’s a good first overnight, or an easy one with kids.

It is seasonal. The park closes the backpack camp from late October through early April, so plan this one for spring, summer or early fall.

The hike

Shades became Indiana’s 15th state park in 1947, according to one regional magazine. The land, long called “The Shades,” was a health resort in the 1800s, and the park sits where Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties meet, near Waveland. Sandstone cliffs overlook Sugar Creek, and most of the park’s trails drop through shady ravines.

The backpack trail is the exception. One 2025 travel article notes that the Backpack Trail and Trails 9 and 10 skip the ravines. The park says the trail begins at the west end of the parking lot (its trail map calls it the Hickory parking lot) and “traverses relatively flat terrain and wooded area to the backpack camp.” The park rates it moderate and lists it at 2.5 miles, about 60 to 80 minutes one way. It’s for hiking only.

The camp itself is modest. One 2023 camper wrote that every site had a fire ring and a picnic table, with paths to the bathroom and water, and said the trail was well maintained in sections but weedy in spots. Another camper in 2022 found water and outhouses but called the camp “not very scenic,” on a shady hill above Sugar Creek. A 2000 magazine story added one quirk: a nearby airstrip’s flight path crosses the backpack sites, though most of the air traffic comes on weekends.

The ravines are the reason to come, so leave time for a day hike before or after the night out. The park’s trail map rates Trail 2 “rugged” to “very rugged” and Trails 1, 4 and 5 “moderate/rugged.” One listing notes that Trails 4 and 5 have ladders, which makes them a poor fit for small children, pets or anyone with limited mobility. The 2000 magazine writer found most of the park’s 10 marked trails “difficult, slippery and steep,” so good boots help. The 2025 article names Silver Cascade as the main waterfall and Devil’s Punch Bowl as a rock formation worth seeing.

Two cautions apply on the day hikes. The park says Trails 7 and 8 are closed because of damaged trail structures, and swimming and wading in Sugar Creek are prohibited inside the park. Trails close at dusk.

Nearby, the Pine Hills Nature Preserve offers longer walks over what one magazine calls “spectacular topography.” The 2000 magazine story says a connecting trail leads there from Shades and that few hikers make the trip.

Paddlers have their own option. The park’s map shows a canoe camp reached by a 1.8-mile float from Deer’s Mill, and one article says the park has 10 seasonal canoe sites reserved by calling the park.

For a longer Indiana backpacking trip, see the Knobstone Trail or the Tecumseh Trail.

Tips

Camping

The backpack camp has seven sites, the park says, and is closed from late October through early April. The camps are not accessible by vehicle. The park’s map says check-in is one hour before sunset at the gatehouse, campers arriving with less than an hour of daylight won’t be allowed in, and firewood may not be available. A water hydrant is available in the backpack campground during the recreational season. The park also says there is no camping along the creek. Several sources, including Backpacker and two camping listings, say the backpack sites are first come, first served; confirm with the park, since reservation systems change.

Inside Intel: One camper who stayed in June 2023 picked the “furthest site on NE side” of the backpack camp and said the camp doesn’t get enough love for how short the hike is. Another camper’s note: the camp sits on a shady hill above Sugar Creek rather than beside it, so don’t expect a creekside view.

Trail facts

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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.