Writing in The American Notebooks, author Nathaniel Hawthorne stated, “I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. So I have spent almost all of the daylight hours in the open air.”
If that quote painted a picture in your mind about your fall activities, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey from AAA, 26 percent of those who are planning a fall vacation will take a trip to view fall foliage. In Indiana, Brown County is a magnet for fall foliage peepers. The county covers 316 square miles, with Brown County State Park (Indiana’s largest), Yellowwood State Forest, and part of the Hoosier National Forest covering over 85 percent of the entire area.
Jane Ellis, Executive Director of the Brown County Convention and Visitors Bureau, has become an expert on the fall season and the endless outdoor activities in the area, working toward her 14th year with the organization. Since the peak viewing timeline is different every year, she recommends that visitors check out the county’s “Leaf Cam” for a real-time look at the changing scenery. She says, “The cam uploads a new image every 15 minutes, and this year it’s located at the new Brown County Music Center with a view of the banks of Salt Creek.”
The rolling hills of Brown County can keep driver’s eyes busy watching the winding roads, but that also adds to the fun when you round the bend to see a historic covered bridge or a vista in all its fall glory.
Hesitation Point is Brown County State Park’s most treasured vista. It’s a great place for snapping that Instagram-ready pic or just watching the sunset. Jane also suggests trying, “The 7 Vista Challenge, where we’ve constructed 7 different picture frames at different vistas throughout the park for people to incorporate into their pictures. Naturist, Patrick Halter, brought that idea to us and it’s been so much fun”
As for the best way to take in the spectacular views, Jane says, “You can get out and hike, go on horseback or on a mountain bike, even a kayak. There are lots of ways to see the leaves.”
Another way to view the foliage is through the eyes of an artist. Brown County is home to the T.C. Steele historic site, where the famed impressionist artist lived, known as “The House of the Singing Winds.”
One can also take the “Back Roads of Brown County Studio Tour”, getting a look into the lives of local artists, visiting 19 different home studios featuring the work of nearly 30 artists. You can also meet the creators and watch them work, all while driving along the back roads for some extra fall scenery.
Historically, just after mid-October is the peak time for leaves changing, and the busiest time to visit Brown County. Nashville, the county seat, with an endearing downtown Village, has a population of just over 1,000 normally, but on a fall weekend, it can swell to over 20,000 with visitors. Jane suggests booking in advance if planning to spend the night to find the perfect place. She said, “Occupancy, especially with cabins, has been pretty booked, and with music and shows resuming the hotels are filling up too”. If you’re worried about rustic accommodations, she says not to worry, “if you want a hotel with a swimming pool or a cabin with a hot tub” they’ve got it.
From the picturesque and unique, to cozy and warm, it’s in Brown County.
While Jane recommends packing a cooler and picnic basket for snacking throughout the day’s adventures, there are also plenty of places to visit and taste in Brown County. She says, “The Seasons Lodge just opened the restaurant ‘Rafters,’ it’s phenomenal with a great view, and if one wants to get off the beaten path a little bit, the Story Inn is always a favorite, as is the Parkhouse Café.”
For those with a sweet tooth this fall, Jane mentioned, “It’s caramel apple season, everybody wants them, and The Nashville Fudge Kitchen is doing them differently this year as they’re sprinkled with candy.” If you’d like to sample local libations as part of your trip, Brown County also boasts one brewery, two distilleries, and four winery tasting rooms. Jane recalled, “Hard Truth started as a little brewery in Nashville, and has grown into a beautiful 300-acre facility where they distill spirits as well as beer. We also have Bear Wallow Distillery, which is out in Gnaw Bone, and they do moonshines.”
Of course, fall isn’t all about looking at leaves, Halloween is on the agenda too, and Brown County is making sure there is something for everyone to enjoy. Jane tells us, “There are lots of trick-or-treating options in downtown Nashville and on Salt Creek Trail on Halloween. For adults, there are many costume and pumpkin contests, haunted trails, as well as pumpkin patches to visit. I’ve already seen scarecrows popping up downtown.”
With so much natural beauty, art, history, and fun in Brown County, many are making a fall trip an annual pilgrimage. Jane says, “I think it is a growing tradition. We’re fortunate to hear from people that came here in college, they came on their honeymoon, or they got married here and come back year after year.” She added, “As Covid has taught us all so many things, it really is an escape, and you don’t realize how much you’ve missed being in the woods and the slower pace of life, and I think it does people good to come here, they feel better, and they want to come back”.
Just as Brown County’s motto states, “Escape Comes Naturally!”
Written by Jeff Strange – Neuhoff Media Lafayette
You can listen to Strange weekdays on 93.5 WKHY from 2p – 7pm (eastern) and ROCK 96.7 weekdays 10am – 1pm (central).
