SOUTH-CENTRAL OAK AND MIXED WOODS DIVISION

COUNTIES LOCATED WITHIN REGION:                                                                     -Washington, Harrison, Morgan, Martin, Crawford, Monroe, Lawrence, Owen (portion), Brown, Orange, Floyd, Jackson, and Clark

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The South-Central Oak and Mixed Woods Division of the state can be further broken down into three basic regions.  The Crawford Upland makes up the western portion of this region.  The ground is mostly sandstone and shale in a highly dissected land area.  There are many steep, stony hillsides with narrow ridge tops and V-shaped valleys between them.  Oak and hickory trees with beech and maple trees found on some north facing slopes dominate most forests.  In the central part of this region lies the Mitchell Plain.  The ground is mostly limestone with numerous sinkholes, caves, underground streams and natural bridges.  The soil is strongly acidic.  McCormick’s Creek is found in the Mitchell Plain.  The eastern portion of this region is the Norman Upland.  Siltstone, sandstone, shale, and some limestone make up this region.  It is also characterized by steep slopes and V-shaped valleys.  This area is nearly all slopes and is well drained.  Chestnut and oak trees dominate the uplands, but mountain laurel and hemlock are also found here.

PROTECTED AREAS:

-Yellowwood State Forest

Photo from Yellowwood State Forest in South-Central Indiana (courtesy of USFWS)

This forest is located ten miles east of Bloomington and seven miles west of Nashville, Indiana.  This forest was created in 1940 and was deeded to the state of Indiana in 1956.  The forest is named after the Yellowwood tree, which is quite common in the mid-south, but is rare as far north as this forest.  This species of tree is only found in 200 acres of the 2,000-acre forest.  They are found on north-facing slopes and deep ravines near Crooked Creek Lane.  These trees are comprised of bright yellow heartwood and fragrant white flowers that bloom every three to five years.  Other species of trees that can be found in this forest are pines such as red, jack, white, scotch, and shortleaf, black walnut, black locust, white oak, and red oak.  Yellowwood Lake is found in this area, which is 133 acres large and 30 feet deep.  In 1995, a 36-acre nature preserve was also added to Yellowwood.  Activities available include gold panning, camping, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, fishing, and the hunting of animals such as Whitetail deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, squirrel, fox, woodcock, and raccoon.

-Wyandotte Caves

This site is located five miles east of Leavonworth.  These caves were formed when running streams eroded limestone rock masses.  The land around sinkholes, underground drainage, sinking streams, springs, and resurgences.  Carbonic acid was formed when rainwater made its way into the crevices of the limestone and then mixed with carbon dioxide in the air.  The carbonic acid slowly ate away at the layers of alkaline rock until holes wore through.  The holes allowed water to flow down and soon an underground stream was made.  The underground streams eventually lost their water flow.  The spaces remained as caves.  Stalagmites and stalactites were resulted from the carbonic acid solution dripping into the caves.  A build up of limestone carbonate results from water evaporating.  The cave offers a constant temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit, which is necessary for the species that live here, like the Indiana bat and the northern blind cavefish.  Cave and spelunking tours are offered at this site.

-Brown County State Park  

Photos from Brown County State Park (courtesy of USFWS)

This is the largest park in the state at 15,000 acres.  Tree species include yellowwood, blooming dogwoods, and redbud.  Wildflower species include Dutchman’s Breeches, May Apple, Prairie Trillium, Celandine Poppy, Wild Ginger, Yellow Lady’s Spider, and Squawroot.  Activities available at this site include swimming, hiking trails, picnic areas, fishing, nature center, hayrides, horseback riding, and tennis courts.  This park includes over twelve miles of hiking trails and eighty miles of horseback riding trails.

-Morgan-Monroe State Forest

This forest is located southwest of Indianapolis.  It is five miles south of Martinsville and sixteen miles northeast of Bloomington.  The forest is comprised of 24,000 acres in south central Indiana.  It was purchased by the state of Indiana in 1929.  It’s made up of many steep ridges and valleys and is forested with many fine hardwoods.  It is also made up of very rocky soil.  Activities available are camping, boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, gold panning (if you have a permit), and hunting for animals like the Whitetail deer, ruffed grouse, turkey, squirrel, fox and raccoon.