Brown County State Park
Managed by Indiana Department of Natural Resources
6,665 acres59.1 mi of trail
Green ValleyTrail 8North TowerHobbs Hollow+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Theodore Clement Steele House and Studio · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Washington Township
More than half of Washington Township’s land is conserved: 51%
51% of Washington Township’s land is conserved, about 32,291 acres. 21,567 acres are parks and preserves, 4,155 per 1,000 residents. 138 miles of mapped trail cross Washington Township, 1.4 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns · #10 of 593 in Indiana. What drives it
Conserved land
51%
32,291 acres · of 99.2 sq mi of land
Trails
138 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
21,567 ac
4,155 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
26%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.0 mi
1.4 mi paths
Highest peak
1,056 ft
Weed Patch Hill
Lakes & rivers
25
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Washington Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild51% of the land is conserved; a typical Indiana town, 2%.Room to roam4,155 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.A trail town1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 87% of U.S. towns.History along the way6 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Washington Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Washington Township is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns, #10 of 593 in Indiana. Park acres per resident hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Washington Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land51% of the land · typical IN town 2% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (138 mi) · IN 0.1 · U.S. 0.4APark land4,155 acres of park per 1,000 residents (21,567 acres) · IN 10 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home26% of residents within a half mile of a park · IN 51% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 91%
LessMore
Indiana towns of 2,500+ (593)Ahead of 98%
Few Indiana towns conserve much land (a typical one, 2%; the U.S., 4%), so Washington Township’s 51% is ahead of 100% of Indiana towns, while its trails per square mile lead 97% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Brown County State Park, with 59.1 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Yellowwood State Forest
Managed by Indiana Department of Natural Resources
14,678 acres47.4 mi of trail
Tecumseh TrailHorse Trail YHorse Trail ZScarce O Fat Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill
Managed by Sycamore Land Trust
516 acres6.6 mi of trail
Laura Hare Nature Preserve South Loop TrailLaura Hare Nature Preserve North Loop TrailOld road and trailCut-thru
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Managed by United States Forest Service
2,110 acres4.8 mi of trail
Sycamore TrailPeninsula TrailTerrill Ridge TrailGrubb Ridge Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Selma N. Steele State Nature Preserve
Nature preserve
202 acres2.7 mi of trail
Whippoorwill Haunt TrailWoodpecker TrailTrail of SilencesWildflower Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hoosier National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
6,040 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Mountain Tea State Forest
Nature preserve
189 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 9 parks & preserves
Brown County State Park6,665 acres · 59.1 mi of trail · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsYellowwood State Forest14,678 acres · 47.4 mi of trail · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsLaura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill516 acres · 6.6 mi of trail · Sycamore Land Trust
DirectionsCharles C. Deam Wilderness2,110 acres · 4.8 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
Selma N. Steele State Nature Preserve202 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsHoosier National Forest6,040 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · United States Forest Service
Mountain Tea State Forest189 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Crooked Creek State Recreation Area14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
DirectionsMorgan-Monroe State Forest6 acres · Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Who protects it
32,291 conserved acres
51% of Washington Township’s land. Who manages Washington Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State natural resources15,958 ac
State parks6,686 ac
U.S. Forest Service6,037 ac
Army Corps of Engineers3,784 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits347 ac
Other state land208 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)59 ac
State Conservation Area · 16,180 acNational Forest · 6,037 acState Park · 5,253 acRecreation Management Area · 3,784 acForest Stewardship Easement · 1,200 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,250 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowwood State Forest State Conservation Area | State natural resources | 14,649 | Open |
| Hoosier National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 6,037 | Open |
| Brown County State Park State Park | State parks | 5,253 | Open |
| Monroe Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 3,784 | Open |
| 10 O'clock Line Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | State parks | 1,392 | Open |
| Brown County Hills - Whippoorwill Woods Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 140 | Closed |
| Touch the Earth 2 Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 125 | Closed |
| T.C. Steele State Historic Site State Historic or Cultural Area | Other state land | 110 | Open |
| Morgan - Monroe State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 109 | Open |
| Steele (Selma) Nature Preserve State Conservation Area | Other state land | 98 | Open |
