The Best Hikes in the Midwest - The Trek

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The Best Hikes in the Midwest

The Midwest is certainly not famous for long trails or epic mountain hikes. For example, in my home state of Ohio, the highest point is 1,550-foot Campbell Hill, which can be scaled via sidewalk. However, there are plenty of beautiful hiking options across the Midwest just the same. Here are a few of the best hikes in the Midwest—feel free to add your favorites in the comments.

The Best Hikes in the Midwest

Day Hikes

Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio

Nestled in southeastern Ohio, Hocking Hills State Park consists of over 2,300 acres of spectacular gorges, waterfalls, and recess caves. Various trails totaling 26 miles allow day hikers to choose an easy or more strenuous trip.

The deep gorges are unlike most of the state and have protected remnant populations of hemlock and Canada yew that flourished there 10,000 years ago during a much cooler time. Camping and cabins are available in the park. The area is extremely popular, so avoiding summer weekend afternoons and other high-use times allow for a more natural experience.

My personal favorite hike is from Old Man's Cave through the gorge to Cedar Falls, then returning on the Gorge Overlook Trail, about six miles total. For those needing more room, the park is adjacent to 9,200 acre Hocking State Forest.

Hocking Hills State Park can be reached from either US Route 33 or Ohio Route 56 southeast of Columbus.

Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
13-Mile Trail Network

Photo courtesy of Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Canyons, waterfalls, and tall bluffs are not what most people expect when hiking the "flatland" of the Midwest, but that's exactly what day hikers find at 2,600-acre Starved Rock State Park. Thirteen miles of trails wander through 18 canyons and to spectacular overlooks of the Illinois River.

Legend has it that in 1769 a group Ottawa, seeking revenge for the killing of their chief, Pontiac, attacked a group of Illiniwek camping along the Illinois River. In an attempt to escape, the Illiniwek climbed the high butte above the river, but were trapped there by the Ottawa. The standoff continued until the Illiniwek on the butte starved, thus the reason for the park's name. There's now a lodge/restaurant located on a nearby bluff so starvation, or even hunger, is no longer an issue.

Starved Rock is the most popular state park in Illinois, so keep that in mind when picking a time to visit. The views are worth the crowds, though. The park is west of Chicago. Take I-80 W to I-39 S (Exit 79A) to IL 71 E. You'll go right by the entrance.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana
50-Mile Trail Network

Courtesy of the National Park Service.

Located at the far northwest corner of Indiana along the shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is comprised of 15 separate parcels of land with a total of around 15,000 acres. These individual plots host a wide variety of habitats and an even wider variety of day hike options. Perhaps the hardest part of hiking here is deciding which of the 14 trail systems (totaling 50 miles) to tackle first.

Habitats you can visit include hardwood forests, oak savannas, riparian corridors, prairie, wetland and, of course, dunes and beaches. Between the lake and the variety of environments, the park draws a large variety of birds, despite being in an otherwise urban/industrial area.

Indiana Dunes is located between Gary and Michigan City, IN, with Route 12 passing near most of the parcels.

Overnight and Weekend Hikes

Zaleski State Forest Backpack Trail, Ohio
Ten- to 29-Mile Loops

Looking for a weekend campout that's easy on logistics or perhaps a trail for that first overnight backpacking trip? Well, you have found it at 28,000+ acre Zaleski State Forest. Various loops can be configured to result in hikes of ten, 16, 18, 23 or 29 miles. The terrain is rolling, but not extreme and nearly always in forest. The trail itself is well maintained and (almost) too well marked. I'm still looking for an old photo that showed six blazes at once. A couple overlooks and small recess caves add to the interest.

A permit is required to camp, but they are free and self-issued at the trailhead. There are three camp areas, with each having several separate tent sites. Each camp area  includes a latrine and a cistern. (The drinking water is trucked in.)

Zaleski was the site of some of my earliest backpacking and a great place to learn those first lessons. (Such as you don't need six pounds of trail mix for a two-day trip.) The trail is located between Chillicothe and Athens. Take US Route 50 to State Route 278 north.

Charles Deam Wilderness, Indiana
37-Mile Trail Network

Overlooking Lake Monroe.

