Turkey Run Trail 3 (Rocky Hollow and the Ladders) Hiking Guide
Trail 3 is the hike most people picture when they think of Turkey Run. North of Sugar Creek it threads the floors of Rocky Hollow and Bear Hollow between walls of sandstone laid down roughly 300 million years ago, then climbs a set of wooden ladders up a wet rock face. The park gives it its toughest rating, Very Rugged, even though the whole loop is under two miles.
Permit: Turkey Run charges the Indiana State Parks gate fee: $7 a day for a noncommercial vehicle with Indiana plates, $15 with out-of-state plates, driver and passengers included. Walk-ins and cyclists pay $2 each (age 5 and up). A $50 resident or $120 nonresident annual pass covers every DNR gate through Dec. 31.
Distance and Route
Indiana DNR lists Trail 3 at 1.7 miles. Hiking Project maps the loop at 1.4 miles with about 247 feet of climbing and grades that reach 33 percent in places, while AllTrails shows 2.0 to 2.1 miles and roughly 291 feet. Hiking Project's directions begin at the suspension bridge, which links the parking and nature center side of the park to the trails north of Sugar Creek. Hiking Project's notes give two ways to tackle it: turn left right after the bridge and follow Trail 3 through Bear Hollow to climb the ladders, or walk the whole loop beginning in Rocky Hollow and come down the ladders, which it calls the more popular direction.
The Ladders
Three ladders climb a slippery sandstone wall that sometimes has water sheeting down it. The DNR warns that they can be hazardous for people with some medical conditions or disabilities, and suggests that hikers with children or pets pick another trail. Trail 12, a 1.37-mile easy path through successional and old-growth forest, bypasses them. Hiking Project adds that crowds at the ladders are common, so expect to wait your turn on a nice weekend and keep kids within arm's reach at the top.
Inside Rocky Hollow
The loop runs through the 1,609-acre Rocky Hollow-Falls Canyon Nature Preserve, part of which is a National Natural Landmark. Ferns, hydrangeas and native hemlocks cling to the canyon walls, and small waterfalls spill over the rock at the heads of the gorges. The park says the canyon has kept its cool, damp microclimate for more than 12,000 years, which is why plants more common far to the north still grow here, and that nearly half of Indiana's moss and liverwort species have been recorded in it.
Wet Footing and High Water
Long stretches of Trail 3 use the ravine streambed as the path, so the rock is slick and the tread uneven even in dry weather. AllTrails reviewers mention mud and slippery rock after rain and recommend waterproof shoes. The DNR says portions may be impassable during high water and should be treated as closed then; take the bypass or another trail instead. Wading and swimming in Sugar Creek are prohibited because the park considers the creek extremely hazardous.
Fees, Dogs and Seasonal Closures
Expect to pay at the gatehouse: $7 for a car with Indiana plates or $15 for out-of-state plates, per day. Indiana's state-park rule keeps dogs on a leash no longer than six feet, but with the ladders on this loop the DNR steers pets to alternate trails, so this page treats Trail 3 as one to do without the dog. Turkey Run also shuts to the public for two short firearms deer-management hunts in late fall, one in mid-November and one spanning the end of November into early December; check the DNR before planning a late-fall visit.
Hiking tips for Turkey Run Trail 3 (Rocky Hollow and the Ladders)
- Wear shoes with real grip; much of the route is wet sandstone streambed.
- Walk the loop starting in Rocky Hollow if you would rather descend the ladders than climb them.
- Use Trail 12 to skip the ladders with young children or anyone uneasy on them.
- Skip this loop after heavy rain, when the DNR treats flooded streambed sections as closed.
- Arrive early on fall weekends, when crowds back up at the ladders.
Nearby trails to explore
- Turkey Run 5-Mile Challenge Loop
- Shades State Park Trail 2 (Lover's Leap and Pearl Ravine)
- Pine Hills Nature Preserve Trail (Devil's Backbone)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Trail 3 is more fun with a few people to spot each other on the ladders and share the drive west from Indianapolis. Post a Turkey Run outing in TrailMates, settle the meeting time and carpool in the event's group chat, and meet at the suspension bridge. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.