2 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
53 places to go in Washington Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Washington Township
9 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Washington Township
Crooked Creek Boat RampIn Crooked Creek State Recreation Area
DirectionsPlus 4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Washington Township
6 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Washington Township
Weed Patch Hill1,056 ft elevation · In Brown County State Park
DirectionsHesitation Point1,004 ft elevation · In Brown County State Park
DirectionsKelley Hill922 ft elevation
DirectionsDowney Hill883 ft elevation
DirectionsBrown Hill869 ft elevation
DirectionsBucker Knob863 ft elevation · In Yellowwood State Forest
DirectionsTerrill Ridge853 ft elevation · In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsHigh King Hill794 ft elevation · In Yellowwood State Forest
Directions1 more peak
Watton Hill771 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Washington Township
6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Washington Township
Buffalo Ridge CampgroundFee · In Brown County State Park
DirectionsCampsite 12In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 14In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 15In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 16In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 17In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 5In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 6In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Directions5 more campgrounds
Campsite 7In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 8In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsCampsite 9In Charles C. Deam Wilderness
DirectionsHorseman's CampIn Yellowwood State Forest
DirectionsRaccoon Ridge CampgroundFee · In Brown County State Park
DirectionsPlus 5 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 25 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 45.7 miHorses · 24.2 miUnpaved · 91.6 mi
Tecumseh Trail9.9 mi
Horse Trail Y8.9 mi
Green Valley4.0 mi
Trail 83.9 mi
Horse Trail Z3.6 mi
North Tower3.3 mi
Hobbs Hollow3.3 mi
Scarce O Fat Trail3.0 mi
Laura Hare Nature Preserve South Loop Trail2.9 mi
Aynes2.8 mi
15 more trails
Hesitation Point
2.7 miHorse Trail YZ
2.5 miTrail 9
2.4 miWeedpatch
2.4 miNorth Gate
2.4 miTrail 11
2.4 miHorse Trail W
2.3 miSchooner Trace
2.2 miBobcat
2.2 miHiking Trail 10
2.1 miYellowwood Lake Trail/Tecumseh Trail
2.0 miLaura Hare Nature Preserve North Loop Trail
2.0 miTrail 2
1.9 miShelley
1.8 miLucas Hollow
1.7 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Anderson LakelakeAnnandale Estates LakereservoirAxsom Branch PondpondBerry Farm LakereservoirDawson LakeFleming LakereservoirGreenbriar LakereservoirLake of the CloudsreservoirLost LakelakeMacabo LakelakeMiller LakelakeMillers LakereservoirNelson LakepondOgle LakereservoirParkview LakereservoirPfau LakereservoirReverand Frame LakereservoirSage LakelakeSomerset LakereservoirStewart LakereservoirTerrill Ridge Road ReservoirreservoirWarren LakepondYellowwood LakereservoirNorth Fork Salt CreekSalt Creek
Biking & sports
2.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.4 mi
off-road bike paths
0.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Green Valley TrailBike route
4 miNorth Tower LoopBike route
4 miCourts & fields
8Tennis
7Baseball
3Soccer
2Basketball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
August is the best month for walking in Washington 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 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 42 | 53 | 65 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 84 | 79 | 67 | 53 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
February is the driest month (2.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.2 inches fall in May, the wettest month. The climate in Washington Township →
Next door
Washington Township and its neighbors
Washington Township has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Washington Township138 miVan Buren Township97 miPolk Township53 miBenton Township39 miJackson Township21 miSalt Creek Township19 miHamblen Township16 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Township | 51% | 1.4 | 4,155 | 26% | A |
| Van Buren Township | 48% | 1.1 | 5,670 | 7% | A |
| Salt Creek Township | 52% | 0.7 | 63 | 4% | B+ |
| Jackson Township | 20% | 0.3 | 1,884 | 45% | A− |
| Hamblen Township | 6% | 0.3 | 174 | 2% | B− |
| Polk Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Benton Township | 38% | 0.7 | 258 | 22% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Washington Township
Where can I hike in Washington Township?
The longest trail networks: Brown County State Park, 59.1 miles; Yellowwood State Forest, 47.4 miles; Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill, 6.6 miles; Charles C. Deam Wilderness, 4.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Washington Township is conserved land?
51% of its land, against a typical 2% for an Indiana town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Washington Township’s trails?
Brown County State Park and Yellowwood State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Washington Township?
2.0 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.4 of off-road paths and 0.6 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Green Valley Trail and North Tower Loop.
Is there public land near Washington Township?
132,359 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Washington Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 27,437 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Washington Township have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #10 of 593 in Indiana. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Washington 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 →