Hello, Reader.
Have you ever paddled through a lake that was once a glacier? That's exactly what we spent two days last week doing at Indiana's Chain O' Lakes State Park.
Ready for a recap? This one’s been a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. 🩵
I heard years ago about the 9 Lake Challenge and, since we love kayaking, it has been on our radar ever since. What I didn't know, is the history of Chain O' Lakes State Park and how much more it has to offer.
Chain O’ Lakes is made up of 13 glacial kettle lakes, nine of which are connected by narrow water passageways. A kettle lake, I learned, forms when a retreating glacier leaves a giant block of ice buried in the ground. That ice eventually melts, causing the earth above it to collapse into a bowl.
So, every lake we paddled through was, once upon a time, a chunk of ice the size of a house. Ten thousand years later, we were gliding across the same spot in kayaks. That's pretty cool, right?!
The Challenge
The 9 Lake Paddle Challenge is exactly what it sounds like: paddle all nine connected lakes (Miller, Rivir, Mud, Weber, Sand, Bowen, Dock, Long, and Sucker). I thought the goal was to paddle them all in one day, but you don't have to. You just have to paddle to them all, take specific photos proving you were there, and report back to the park headquarters.
The total trail distance is 5 miles and the DNR map breaks it down mile-by-mile so you always know how far you’ve come and how far you still have to go.
About halfway into our trek the first day, a storm started rolling in, so we called it a day. Day 2, we started from the opposite end of the lake chain and worked our way back. That turned out to be perfect.
Day 1
We started at Long Lake, did a quick back-track to hit Sucker Lake, then headed out toward Dock Lake. The stretch between Long and Dock lakes was thick with lily pads, making it more of an actual challenge than we expected.
Todd led the way through most of it, happily pushing through the thickest lily pads and pointing out turtles, fish, and anything else hiding in the water before I ever spotted it.
The lakes themselves, before and after that narrow passageway, were wide open and glassy, mirror-still with the clouds doubled on the surface. Absolutely beautiful!
We made it to Bowen Lake (#4) that day before turning around.
Day 2
We started this day at Mile 5 (Miller Lake) and headed back toward Bowen Lake. Unlike the crowded passageway of the day before, our biggest challenge Day 2 were the lakes and waterways thick with duckweed and mud midget (at least that's what my Google search turned up long after we made it back to shore).
More than once, we passed under these old iron bridges connecting one lake to the next. They had a nostalgic vibe to them that added something extra to the experience.
The real highlight of the day, though, was a trumpeter swan and her cygnets, splashing in the water, taking their daily bath. She let us get closer than I expected which was especially cool!
By the end of the nine lakes, my shoulders were done, my hands smelled like duckweed, and I felt like I’d earned that “I paddled the chain” sticker. 😊
The Cabins
We stayed in one of the park’s 18 family cabins, tucked back in the trees off a gravel path.
A quick note if you’re considering it: the cabins are basically glamping. You bring everything: linens, dishware, toiletries, utensils, all of it. But what you get in return is a real bathroom with a hot shower (perfect after a day on the lakes), a full kitchen, two bedrooms that sleep up to seven, and (my favorite part) a screened-in porch.
We ate every meal on that screened porch, rocked on the porch swing, and after our first day of kayaking, simply sat and listened as a summer thunderstorm rolled through. There’s also a wood stove inside for the winter months that would make the cabin cozy warm on cold days.
The Trails
Between paddling, we squeezed in some hiking on Trail 6, which runs behind the family cabins. There are 29 miles of trails total in the park, so we barely scratched the surface. But, what we did experience was beautiful. Deep, layered green woods and quiet, winding paths.
Along the way, we came across a dock perfect for fishing. We caught it just right, as the sun was starting to set over the lake, that golden hour where everything softens. You definitely want to bring bug spray, otherwise you might become dinner for the local insects. 😳
A welcome respite, with so much more to see and do
This trip came together at the last minute, even though the idea had been sitting on our bucket list for years. It also meant we got to discover another Indiana state park to bring back and share with you.
This marked state park #14 for us, leaving just 10 more to explore. It's becoming one of my favorite long-term adventures because every park has shown us something unique. How are you doing on your own exploration of the state parks?
Not a Hoosier?
That's ok. Maybe this gives you a little inspiration to explore the lakes and parks near you. Or, by all means, consider this a personal invitation to come visit Indiana and see what we're all about.
Until next time,
With love,
P.S. We did it... We bought plane tickets for Europe this fall. ✈️ I'll take you along for every step of the planning over the next few weeks.
