Tecumseh Trail (Morgan-Monroe to Yellowwood and the Hoosier)

Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Yellowwood State Forest, and Hoosier National Forest (between Martinsville and Monroe Lake)

The Tecumseh Trail runs about 42 miles across the hills of south-central Indiana, from the Morgan-Monroe State Forest office south of Martinsville, through Yellowwood State Forest, to the Hoosier National Forest near Monroe Lake. The Hoosier Hikers Council built it from 1998 to 2002. Wikipedia calls it “a gentler version and training ground” for the Knobstone Trail, and the Council notes it still has “many large hills.”

Part of the trail in Yellowwood is closed until further notice, so check the route before you plan a thru-hike.

The hike

Wikipedia says the trail starts at Morgan-Monroe State Forest headquarters, about 5 miles south of Martinsville, and ends in the Brown County forest near Monroe Lake, just south of State Road 46. A 2012 Hoosier Hikers Council post describes passing Bear Creek Lake, crossing Yellowwood State Forest, and finishing near State Road 46 near Belmont, and warns that the southern end is remote, with a 2 to 3 mile backtrack to the nearest road. The same post suggests splitting the trail into three roughly 14-mile days.

The Hoosier Hikers Council says the trail “tends to offer many opportunities for backcountry (non-potable) water sources,” but has “less parking or allowable camping areas than the Knobstone Trail.” It publishes the trail’s only detailed topographic map with mile markers and camping areas.

The DNR says three shelters along the trail are available for overnight stays or bad weather, and one is privately owned. In a January 2012 forum post, a hiker who goes by Archbishop described a shelter about 8 miles from the north end that “is generously provided by a local Lutheran church,” “scarcely 20 feet off the trail,” with a fire ring and picnic table. He counted seven streams on the way back. The Hoosier Hikers Council reported in 2023 that Foxes Den Shelter had reopened after a timber harvest, with some logging damage remaining.

Closures and reroutes come and go. Yellowwood’s current closure follows a county road closure and new railroad No Trespassing signs. The Hoosier Hikers Council’s 2022 Indian Hill reroute requires about a mile on State Road 45, “a busy highway.” In June 2026, an EF-2 tornado hit Morgan-Monroe State Forest, and the forest says cleanup continues.

For the steeper trail to the south, see the Knobstone Trail. For a shorter loop in the same forest, see Low Gap.

Tips

Check the closure first. Part of the trail in Yellowwood is closed until further notice.
Get the Hoosier Hikers Council map. It shows mile markers, parking, and camping areas.
Register your trip. Morgan-Monroe asks backcountry campers to register by kiosk, email, phone, or in person.
Treat stream water. Water is often available but not potable.
Be careful on road walks. The Indian Hill reroute uses a busy highway with little shoulder.
Plan the south end. The finish is remote.

Camping

On Yellowwood State Forest, the DNR allows dispersed camping along the trail at least a quarter mile from roads, recreation areas, and trailheads and at least 100 feet from the trail, but not on private land the trail crosses. Morgan-Monroe asks backcountry campers to register, limits groups to six people, and caps stays at three nights per person, with a carry-in, carry-out trash policy. Three shelters are available, one privately owned.

Inside Intel: Archbishop’s 2012 report praises the church-provided shelter about 8 miles from the north end as “a nice little shelter,” right beside the trail, with a fire ring and picnic table. A 2012 Hoosier Hikers Council commenter suggested camping at the shelter near mile 14 and again at Yellowwood near mile 28 to split the trail into three days.

Trail facts

Distance: About 42 miles one way
Route type: Point-to-point
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Campsites: Three shelters (one private); dispersed camping where allowed
Water: Many streams (treat); Bear Creek Lake
Permits: Register with the state forest office
Group size: Six maximum in Morgan-Monroe’s backcountry
Trailheads: Morgan-Monroe State Forest office (north); near State Road 46 by Monroe Lake (south)
Last verified: October 7, 2026

The Lowdown

Between shelters on the Tecumseh:

With only three shelters in 42 miles, most nights on the Tecumseh mean pitching your own. See the tents testers like.

See the picks →

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.