Encompassing nearly 13,000 acres in south central Indiana, The Deam Wilderness (Indiana's only designated wilderness) is located within Hoosier National Forest and boasts 37 miles of trails. It also touches Lake Monroe, the largest man-made body of water within the state.

The Hickory Ridge Fire Tower, at 110 feet tall, gives some impressive views of the area. Terrill Ridge Trail leads to some excellent campsites near a pond, and the Peninsula Trail provides some striking overlooks of Lake Monroe. At the end of the peninsula are some great lakefront campsites as well.

The wilderness is located south of Bloomington, IN. Take Route 446 to Tower Ridge Road to multiple trailheads. There are no fees or permits required to camp there.

Lakeshore Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
42 Miles

Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Stretching 42 miles along the south shore of Lake Superior, the Lakeshore Trail features incredible overlooks, sandy beaches, waterfalls, lighthouses, and plenty of camping. The distance is also shared with the North Country Trail, which continues a bit further in each direction (approximately 4,600 miles total).

Hiking is moderate with some climbs between bluffs overlooking the lake down to stretches near the water itself. There are 11 backcountry "campgrounds" along the way that can be reserved through recreation.gov. Most camp areas have community fire rings, bear-proof lockers, and water from either streams or that big nearby lake. Bring a water filter. There are shuttle services available for those wanting to hike the entire distance one way.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located on the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, between the communities of Munising (west) and Grand Marais (east). Alger County Road H-58 provides access throughout the Lakeshore.

Longer Backpacking Trails

The Ozark Trail, Missouri
230 Miles

Photo courtesy of the Ozark Trail Association.

A thru-hike of the Ozark Trail is 230 miles, meandering through the St. Francois Mountains of southeast Missouri. Overall, the hiking is moderate with drops into and climbs out of numerous valleys. Elevation changes are generally well under 1,000 feet but enough for some great views. Count on wet stream crossings on a regular basis as well.

Water is not generally an issue, though plan on filtering all sources. Resupply is off trail though several hotels along the route will offer shuttles to those that rent a room. In addition, shuttles are available for the length of the trail so only one vehicle is required.

The northernmost trailhead is reached by heading west from St Louis on I-44 to south on Highway H past Leasburg.

The Superior Trail, Minnesota
255 Miles

Photo courtesy of the Superior Hiking Trail Association.

The Superior Hiking Trail runs 255 miles, generally along a ridge above the north shore of Lake Superior. The linear route travels nearly to the Canadian border from Duluth. The trail actually continues 41 additional miles south through the city toward the Wisconsin border. However, as no backcountry camping is allowed through this stretch, it is not considered to be part of a traditional thru-hike.

Not surprisingly, the main highlight of the trail is the nearby presence of the big lake the Ojibwa people (and Gordon Lightfoot) called Gitchi Gami (Big Water). Stunning views of the water are common. Numerous streams and rivers flow into the lake and the path is often situated to provide a view of a spectacular waterfall as the flow drops off the ridge down to the lake.

The trail itself doesn't have huge climbs. The lake sits at around 600 feet above sea level and the high point on the trail is a bit over 1,200 feet higher. Consider the trail to be moderate to challenging though. Hiking is rarely on flat ground, with steep elevation changes between river valleys and ridgetop.

There are no permits or fees to hike the trail. Campers are required to stay at one of 93 established backcountry campsites.  Each site offers multiple tent pads, a fire ring, and a latrine. Typically, a water source is nearby.

The southern terminus for a traditional thru-hike is the Martin Road trailhead. From I-35, take 21st Ave. East Exit #258. Turn left on 21st Ave. E. and go 0.7 miles up hill. Turn right on Woodland Ave. and go 1.2 miles. Turn right on Snively Rd. and go 1.0 miles to intersection with Jean Duluth Rd. Continue straight on Jean Duluth Rd. and go 1.9 miles. Turn left on Martin Rd. and go 1.2 miles to trailhead parking lot on left. Two shuttle companies are in the area for those wanting a one-way hike.

