Brown County State Park

The park covers around six thousand hectares of steep wooded hills - unusual in a state that is mostly flat, because the glaciers stopped just short of here and left the terrain uneroded. Autumn is the season it is known for: the hardwood forest turns and the roads through the park and the village of Nashville next door fill completely for several weeks, to the point that traffic backs up on the state route. The park has around forty kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trail run in partnership with a volunteer association, which has made it a regional destination for that as much as for the leaves. Fire towers and ridge roads give views over the hills that give the county its hazy reputation.

What you'll find

• Steep wooded hills - where the glaciers stopped short.
• Autumn colour - the season the park is built around.
• Around forty kilometres of bike trail - purpose-built and maintained.
• Ridge roads and a fire tower - for the long views.

When to go

October for colour; April to November otherwise. A full day.

What to expect

October weekends are genuinely overwhelmed - roads back up and lots fill. Nashville village next door is entirely craft shops and coach traffic. Bike trails close when wet to protect the surface. Winter is quiet and much reduced.

Nearby

Nashville village is adjacent; Bloomington is west.

Key facts