Trail #16 of the Indiana Dunes National Park 1966 Hiking Challenge is the Hobart Wooded Trail at Robinson Lake in Hobart, Indiana. This trail is part of the Oak Savannah Trail that we have biked many times over the past years. As we continue on our last three trails of the 1966 Hiking Challenge, the winter hikes offer a change in scenery as we make our way through the Indiana Dunes National Park.

The Hobart Trail 1966 Hiking Challenge Route:

We parked at the lot by Robinson Lake and crossed the street to walk along the Oak Savannah bike trail. This straight out and back stretch was almost too easy for us and we jogged down the paved path to the entrance of the woods. The trail includes the passage of former railroad lines of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad. In Hobart, the trail connects with the Prairie Duneland “rail to trail,” which runs all the way from Chesterton to Porter.

About a half mile along the paved bike trail there was a sign on the right to turn off and enter the Hobart Prairie Grove. We had attempted this trail one late afternoon in July but had been unprepared in shorts and sneakers for the amount of tall weeds that crowded the path. In January, the entrance was wide open with crunchy blades of grass frozen under our boots.

We traversed the perimeter of a field preserved by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and entered the woods where the bur oak savanna meets the wetlands, prairie remnants, and white oak flatlands.

Entering the woods was a welcome respite from the road as the carpet of leaves led us through the wooded cathedral surrounding us. The trail’s climatic highlight was an overlook of Lake George where the icy water served as a pit stop for the hundreds of swans who swooped in to settle on the lake’s surface.

Observations:

Location: Robinson Lake Parking Lot, 5227 South Liverpool Road, Hobart, IN 46342

Trail length: 2.2 mi
Difficulty level: Easy

Highlights:

• Wildlife- swans!
• Lake views
• Easy hike- this would be a nice route to run!
• Fall colors
• Nice off-shoot trail from the main bike trail

Tips/Suggestions:

• Trail Surface – Paved trail on the Oak Savanna then packed dirt and clay in the woods. Trail can be very wet and muddy in different seasons
• Facilities – No restrooms or potable water.
• Pets – Permitted on a leash
• Bug Spray needed in the summer months

The Hobart Wooded Trail has been completed on the 1966 Hiking Challenge!