The Nature Conservancy in Indiana - JWN

Directions

From Bloomington - travel east on S.R. 46 for ~19 miles to Nashville. Turn left (north) on S.R. 135 and travel approx. 4 miles to Greasy Creek Road, turning right. Immediately turn left on Freeman Ridge Road and continue for roughly one mile to a wooden preserve sign on the right side of the road.

Please park in the pull-offs along the north side of the road. A trail does exist on the preserve's moderate to rugged terrain.

Looking for some great autumn color, but not a fan of the big crowds it attracts ? Then head over to Hitz-Rhodehamel Preserve in Brown County where the leaves are just as colorful and the crowds aren't a problem.

Hitz-Rhodehamel Preserve in Brown County

In the hills of Brown County lies Hitz-Rhodehamel, a beautiful 350-acre preserve owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy. The preserve was established in 1985 with a generous gift of land by Harley and Evaline Rhodehamel. Two more gifts were bestowed and the Rhodehamel’s wish to permanently preserve the unique landscape her family had enjoyed throughout the years was accomplished.

Just one visit to Hitz-Rhodehamel and you'll see why its a must-see spot. A self-guided trail meanders through the preserve where an open understory features a diverse selection of plants and animals. Painted sedge, lowbush blueberry, huckleberry and the rare-whorled pogonia are just a few examples of the plants and shrubs found at the site. Also found are a variety of mosses and lichens that grasp on to fallen trees and rocks. Wild turkeys, woodpeckers and coyotes make their home in these rich woods.

Like most of Brown County, the best time to visit Hitz-Rhodehamel is around mid-October when the autumn colors really begin to pop. The splashes of red, orange and yellow that many tourists scramble to see at the local state park are as vibrant at this smaller, quieter preserve. However, Hitz-Rhodehamel is just as lovely in the spring when, in April, spring wildflowers colorfully dot the ravines and warblers make their return to the forest. Whenever you go, you'll certainly want to return again and again.

What the Nature Conservancy is Doing

Hitz-Rhodehamel is an important part the the Brown County Hills large forest block and the Conservancy will continue to acquire properties in this area. Large forest blocks are integral for the forest interior and migratory songbirds that inhabit the hills. The rare and endangered Cerulean warbler, Whip-poor-will, Eastern wood-pewee, Woo thrush, Worm-eating warbler, Louisiana waterthrush and the Kentucky warbler are just a few of the species that depend on the large, intact forest to thrive.

The Nature Conservancy has also recently reintroduced fire to Hitz-Rhodehamel woods. Prescribed fire was introduced to help maintain the area’s traditional forest of oak and hickory trees. Without fire, these woods slowly switch to a maple-beech-dominant forest - a forest that offers less food for native inhabitants.