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Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN

Photo: MrGreenBean, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Brown County State Park

1801 State Road 46 E (North Gate) · Nashville, IN

Why you should go…

Brown County State Park covers nearly 16,000 acres of wooded southern Indiana hills next to Nashville, and its fall color draws crowds each autumn. You can hike a dozen trails, climb the 90-foot fire tower for views across the hills, ride mountain bike trails, or take a guided trail ride from the Saddle Barn. The rustic Abe Martin Lodge is named for a character created by humorist Kin Hubbard, to whom the park was dedicated in 1932.

  • #state park
  • #fall foliage
  • #hiking
  • #mountain biking
  • #horseback riding

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Brown County State Park, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Stay
    History Buff

    French Lick Springs Hotel

    $50+

    Stay in a historic spa hotel first built beside sulfur springs, now part of French Lick Resort with a casino, golf and bowling.

    43 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Attractions
    Date Night

    Gainbridge Fieldhouse

    $25–$50

    Downtown Indianapolis arena where you can catch Indiana Pacers and Fever basketball, Big Ten tournaments and major concerts.

    45 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Indianapolis Zoo

    $25–$50

    Watch dolphins, orangutans, chimpanzees and sharks across themed biomes, then stroll the flower beds of White River Gardens.

    45 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Eiteljorg Museum

    Under $25

    See Native American art and Western paintings and bronzes in a museum building in White River State Park.

    46 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Indiana State Museum

    Under $25

    Explore Indiana's natural and cultural history, from Fred the mastodon to Lincoln artifacts, plus an IMAX theater.

    46 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Indiana War Memorial

    Under $25

    Climb the steps of a limestone memorial to see military artifacts and the 110-foot Shrine Room with its red marble columns.

    46 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing