Can You Guess What I Found on My Trip??? (Part 2)

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When you’re out looking at scenery there’s nothing like a two-for-one special. That’s what I got at Cataract Falls State Recreation Area, not too far from McCormick’s Creek State Park in Spencer, Indiana. The state recreation area is home to Cagles Mill Lake as well as the waterfalls. There’s also plenty of history, as the land was once home to several American Indian tribes as recently as the 19th century. There’s also a covered bridge (upper left photo), which is the last surviving covered bridge in Owen County, Indiana. It’s a Smith truss bridge, named after the man who built it, Robert Smith. (If you think “all covered bridges are the same,” I invite you to fall down that rabbit hole. Don’t forget to send out for food occasionally. ) The bridge is over Mill Creek at the rapids leading to the upper falls. Yes, “upper” falls (upper right photo). There are two waterfalls along the creek. A 1.6 mile round trip hiking trail leads from the parking lot by the covered bridge to the lower falls. The two photos on the bottom are the lower falls. Together, “they” argue, they make the biggest waterfall by volume in Indiana. I don’t like those asterisk arguments (“if you take into account there’s TWO waterfalls, separated by about 3/4 of a mile, then yes, it’s the biggest”). What I do like — love, actually — is the beauty. They are distinct, with the upper falls (the larger) being more of a “rapids” type fall. The lower fall is more of a “drop,” what many people think of when you think of a waterfall. Put together, it was a wonderful afternoon! Oh, and after the rant about prices in the other park, they had this one open for free! COLLAGE: (Upper left) Covered bridge (Upper right) Upper falls rapids (Lower left and right) Lower falls.