Trail #12 of the Indiana Dunes National Park 1966 Hiking Challenge is the Little Calumet River and Mnoké Prairie Trail in Porter, Indiana. We returned to the Bailly-Chellberg Farm (Trail #2) that we completed a couple weeks ago to hike the outer loop of the woodland trail, explore the Mnoké Prairie’s grasslands, and follow the Little Calumet River that was once a critical transportation route for early regional travelers. The trail also crossed over the Porter Brickyard Bike Trail that we will have to revisit another time!

We bypassed the farm animals this time and hiked down into the ravine where we immediately noticed a difference on this muggy July afternoon with swarms of insects that liked to hover around our faces! Note to Self…always bring the face nets on a hike! This motivated us to keep moving at a quick stride and spend less time looking for trail observations to photograph. When the the trail connected with the Porter Brickyard Trail, we crossed Oak Hill Road for the out and back extension to Bailly Cemetery.

The route picked up with Porter Brickyard again and we followed the paved trail to cross Howe Road back into the woods on the hiking path. This is when I decided to pick up a wand to swat away the little buggers as we marched onward!

Soon we had made it to the Little Calumet River boardwalk where we crossed the bridge and entered Mnoké Prairie. We could tell that the prairie was a birder’s paradise and that we would need to hike this trail again in Autumn. It was hot, hot, HOT as we hiked a mile in the prairie’s direct sunlight, ready to finish the route.

After the prairie path, the trail seemed to dead end at a parking lot. This is where we had to go down the entrance road to turn left on Howe Road and walk along the road just long enough to cross over the river and back up the driveway to Bailly Homestead. The trail picks up in the woods just beyond the old homes and brought us back full circle to the start. Our excitement wore off the longer we were in the woods, so this trail definitely deserves another go when the seasons change in cooler temps!

Observations:

Believe it or not, one of the most unique finds on this hike were the little holes that dotted the forest floor. We wondered what kind of creature could be responsible for these irregular punctures and with a little research we learned that these are the burrows of cicadas that were busy buzzing in the treetops!

Cicadas undergo the longest life cycle of insects in the world from the day they are hatched as eggs in the trees until the young insects can chew their way out and drop into the soil where they sip on root juice for 17 years. The nymphs are triggered by warming soil temperatures to emerge and transform into winged adults, shedding their exoskeletons behind just before mating season to sing in the trees and continue the next generation.

Location: Bailly-Chellberg Farm Lot: 709-747 N Mineral Springs Rd, Porter, IN 46304

Trail Length: 4 miles
Difficulty level: Moderate

Highlights:

• Cicada season!
• Nice route through different habitats
• Birds, wildflowers, and wildlife
• Only national park that makes maple syrup
• Visit the farm animals and historic homestead
• Connect with the Porter Brickyard Bike Trail
• Need to return for fall colors and bird migration

Tips/Suggestions:

• Trail Surface – Packed soil, several sets of stairs, trail can be muddy
• Year-round restrooms at the main parking lot
• Prepare for buggy conditions in the summer
• Ticks are present year-round
• Bring water and snacks! Pack in, pack out.

The Little Calumet River and Mnoké Prairie Trail has been completed on the 1966 Hiking Challenge!