Trip Report for Hoosier National Forest (Mogan Ridge East Trail)
Friday, May 26 to Monday, May 29, 2000

We arrived late Friday night and backpacked in about a half mile before setting up camp by a dry Clover Lick Creek. (We had planned on doing day hikes.)
On Saturday we hiked the Mogan Ridge East loop trail, and we saw an abundance of really interesting wildlife, including toads, box turtles,
butterflies, a turkey, and about a zillion tadpoles in an isolated pool of water in Clover Lick Creek.
We also saw a beautiful black snake that was about five feet long, and a mother spider carrying all her babies on her back.
On two separate occasions, we also saw what appeared to be eggshell remnants from recently hatched turtles.
There were some pretty wildflowers along most of the trail, and some interesting mushrooms. On Sunday we checked out Clover Lick Creek and the four lakes that are
surrounded by the loop trail. We had some wicked rainstorms at night, but it really didn't rain much during the day. It was pretty muggy, though, and we decided that this place might be better enjoyed in the cooler months of late fall and winter.
WARNING!!! Some literature we had read stated that ticks could be troublesome in the summer on Mogan Ridge East. Take this warning seriously! We experienced firsthand what a tick-filled placed we had picked to explore. In our hike on the loop trail alone I found about twenty ticks (including those rascally deer ticks) crawling on me. Unfortunately, it was very hot that day, and I was wearing shorts, so I found two more
clamped onto me that night. Luckily, the rest of the trip was cool enough where I was comfortable (and more protected) in long pants and gaiters. Our poor dog, however, really lost out in the war with the ticks. This further supports our notion
that Mogan Ridge East is a better winter destination.
 
Outdoor Resources:
Other Information:
 
www.IndianaOutfitters.com - Indiana's Online Outdoor Recreation Guide