Hiking Groups

One of the best ways to experience the trails of Indiana is in the company of others most familiar with them. There is a variety of hiking or backpacking organizations that host and lead hikes:

Central Indiana Wilderness Club

This organization provides a variety of hiking and other affordable wilderness adventures. Their website has a schedule which shows the many trips offered, including backpacking, canoeing, cross-country skiing, bicycling, rafting, and more! This is a great club if you are new to backpacking and would like to learn tips, techniques, and gear from others.

Hike It Baby

This group takes children of all ages out on trails of varying length and difficulty to help foster a life long love of nature and to help new mamas and papas find their new stride as parents. For the most part, all of the hikes are free (unless there is a gate fee). In addition to the chapter in Indianapolis, there are also chapters in Fort Wayne, Evansville, Richmond, and Louisville.

Hoosier Backpackers

This is a group of backpackers that holds a variety of informal, local backpacking trips in Indiana, and also some longer ones out of state. Check out their Facebook page to learn more.

Hoosier Hang

There is a nation-wide Hammock Forum for backpackers to share tips, information, and post trips. In Indiana a group of them get together for an annual “Hoosier Hang”, a trip for those interested in backpacking with a hammock. If you ever had any interest in using a hammock in the wilderness, this would be a great group to check out! Here is a video from the 2016 Winter Hoosier Hang.

Hoosier Hikers/Backpackers

This is a Facebook page devoted to hiking and backpacking, primarily in Indiana. You will need to join the group to see the page contents. There are currently over 12,000 followers of the page, and they ask and answer many questions about hiking and backpacking.

Indianapolis Hiking Club

This is a very active hiking club offers several hikes most days of the year. They hike throughout the greater Indianpolis areas, but also beyond that, such as in Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Hoosier National Forest, and longer trips throughout the United States.