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Little Walnutty LbNA #26498 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Oct 8, 2006
Location:
City:Greencastle
County:Putnam
State:Indiana
Boxes:1
Planted by:herd of beez
Found by: Chado2423
Last found:Aug 16, 2014
Status:FFaFr
Last edited:Oct 8, 2006
This is a lovely hike or bike ride. It is our first plant and hand-carved stamp.

History of the Site

In fall 2003, DePauw received about 450 acres of an abandoned quarry site through a gift and a long-term lease from Hanson Aggregates. DePauw purchased some adjacent farmland and woodlands to make the total property nearly 500 acres. The DePauw University Nature Park consists of early to mid-successional woodlands and fields adjacent to Big Walnut Creek as well as ephemeral and permanent ponds.

Between 1917 and 1977 the Nature Park was the site of a limestone quarry, where rock was blasted from the quarry walls, crushed into limestone aggregate and then transported off-site by rail. Limestone rock in the quarry began formation approximately 350 million years ago from the remains of animals living on the bottom of an inland sea that covered this area. The layers of remains of are the basis of the rock layers observed in the quarry walls. The observant visitor can locate fossil crinoids, brachiopods and bryozoans in the rock.

Find W. Walnut St. and follow this west several miles until you see the entrance to the DePauw Nature Trails on the south side. Park in the very last parking lot, as far into the park as you can get. Follow the level gravel trail that leads past the park map. Pass the sign for the Ampitheater and continue on until you get to K1-Creekside trail. On the Creekside trail curve to the right, past the drinking fountain. Head into the woods, past the canoe launch and keep following along Big Walnut Creek. (You might want to take a break at the canoe launch and skip a few stones, though). Cross the small wooden bridge. Keep going until you get to the T where the creekside trail hits the Rail trail. Go left up the rail trail(if you see a big hollow tree off to the right, you are doing great). Head up the rail trail, staying left. When you can look down the hill and see the bridge you crossed, look up the hill and find what you seek on the uphill-side of the big fallen tree trunk. Have Fun!