If you’ve ever seen an advertisement for French Lick Resort or spent any time on frenchlick.com, you’ve probably seen some of Ian McSpadden’s work. He’s the local photographer who captures many of the iconic images of the resort landscape.
He also knows a thing or two about the natural landscape
that surrounds us here in southern Indiana.
When Ian’s not snapping photos, you’ll probably find him
putting in miles on his mountain bike, cruising on his paddleboard, or exploring
new trails and the endless nooks and crannies that exist around here in the
outdoors. He shares a little about what he knows about the outdoors, and it’s a
great point of reference if you’re looking to get out and explore when you’re visiting French Lick Resort — whether it's this fall or when 2021 starts to bloom.
French Lick Trails
There are three wooded trails adjacent to the resort, and to
Ian, it’s not just the proximity that makes them great.
Many of the multi-use horse/bike/bike trails can be messy
and wide, but this dedicated single-track hike/bike trail is more tight and
narrow. And currently in smooth condition, Ian noted, as the increased traffic during
this COVID era has actually improved the trail condition.
“As far as within a 45-minute drive, this is the best trail,”
he says. “I’ve been on pretty much every other trail in southern Indiana, and that
said, this trail is one of the best. It is a really well-designed trail, and
it’s very rideable and fun, and for a mountain biker, is just a great trail.”
Before you go, grab a trail map nearby at Valley Links golf
shop, or download
one before you come.
If you’re looking to start out with an easier hike, do the
Trail 1 loop. It’s the shortest of the three trails at 1.5 miles, and the
elevation changes are more moderate, though you will trek through a few steep
spots. (And right now with the dry weather we’ve had, the conditions are good —
after hard rains, might be good to avoid it.)
Graduate to Trail 2, and now the heart gets pumping a little more. With an elevation change of 450 feet amid the 5.1-mile stretch, it’s a more intermediate layout. “I like to tell people on the trail, ‘You know, this is the second highest hill in the state, to give them a little bragging point. It’s a really good climb.”
Ian says that if he’s hustling, the climb takes about 25
minutes and the overall Trail 2 lap takes 45 minutes. If he adds on Trail 3 — a
rugged 3.8-mile spur off of Trail 2 — it’s about 75 minutes.
“The nice point about Trail 3 is if you do it the right
direction, which is counter-clockwise, there’s one section that’s almost a mile
of downhill, which is kind of hard to come by around here,” Ian says.
Hikers and mountain bikers share this trail — and so do some
wildlife. Box turtles. Deer. You’re likely to see some native creatures along
the way, or even spectacular mushroom formations in the spring and summer. And
even as the weather is trending cooler, these upcoming months are actually an
ideal time to hit the trails. “That’s when the best hiking starts, is when the
bugs disappear,” Ian says. “Most of my hiking is in the winter time around
here. After the leaves fall it’s not a dense jungle, and you can see throughout the woods.”
And it’s those type of moments that let you know you’ve truly gotten away from it all.
When you think about it, our hotels at French Lick and West Baden are the epicenter of all things outdoors. Rough it during the day, and wear yourself out for a comfortable night’s stay.
“The resort is a really good base – if you come here and stay at the hotel, there’s all the hiking trails throughout the Hoosier National Forest – more than you could ever do almost in a lifetime. And then there’s Patoka Lake and multiple other lakes for canoe, kayaking, paddle boarding. You slip a little bit farther away to Milltown, you can do the canoe rental at Milltown or Fredericksburg. Those are easy day trips, close to the hotel.”
Ian’s got a few go-tos for paddle boarding, both within an hour or less of the resort. One is Patoka Lake. He also does a stretch of the Blue River, from Milltown to Rothrocks Mill to Blue River Chapel just south of I-64. Nothing too extreme — just some friendly Stage 1 rapids.
It’s also worth researching a little on your own before you
come, because you’d be surprised by the concentration of caves, lakes, trails,
forests, and other natural wonders around here just waiting to be discovered.
“There’s just so many opportunities now for that kind of
traveler — whether you’re a mountain biker, canoer, kayaker, paddle boarder. If
you’re an outdoor enthusiast, there really is a bit to offer around here.”