The Buckeye Trail, Ohio
1,440 Miles

Despite long portions being road walks or paved trail, there is still nature to be seen,

The Buckeye Trail is an interesting animal. I put it in this best hikes in the Midwest list due to its sheer length while staying within one state. It wanders 1,444 miles all over the state of Ohio in a big loop that also has a couple of smaller loops and spurs included. In one spot or another, the trail shares tread with most of the trails in the state I've ever hiked. If you want to thru-hike a trail that few others have completed, this could be your trail. If you want a thru-hike that includes hundreds of miles of road walks and significant stretches with no camping options, this could also be your trail.

There are a lot of good options for section hikes, however. The pathway travels through Ohio's only national forest, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 18 state parks, five state forests, four wildlife areas, eight Ohio Historical Society properties, six Watershed Conservancy lands and 18 county or Metropark lands. Whatever length and challenge level of a hike you are looking for, chances are you can find it on the Buckeye Trail.

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MY FINAL POST

As my bike salesman in Belgium probably knew (despite his promises), you can't ship an unaccompanied bike by train. So instead of returning it to him and getting some sort of a refund, my bike and I rode the train together about an hour and a half to the beautiful town of Haarlam, which is equidistant from the airport and Amsterdam.

Tourist information gave me the name of a bike shop, who directed me to another shop.  They agreed to buy my bike, but for just 1/3 of what I paid for it. I understand. It needs cleaning and work, I was obviously to get it off my hands and he needs to make a profit.  I kind of felt like I was giving away one of my puppies when I walked out with just my pack on my back.

Returning to the first shop, I happily left some of that money there, buying a cute cycling jersey. Makes sense to me.

The rest of my day involved icing my knee in my hotel room, walking slowly through the streets admiring the architecture, and touring the Frans Hals art museum.  I decided going into Amsterdam would involve too much walking.

I was floored by the number of bicycles in use. It was fascinating to see the kids being carried in various carts that are a part of the bike. Here are some that I managed to get a photo of, including the smallest folding bike I've ever seen (on the train).

So that's it. Off to the airport tomorrow, ready to get home, reunite with Bill, nest,  and wear different (clean) clothes.

That's it for now. Thanks for following my adventure.

The End for now.

DONE!

Destination reached, goal accomplished.

As I pedaled past more pancake-flat, sub-sea level fields and canals, I pondered  the difference between destinations and goals. My destination this trip was always Hoek van Holland, but my goal had changed along the way.

It had previously been to walk the entire distance between the North Sea and the Mediterranean, but this year I was especially aware of the pleasure of experiencing the sometimes subtle differences between the cultures I was passing through in "slow time."

Even when I had to switch from walking to cycling, the weight of the city bike and the weakness of one knee kept me at a slower pace, which was still conducive to stopping and interacting with others.

Of course, I regret that I wasn't able to walk the entire distance. But a chance slip on the trail 10 days ago changed that. You make your plans and then adjust accordingly. It has turned out fine...except for possible meniscus surgery in my future. I can live with that.

I arrived in Hoek van Holland at 4:30, after a day on my bike that was both wistful and grateful. Now that the finish was approaching, I was almost sorry to see it end. I'm extremely grateful that it all worked out and I was able to see Luxembourg, Belgium and a bit of Holland up close and personal. None of this is taken for granted.

That said, let me tell you about my two major points of sightseeing today:  the Delta Plan and the ultra-charming canal town of Brielle.

The Delta Plan is the complex system of water management at work in the Netherlands. At a small museum center, I watched a stirring movie in English about the disastrous flood of 1953, and another about the building of sluices that help maintain a consistent level of water in a huge manmade reservoir. One thing I hadn't realized about the Netherlands was that, after the horrible flood that occured after 200 km of dikes burst because of a storm, it was decided to completely surround the country with strong earthen dikes, leaving only two accesses to the sea, from Rotterdam and Antwerp. Very much of the country is actually below sea-level, which I easily observed when riding on dikes separating fields from a major canal. Bill and his engineering buddies would have loved  to have seen the huge sluices that my long bridge crossed over today.

Brielle  was my lunch stop, but I could have spent hours there, adoring each and every little row house, shop and boat-filled canal. It left me wanting to see much more of Holland.

Despite the rain pelting my bedroom window at 2 am, the day dawned only slightly cloudy,  just a few sprinkles, and the wind primarily at my back. Even when it's wet, I must follow the strong Dutch in their can-do spirit.

