Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Managed by United States Forest Service
9,252 acres31.3 mi of trail
Grubb Ridge TrailCope Hollow TrailAxsom Branch TrailHayes Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Polk Township
More than half of Polk Township’s land is conserved: 93%
93% of Polk Township’s land is conserved, about 20,430 acres. The biggest trail networks: Charles C. Deam Wilderness (31.3 mi), Hoosier National Forest (12.2 mi), Allen's Creek State Recreation Area (1.6 mi). 44 acres are parks and preserves, 242 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
93%
20,430 acres · of 34.2 sq mi of land
Trails
53 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
44 ac
242 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
2%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.5 mi
2.5 mi paths
Highest peak
899 ft
Frank Grubb Ridge
Lakes & rivers
9
1 beach · 4 boat launches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Charles C. Deam Wilderness, with 31.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Hoosier National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
16,689 acres12.2 mi of trail
Grubb Ridge TrailHickory Ridge Trail 4Hickory Ridge Trail 18Ted T. Turtle Interpretive Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Allen's Creek State Recreation Area
Managed by Indiana Department of Natural Resources
236 acres1.6 mi of trail
Turkey Trot Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Amy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve
Managed by Sycamore Land Trust
33 acres1 mi of trail
Whitehead Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 6 parks & preserves
Charles C. Deam Wilderness9,252 acres · 31.3 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
DirectionsHoosier National Forest16,689 acres · 12.2 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
DirectionsAllen's Creek State Recreation Area236 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsAmy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve33 acres · 1 mi of trail · Sycamore Land Trust
Cutright State Recreation Area74 acres · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsPaynetown State Recreation Area21 acres · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsWho protects it
20,430 conserved acres
93% of Polk Township’s land. Water is left out: Polk Township has 34.2 square miles of land and 4.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Polk Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service16,689 ac
Army Corps of Engineers4,329 ac
State parks170 ac
National Forest · 16,689 acRecreation Management Area · 4,329 acState Recreation Area · 170 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoosier National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 16,687 | Open |
| Monroe Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 4,329 | Open |
| Cutright State Recreation Area State Recreation Area | State parks | 170 | Open |
| Hoosier Purchase Unit National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 2 | Open |
Things to do
40 places to go in Polk Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Polk Township
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Polk Township
1 playground without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Polk Township
Allens Creek Boat Ramp
DirectionsCutright High Water RampIn Cutright State Recreation Area
DirectionsCutright RampIn Cutright State Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Polk Township
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Polk Township
Leaning Tree Point
DirectionsPeaks in Polk Township
Frank Grubb Ridge899 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsFrank Grubb Ridge-West876 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsJohn Grubb Ridge876 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsHorsecamp Hill860 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsFrog Pond Ridge764 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsPicnic areas in Polk Township
Campgrounds in Polk Township
Blackwell Horse CampIn Hoosier National Forest
DirectionsCampsite 1In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 10In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 11In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 13In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 18In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 19In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 20In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Directions12 more campgrounds
Campsite 21In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 22In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 23In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 24In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 25In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsHardin RidgeIn Hoosier National Forest
DirectionsMonroe Causeway Campground
DirectionsPine Loop campgroundFee · In Hoosier National Forest · Cradle of Forestry Concessionaires
DirectionsRansburg Scout ReservationBoy Scouts of America - Crossroads of America
DirectionsTent Area CIn Paynetown State Recreation Area
DirectionsTent Area DIn Paynetown State Recreation Area
DirectionsTent Area EIn Paynetown State Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 4 campgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 9 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.9 miHorses · 31.2 miUnpaved · 39.3 mi
Grubb Ridge Trail11.4 mi
Cope Hollow Trail6.1 mi
Martin Hollow Trail2.6 mi
Axsom Branch Trail2.5 mi
Hayes Trail2.3 mi
Peninsula Trail1.9 mi
Hickory Ridge Trail 41.8 mi
Turkey Trot Trail1.5 mi
Patton Cave Trail1.0 mi
Whitehead Trail1.0 mi
15 more trails
Grubb Ridge Loop
0.9 miTed T. Turtle Interpretive Trail
0.9 miHunter Creek Trail
0.8 miHickory Ridge Trail 18
0.8 miActivity Road (5)
0.7 miTerrill Ridge Trail
0.6 miNautical Ridge (4)
0.6 miHoosier Heritage Ridge (3)
0.5 miMonroe Trail
0.5 miLakeside Trail
0.5 miWildlife Ridge (2)
0.3 miForest Ridge (1)
0.3 miHickory Ridge Horse Trail 90
0.2 miSycamore Trail
0.2 miDunn Trail
0.2 miBiking & sports
2.5 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.5 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
1Multi-sport
1Beach volleyball
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
August is the best month for walking in Polk Township
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.6 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 43 | 53 | 65 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 79 | 67 | 53 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Polk Township →
Next door
Polk Township and its neighbors
Polk Township has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Washington Township138 miPolk Township53 miSalt Creek Township36 miPleasant Run Township26 miSalt Creek Township19 miClear Creek Township13 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Clear Creek Township | 33% | 0.4 | 8 | 7% | B− |
| Salt Creek Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Washington Township | 51% | 1.4 | 4,155 | 26% | A |
| Pleasant Run Township | 19% | 0.4 | under 1 | under 1% | C |
| Salt Creek Township | 52% | 0.7 | 63 | 4% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Polk Township
Where can I hike in Polk Township?
The longest trail networks: Charles C. Deam Wilderness, 31.3 miles; Hoosier National Forest, 12.2 miles; Allen's Creek State Recreation Area, 1.6 miles; Amy Weingartner Branigin Peninsula Preserve, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Polk Township’s trails?
Charles C. Deam Wilderness and Hoosier National Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Polk Township?
2.5 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.5 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Polk Township?
98,901 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Polk Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 8,229 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Polk Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →