Lost River karst field trips

(green text taken from LRCA flier)

Tours of Indiana's Lost River karst system are being offered by the Lost River Conservation Association (LRCA). These tours are free, open to the public, and will be done in your own vehicle. All tours are a GO - especially if it rains. Tours will involve moderate hiking at some stops, which are optional. We recommend sturdy footwear, long sleeve shirts, long pants (even in hot weather), camera, sunscreen, bug repellent, binoculars, etc. Reservations are not necessary.

These field trips will feature an orientation to the "classic portion" of Indiana's Lost River karst system. The tours will depart at 8 AM from the southeast corner of the town square in Orleans, Indiana (junction of SR 37 and SR 337). An orientation presentation begins at 7:40 AM. The tour will end at approximately 4:40 PM at the Orangeville Rise Nature Preserve. The stops en-route will include numerous roadside interpretive sites and opportunities to visit some significant features (i.e. the First Sink, the Terminus Zone, a major swallow hole, and the Elrod / Wesley Chapel Gulf). The route will provide views overlooking the valley of the Lost River in the Mitchell Plain and of the Springville Escarpment.

We believe that Indiana's Lost River karst system is so unique that it must be viewed in the context of the total river system to be fully appreciated. We also include samplings of the area's historic heritage to broaden your horizons. The goal is to promote the idea that the entire drainage basin of Indiana's Lost River is so unique and so rich in overall heritage resources that it is worthy of being designated a Wild & Scenic River and a World Heritage Site.

You may also choose to do the tour in two half-day increments. We return to Herle's Diner in Orleans for our lunch stop between noon and 1 PM, and present a special demonstration of karst groundwater flow."


This year's field trips are scheduled for April 4, June 6, and September 19. We can also schedule our own tour if we get together a group of six or more people.

If you are interested in a Lost River trip with the group, please email Gena at masternaturalists@gmail.com ASAP!