HIKING INFO & EVENTS:
ORGANIZATIONAL LINKS

HIKING GROUPS:

Indiana:

• American Volkssports Association has day hikes and other activities statewide on weekends and more with 14 local clubs all around Indiana: 317/357-8464.
• American Discovery Trail: Mid-America coast-to-coast multi-use trail. Indiana coordinator: Ron Craig, Indianapolis 317/255-6215 or hiker@iquest.net Bedford Hiking Club. Members meet for city walks and regional Volksmarches on a regular basis. Call 812/279-4862.
• Bloomington Hiking Club has regular Saturday and (seasonally) Thursday evening hikes. For information call: 812/824-3961 or visit their website. Or just show up at 10 am at Bloomingfoods East in College Mall (3rd St./Rt. 46.)
• Central Indiana Wilderness Club events include day hikes and canoe, bike outings plus trips to far away sites such as the Grand Canyon in Club van. Call 317/359-8208 or e-mail linda.elliott@dte.net.
• Delphi Historic Trails has helped develop many miles of historic trails in and around Delphi. It sponsors regular series of narrated walks as well as trail building/maintaining. Third Saturdays are trail work days: 765/564-6297.
• Hoosier Backpackers is an informal organization of people originally from many conservation groups without very many backpack-type outings. The HB maintains a liberal attitude towards outings: low key, with the focus on nature and the camping experience over miles and speed. Members range from AT thru-hikers to weekend duffers, high tech to low tech, beginners to grizzled old fogeys. It offers statewide weekend outings all year long, beginners welcome on most outings: contact Dave Culp at 317/253-3498, or by e-mail at daveculp@gateway.net, or send $2 for event listing to: 602 St. Rd. 13 E., N. Manchester, IN 46962, or click here for this year's schedule.
• Indiana Outdoors: A weekly half-hour news magazine program for public television, which highlights the natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities in Indiana.
• Indianapolis Hiking Club: Organized in 1957, it offers weekday morning and after work walks in or near the city and weekend walks all over the state: short or long, easy or strenuous. Focus on exercize and companionship. Information: 317/848-7674; 12551 Glendurgan Dr., Carmel, IN 46032.
• Nashville Walking Women: Nashville and regional day hikes and longer outings. No experience required. Call for schedule: 812/988-7087 or e-mail ellake@aol.com.
• Richmond area American Discovery Trail Hikers meet for hikes in the Richmond area on a T/Th/Sat schedule; call 765/359-8208 for information.
• Southern Indiana Hiking Club covers the Corydon/Harrison-Crawford S.F./Louisville area with day hikes and meetings on outdoors topics; call 812/239-5363 or write c/o SIHC, 926 Senate Ave., Jeffersonville, IN 47130 for information.
• Southern Indiana Outdoor Adventure Club covers the Evansville/Kentucky area with climbs, hikes, backpacks, and canoeing and caving trips; some commercial trips in conjunction with sponsor Vertical Excape Climbing Center, sporting goods outfitters of Evansville: 812/479-6887.

Regional:

• Appalachian Mountain Club: The AMC is the grand daddy of them all. For information of all kinds.
• Appalachian Trail Conference: Coordinates the development, protection, and management of the Appalachian Trail.
• Continental Divide Trail Alliance: A group of dedicated outdoor enthusiasts, committed to seeing the Continental Divide Trail through to its full completion, to its last charted mile, and to the continued care of this great natural wonder for future generations.
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: The mission of the Association is to promote and protect the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail so as to reflect its world-class significance for the enjoyment, education and adventure of hikers and equestrians.

National:

• American Hiking Society: The latest information about national trails, foot trails advocacy, and volunteer trail building/fixing opportunities in other states.
• Nature Resources.com. A regional listing service of nature-related activities.

OUTDOOR INFORMATION:

• www.IndianaOutfitters.com is Indiana's Online Outdoor Recreation Guide. It offers maps, weather, trip reports, water levels and everything else you need to plan a trip to an Indiana State Park or Reservoir, an Indiana river, Hoosier National Forest, the Knobstone Trail, Indiana Dunes or Indiana mountain biking trails.

ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS:

• Audubon Society, Amos Butler Chapter of Indianapolis*: Major US environmental group of birdwatchers whose Sunday morning walks at Eagle Creek Park in Indy are popular with all kinds of outdoors people. These walks are a good way to learn about birds and observe the seasons change. Call for information about their outings and environmental efforts at 317/767-4690 or check their website.
• Audubon Society, Sassafras Audubon Society of Bloomington*. Active environmental group, active environmental group, major force in establishing a federal Wilderness in Indiana. Regular outings in South Central Indiana and Bloomington area. For information call: 812/330-0498 or visit their website.
• Heartwood: One of the most powerful environmental groups in Indiana, now a nationally recognized forest protection force in the Eastern hardwoods forest states. Major focus: stop uneconomical logging Mid-western hardwood forests. Indiana office: P.O. Box 1424, Bloomington, 47402, 812/337-8898 or inform@heartwood.org.
• Hoosier Environmental Council: The other of the most powerful environmental groups in Indiana because of their permanent staff and statewide-canvassing support team. Instrumental in reducing logging and stopping clear-cutting in the Hoosier National Forest; a major force in the fight to develop more footpaths for hikers and keep ORVs out of the HNF. Indianapolis main office: 520 E. 12, Indianapolis, IN 46202: 317/685-8800 or hec@hecweb.org.
• Indiana Forest Alliance A group with statewide interests, including HNF management, but with a special focus on stopping uneconomical logging of state forests. Works closely with other major environmental groups in the state. Most activists centered in Bloomington. The HHC's director joined the IFA's efforts to devise a Conservationist's Alternative Plan for the HNF Forest Plan 2000, to ensure that it included a fairer, environmentally sound hiking trail system. To contact the IFA: P.O. Box 1074, Bloomington 47402; 812/332-4878. Meets Monday nights at 6pm at the Bloomington Environmental Center at 116-1/2 N. College.
• The Nature Conservancy*: Major big-money US environmental organization which buys endangered acreage. Hikes and property improvement outings are scheduled regularly at Nature Conservancy preserves all over the state. Call the TAC main office in Indianapolis at 317/923-7547 or check out the website (click on Indiana, then on volunteer opportunities).
• Protect Our Woods: A spirited and effective group protecting the rural environment and forests of southern Indiana, responsible for the classic study by founder Bob Klawitter documenting the below-cost nature of the Hoosier National Forest timber harvesting policy: P.O. Box 352, Paoli, IN 47454 or e-mail jmaierco@blueriver.net.
• Sierra Club (Hoosier Chapter)*: major US environmental organization that holds a variety of outings and monthly meetings (2nd Thursday) in Indianapolis. Other club groups meet in Lafayette (Wildcat), Bloomington, in the northwestern dunes (Dunelands), the northeast (Michiana), and in Muncie (Five Rivers); a new group is forming in Columbus. Call for information: 317/466-9992, 6224 N. College, Indianapolis, 46220, or sierra@netdirect.net.
• Sycamore Land Trust: A tax-deductible landholding group dedicated to protecting open space in Southern Indiana: P.O.Box 7801, Bloomington, 47407 or e-mail Sycamore@bloomington.in.us.