Several long bridges , with separate bike lanes of course, and a ferry across the waterway that leads to the busy Rotterdam port led me to my final 10 km straight stretch in to my finish line. No more route signs to search for, only relaxed time to reminisce about the past 24 days.

Hoek van Holland is a busy little port town, receiving ferries from the UK. My hotel is on the nice little shopping street and not to far from the train station, from which I'll make my exit tomorrow. I coerced a drunken British 20-something , fresh off the ferry, to take my photo by the official starting point (but my finish line) of the GR5.

If you care to check in tomorrow, I'll share my Amsterdam adventures with you, before my one evening in Haarlem and Thursday's departure for home-sweet-home. I pity the person on the plane who will sit beside me, in my unwashed "evening wear."

But I feel very good. Thank you for reading my blog and, once again, unlimited gratitude to my
Support Guy back home.

IN HOLLAND AT LAST!

I'm just one day away now from finishing this adventure.  I entered Holland just 10 minutes after leaving last night's B&B.  There was no sign, but the map had given me an idea of where it might be, and suddenly the pavement of the country road was nice and smooth and the cars' licence plates had NL on them instead of BE.

Still following the beautifully marked cycling routes, I veered around the city of Bergen op Zoom, which I had hoped to visit.  But frequent downpours took away my desire to sightsee.  And I no longer needed a cycling map since the efficient Dutch strategically post maps on signs frequently along the route.  I always stop and double check my numbers.

I spotted a herd of the famous Dutch camper-caravans in their native environment.  I was able to sneak up quietly and capture a photo of them unaware of my presence. They appeared to have recently groomed one another, based on their clean appearance.

Today's synopsis:  three historic windmills today (one of them actually working) and many modern ones; riding along long dikes and canals and crossing on bridges over locks; being buffeted about by unbelievably strong side- and head-winds, which resulted in a pace of about 4-6 mph at times.

My lodging is again with one of the Vrienden op de Fiets, this time a woman slightly older than me, who welcomes hikers and cyclists.  She has just about as many English words as I have Dutch (3), but is a great sport and we managed to have a conversation using pictures, maps and charades.  Her son and daughter-in-law, both English-fluent, are now here, which helps a lot.  They have invited me to eat dinner with them, and I'm excited about the smells which are coming up from the kitchen.  It is so wonderful being able to meet local families and stay with them.

I have my own light-filled bedroom, but Danni and I will share the bathroom.  As is often the case in France, the toilet is in its own little room, separated from the shower and sink.  Here, the toilet is on the ground floor and the rest is on the 2nd floor with the bedrooms.  I'm beginning to realize what a surplus of space we have in most U.S. homes.

I'm very excited about finishing up tomorrow.  I'd really appreciate it if it didn't rain, but we'll see what comes.

LAST FULL (RAINY) DAY IN BELGIUM

With rain falling over half the day, it sometimes felt like I was out there on the bike longer than I was, although 9 hours was already long enough. Not really recommended for knee repair, but surprisingly, it doesn't hurt when I ride, slow and steady and not a hill in sight. Despite the rain, I still enjoyed the riding. When it started to rain each time, I just pulled up my raincoat hood, wiped my glasses off with my fingers occasionally and accepted it.

I had a map showing the various cycle routes till noon, but then had to rely on the list of about 2 dozen numbers I had made last night from a website. Each number represents an intersection of recommended routes. When you reach that well-labeled point, you head in the direction that is indicated to your next numbered intersection. No daydreaming allowed (said from experience), because, without a map at hand, you don't know if that next point will come in 5 or 25 minutes. But the signage was flawless.

Today's sightings:  3 thatched roof houses, darling cottages that artist Thomas Kinkaide would love to put in his paintings, expansive greenhouses, a bread vending machine by the bike trail, 2 gorgeous windmills (non-functioning), another chateau, canals, a marsh-filled natural park (in Belgium?), more "Mary niches" built into houses, and my cute B&B with horses in the field out back.

Tomorrow I'll be entering the Netherlands, the European country with the highest population per square km. Only 2 days left of riding. I'm predicting more wind and rain, but will push on to finish this #%^*€ goal!

Final note:  Mary Jo, I need you here to complete this picture!