Tulip Tree Trail

The Tulip Tree Trail is the flagship long-distance hiking route at Brown County State Park, winding through the park's most remote interior and passing one of the finest stands of old-growth tulip poplar in Indiana. These massive tulip trees — Indiana's state tree — reach diameters of 3 to 4 feet and soar 80 to 100 feet overhead, their straight gray trunks rising column-like from the steep hollows where they escaped the axes of early settlers. The trail also circuits Strahl Lake, a scenic 53-acre reservoir where osprey nest seasonally on a dedicated nesting platform visible from the shoreline. The route traverses the rugged hills and hollows typical of Brown County's unglaciated terrain — one of the few areas of Indiana that escaped Pleistocene glaciation and retains its original dissected hill topography. Cumulative elevation change of 600 feet is spread across the 5.5-mile loop, making the grade consistently rolling rather than sharply steep. Trail surfaces vary from packed earth to exposed tree roots on the steeper sections. Fall color along this trail is spectacular, with the combination of tulip poplar yellow, maple orange, and oak red creating an exceptional canopy display. Trailhead parking is located near the Abe Martin Lodge.