In 2012 the Hoosier Hikers Council collaborated with The Nature Conservancy to build a three-mile trail that loops around the 484-acre Hitz-Rhodehamel Nature Preserve. This property is a mature oak forest in Brown County with high ridges and steep ravines, blanketed in spring with wildflowers and full of color in the fall.

While only three miles long, the trail can be challenging due to the steep terrain, and the fact that most hikes end in an ascent back to the parking lot. The three-mile loop hike consists of two long, 200-foot hills, tempered with switchbacks, and a few smaller inclines for good measure. Be sure to take a map and compass, and watch the trail markers closely, as the path is criss-crossed by a variety of other trails which used to exist on the property.

Freeman Ridge Road is a narrow residential road, please access from Bear Wallow Road.

Click here to download a map of the Hitz-Rhodehamel Nature Preserve, GPS coordinates can be found on the website listed.