If the Hoosier Hikers Council (HHC) has a signature trail, the 42-mile Tecumseh Trail in Indiana is it! Built by the HHC in 1998-2002, the Tecumseh Trail begins at Morgan-Monroe State Forest headquarters, which is about 5 miles south of Martinsville and ends in a remote area of Brown County forest near Monroe Reservoir, just south of S.R. 46 near Crooked Creek Road.

While the Tecumseh’s path does consist of many large hills, ascents are not typically as steep, long, or frequent as those of the Knobstone Trail.

However, the logistics of backpacking the Tecumseh can sometimes have more challenges. While the Tecumseh Trail tends to offer many opportunities for backcountry (non-potable) water sources, it often has less parking or allowable camping areas than the Knobstone Trail. This can impact the amount of miles necessary to hike in a day, and it is for this reason that all trips should be carefully planned ahead of time.

The DNR manages the state forests on which the Tecumseh traverses. Maps are also usually available at Yellowwood State Forest headquarters, or their Morgan-Monroe Forest headquarters. The map provides a good overview of the trail, information on some roads, but does not have any contour lines.