- Charlestown State Park Alerts (1)
- Temporary Closure: The property will be closed to the public for deer management hunts on Nov. 18-19 and Dec. 2-3, 2024. The property will close on the evening before the hunt and reopen the morning after. Only individual licensed hunters selected from the draw may participate at any site. Information about these deer management hunts can be found at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.
3000 State Park Drive
Charlestown IN, 47111
812-256-5600
Mapping Address:
12500 Indiana 62
Charlestown, IN 47111
on.IN.gov/charlestownsp
- Description
Once a largely undeveloped portion of the huge (15,000-acre) Indiana Army Ammunition plant, Charlestown State Park is located in southern Indiana. The park is easily accessible, located 8 miles east of I-65, on State Road 62. With scenic vistas of the Fourteenmile Creek valley and the Ohio River, with elevation changes of over 200 feet, Charlestown has much to offer the visitor with its rugged hills and deep ravines. While hiking the rugged terrain you will see Devonian fossil outcrops and areas of karst sinkhole topography. Bird watchers will enjoy the 72 species of birds, including bluebirds, black vultures, and an occasional bald eagle.
- Activities
- Hiking Trails
- Charlestown State Park's Trail Challenge
- Picnic areas w/shelters (Shelter Reservations)
- Fishing, along 14 Mile Creek bank on Trail 3
- Playground Equipment
- Camping
- Interpretive Naturalist Services
Camping - See campground maps under MAPS tab
- Full Hookup / 60 sites
- Electric / 132 sites
- Campground Reservations
INFORMATION
- Trails
Note: For trail locations, view the property map under the MAPS tab.
Charlestown State Park offers a motorized wheelchair that can be taken on trails and around facilities.
1. RUGGED (2.4 miles) - Begins at the Trail 1 parking lot and follows an existing gravel road a short distance before turning to the left and slowly descending into the Fourteenmile Creek Valley. It then meanders through dense floodplain forest before climbing up the valley wall to wind along rock outcrops and abutments. A lower portion of the trail offers scenic views of Fourteenmile Creek before climbing again as it returns to the parking lot. Spring wildflowers along portions of this trail will treat the hiker to stunning displays. Wildlife, songbirds, and birds of prey may be seen along this trail.
2. MODERATE (1.4 miles) - Begins in the picnic area and follows several stream ravines as it circles back to return to the picnic area. The middle section of this trail runs along hillsides heavily forested with mixed deciduous hardwoods, bridges several small ravines, and offers scenic views of several small cascading falls and rock-bottom streams.
3. RUGGED (2.1 miles) - The trail begins with a very steep road grade that once led to a footbridge over Fourteenmile Creek. The bridge provided access to Rose Island, a 1920s amusement park. The Rose Island facilities were damaged beyond repair by the 1937 flood, and the bridge was removed once the Army bought the land in the 1940s. Good areas for stream-bank fishing can be reached by following the gravel portion of Trail 3 to Fourteenmile Creek. The middle section of this trail is very scenic with views of Fourteenmile Creek, rock cliffs high above the trail, abundant spring wildflowers, and mixed deciduous forests.
4. Rugged (2.9 miles) - Trail 4 begins at same parking lot as Trail 3. Beginning on gently rolling land, this trail soon begins to descend into mixed hardwood forests as it follows tributaries of Fourteenmile Creek. At about the halfway point, hikers will see commanding views of Fourteenmile Creek from a bluff more than 100 feet above the water. High quality woodlands and striking wildflower displays are found on this trail.
5. MODERATE (1.2 miles) - Conveniently located in the campground near site 17, this trail is easily accessed. Descending a wooded ravine, the trail ultimately comes to a platform overlooking Fourteenmile Creek. Winding back up the hillside, the trail ends where it started, so it’s a short walk back to your campsite. Non-campers can enjoy this trail by parking in the overflow lot and hiking the .3-mile leg to the main loop.
6. RUGGED (2.3 miles) -This scenic trail starts across the road from the Riverside Overlook and runs along the top of the river bluff. The bluff top offers glimpses of the Ohio River and Twelve mile Island, and overlooks the boat ramp. A bridge crosses a natural waterfall and descends to the old Charlestown Landing site, where locals used to send and receive goods by boat pre-1940s. From there it is a stroll back along the bluff bottom. Enjoy the towering bluffs. During spring, there is an abundance of wildflowers.
7. Rose Island Loop (.9 miles) - Easy To reach the Rose Island Loop Trail take Trail 3 southbound to the Portersville Bridge. Notice Trail 3 is a steep, paved .6 mile path. Those needing ADA assistance can call the park office to arrange transportation to the Rose Island Loop Trail. Rose Island was an amusement park in the 1920s. The site boasted a small zoo, pony rides, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, shooting gallery, cafeteria, swimming pool, and more. After the Great Depression, attendance to Rose Island slowed, and the 1937 Flood damaged the park beyond repair. Despite its name, the park was not truly an island but a peninsula that visitors could only reach by steamer, bridge or ferry. Today, park visitors can reach Rose Island across the historic Portersville Bridge, which was dismantled from Dubois and Daviess counties and rebuilt at its present site between 2008 and 2011.
8. 5K Course (3.1 miles) - Easy The course is designed as a 5 kilometer loop that continuously leaves the central area through 8 feet wide mowed trails. When returning to the central area, keep the uncut grass to your right until you come to a new mowed trail. The course is marked with posts at all 5 kilometers and at each mile.
PLEASE STAY ON MARKED TRAILS.
- Maps
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