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The whole family decided to go to Spring Mill State Park hiking in April of 2015. Conner was 8 at the time and Maddox was 4. We decided to try Village Trail (Trail 4), because of all the things you pass along the trail. It is a 2 mile loop that I would call moderate.
We parked at he Donaldson Shelter House parking area where trail 4 crosses a decided to head to Donaldson Cave first. It was a wise decision do to the hundreds of stairs heading down to the creek bottom. Once down the stairs you go to your right to Donaldson Cave. The family thought is was awesome. Since we had a lot of rain the past few weeks, the creek was just roaring out of the cave. You can take a boat ride into the cave from the East end of the cave. After the cave we followed Trail 4 along the creek. It is a very maintained, gravel trail. The next thing you come to along the trail is the Wilson Monument. It is dedicated to Alexander Wilson, a Ornithologist. This area is just across the creek from the Spring Mill Inn. From here you continue along the trail a go by one of the wildlife marshes in Spring Mill. Once past the marsh you will be close to the Pioneer Village, which is what Spring Mill is best know for. This is a good area to stop and have a snack. There are many picnic tables to stop at. Once we got to the village it was solo hiking time for me. Maddox saw a playground and Courtney and Conner wanted to go check out the Pioneer Village and Mill. After the village you pass a picnic area CCC put in when they were building the park. After that you are walking parallel to the village and can see a lot of it from the trail. You then come to The Old Quarry and Lime Kiln. This small area is where the limestone came from to build the mill. You also can see Hamer Cave, which you can do a little side trail to or hike to from the village. From here you are hiking uphill to the Hamer Pioneer Cemetery. Once past the cemetery it was just a little bit back to the start.
I would suggest going this route will children do to the large amount of stairs that you go down instead of up.
And the hike uphill from the village is not too bad.
It was a great hiking for the whole family. I would say any child 4 or older could do it. Younger ones could also but their are a lot of stairs to go up/down so you may have to carry them some.
The trail is well maintained and well marked. Also if you have never been to Spring Mill there is a lot to see and do.
You have the Pioneer Village, The cave boat tour, Gus Grissom Memorial, and a Nature Center.
We parked at he Donaldson Shelter House parking area where trail 4 crosses a decided to head to Donaldson Cave first. It was a wise decision do to the hundreds of stairs heading down to the creek bottom. Once down the stairs you go to your right to Donaldson Cave. The family thought is was awesome. Since we had a lot of rain the past few weeks, the creek was just roaring out of the cave. You can take a boat ride into the cave from the East end of the cave. After the cave we followed Trail 4 along the creek. It is a very maintained, gravel trail. The next thing you come to along the trail is the Wilson Monument. It is dedicated to Alexander Wilson, a Ornithologist. This area is just across the creek from the Spring Mill Inn. From here you continue along the trail a go by one of the wildlife marshes in Spring Mill. Once past the marsh you will be close to the Pioneer Village, which is what Spring Mill is best know for. This is a good area to stop and have a snack. There are many picnic tables to stop at. Once we got to the village it was solo hiking time for me. Maddox saw a playground and Courtney and Conner wanted to go check out the Pioneer Village and Mill. After the village you pass a picnic area CCC put in when they were building the park. After that you are walking parallel to the village and can see a lot of it from the trail. You then come to The Old Quarry and Lime Kiln. This small area is where the limestone came from to build the mill. You also can see Hamer Cave, which you can do a little side trail to or hike to from the village. From here you are hiking uphill to the Hamer Pioneer Cemetery. Once past the cemetery it was just a little bit back to the start.
I would suggest going this route will children do to the large amount of stairs that you go down instead of up.
And the hike uphill from the village is not too bad.
It was a great hiking for the whole family. I would say any child 4 or older could do it. Younger ones could also but their are a lot of stairs to go up/down so you may have to carry them some.
The trail is well maintained and well marked. Also if you have never been to Spring Mill there is a lot to see and do.
You have the Pioneer Village, The cave boat tour, Gus Grissom Memorial, and a Nature Center.
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