blog post Nov 2021
Blossom Hollow, by Karen Wade
Road Trip: Southern Johnson County
Written By: Karen Wade
Date Published: November 4, 2021
Karen Wade
We asked Karen Wade, one of our board members who lives in Johnson County, to recommend some attractions near the Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow. She offered this guest post.
Did you know that Johnson County is known as Festival Country Indiana? And you bet we’ve got festivals and events aplenty; just take a peek here. There’s literally something happening all year long, from craft fairs to car shows to fundraising galas. We have theater, movies, and comedy shows, wine and beer tastings, yoga (with and without goats), and the list goes on.
But if you would like to experience a quieter side of the county—a drive through woods and hills, a hike at a favorite CILTI nature preserve, and perhaps a few other sites not on the festival circuit—well, we’ve got those too. Read on for a few that I’ve compiled into a road trip I hope you’ll enjoy…
Your trip starts with two stops in Franklin. Swing by the Soil and Water Conservation District Office (SWCD) and the Science Center at Franklin College. These are two stops on the Little Native Seed Library Trail, a project sponsored by SWCD and Indiana Native Plant Society. Each library box is hand-painted by a local artist, illustrating native plants, insects and birds. Visitors can take free native seeds to start their own native plant gardens. Although the Seed Library Trail Passport program is finished for this year, you can download the map of all seven seed library locations in the county. Why not start making plans to visit them all next spring?
From Franklin, head south to Johnson County Park and stop at the Native Prairie Garden, which is in its full fall glory at the moment. Franklin College biology professor (and CILTI member) Alice Heikens developed this five-acre native prairie garden. It’s a model of biodiversity, providing habitat for songbirds and butterflies—and it’s gorgeous, too! Continue past the park and stop to visit the Camp Atterbury WWII Prisoner of War Chapel where you can pause for a few minutes of quiet reflection and historical remembrance.
By now you’ll be hungry, so shoot up the road to Grillerz in Nineveh for a crock of house-made cheesy French onion soup. If soup’s not your thing, then try one of their juicy gourmet burgers, beer-battered cod or a breaded tenderloin sandwich. This restaurant is frequented by locals who love the warm and homey atmosphere, awesome food and cold beer. Trust them on this.
Photo by Karen Wade
After your meal, drive west a few miles and pass by Betley Woods at Glacier’s End Nature Preserve where CILTI’s stewardship team has planted over 12,000 trees over the last two years. The preserve isn’t open to the public yet, but you can pin it in your GPS for a future visit. Keep driving just a little further to reach one of CILTI’s most special nature preserves: Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow. Park your car respectfully in the small parking area and hit the trail. Be prepared to be drawn into an astounding experience of nature and peace as you traverse the hills and swales of the loop trail – working off that burger from lunch!
When everyone in your hiking party is sufficiently mesmerized by this beautiful preserve set on stunning Lamb Lake, hop back in your car and retrace your route part way. Stop at The Apple Works orchard where you can taste at least 10 varieties of apples in season before choosing your favorites to take home. While you’re at it, recharge with a cup of wonderful fresh apple cider and a warm apple dumpling. In addition to apple-inspired goodies, the orchard offers a full array of tasty yummies and gifts in the country store. There are friendly farm animals for the kids to visit, as well as mums, pumpkins, winter squash and gourds for purchase.
On your way home, make a quick stop at the Johnson County Public Library’s Trafalgar Branch for a final nature fix for the day. Stroll the half-mile Prairie Path trail, an Indiana Bicentennial Legacy Project, on the library’s grounds. This native tallgrass prairie is replete with wildflowers and grasses, featuring a Story Walk to capture the imagination of children and adults alike.
I hope you enjoyed this road trip through the southern end of Johnson County—and rest assured there are countless more places throughout the county to discover, good eats to be savored, and beautiful natural areas awaiting your adventure. Hope to see you soon!
Ben Valentine
Guest Blogger
Ben Valentine is a founding member of the Friends of Marott Woods Nature Preserve and is active in several other conservation organizations. He leads a series of NUVO interviews with Indiana's environmental leaders, and he cherishes showing his son all the wonders of nature he grew up loving.
DJ Connors
Guest Blogger
DJ Connors, a Central Indiana native and late-to-life hunter, combines a lifelong appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors with a deep passion for exploring the natural beauty of the area he has called home for most of his life. As a husband and father of three, he is committed to ensuring his children have the same opportunities to connect with nature and appreciate the outdoors in their community. DJ’s unique journey into hunting emphasizes sustainability, responsible stewardship, and the importance of preserving these experiences for future generations.
Bridget Walls
Guest Blogger
Bridget is our first ever Communications and Outreach Intern. She is a graduate of Marian University, where she combined English, studio art, and environmental sciences in her degree studies. As treasurer for Just Earth, the university's environmental club, she helped plan events encouraging a responsible relationship between people, nature, and animals.
Jordan England
Guest Blogger
Jordan England is a lifelong Shelby County resident who graduated from Waldron Jr. Sr. High School (just a few miles from Meltzer Woods!). After earning her B.S. degree in Retail Management from Purdue University, she returned to Waldron to start a family with her husband, Brian. Together they have 3 young children and enjoy sharing with them their love of the community. Jordan is the Grants and Nonprofit Relations Director at Blue River Community Foundation, managing BRCF’s grant program, providing support to local nonprofits, and promoting catalytic philanthropy in Shelby County.
Cliff Chapman
President and CEO
As CILTI’s President and CEO, Cliff keeps CILTI’s focus on good science and stewardship. He’s mindful that the natural places you love took thousands of years to evolve and could be destroyed in a single day, and that knowledge drives his dedication to their protection.
Stacy Cachules
Chief Operating Officer
Among her many key duties as Assistant Director, Stacy has the critical task of tracking our budget, making sure we channel donations for maximum efficiency. When her workday’s done, Stacy loves to spend time with her two young boys—and when not traveling, she’s likely planning the next travel adventure.
Ryan Fuhrmann
Vice Chair
Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA, is President and founder of Fuhrmann Capital LLC, an Indiana-based investment management firm focused on portfolio management. Ryan’s interest in land conservation centers around a desire to help preserve natural habitats for wildlife and the subsequent benefits it brings to people and the environment.
Joanna Nixon
Board Member
Joanna Nixon is the owner of Nixon Consulting, an Indianapolis-based strategy and project management firm focused on the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as the Philanthropic Advisor for the Efroymson Family Fund. Prior to opening her consulting practice in 2000, Joanna was vice-president for grantmaking at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Joanna has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and arts and culture sector. She is passionate about the environment and loves bringing big ideas to life and creating high-quality arts and culture programs and experiences. Joanna enjoys outdoor adventures, including competing in fitness obstacle course races and hiking with her high energy Australian Cattle Dog, Jackson.
Karen Wade
Board Member
Before retiring, CILTI board member Karen Wade worked for Eli Lilly & Co. In retirement she volunteers for a number of organizations, including the Indiana Master Naturalist program, Johnson County Native Plant Partnership CISMA, Meadowstone Therapeutic Riding Center, and Leadership Johnson County.
David Barickman
Development Systems Manager
Born and raised in Central Illinois, David spent many days as a child wandering around the river, forest and lakes there. He works behind the scenes as a key member of our fundraising team. When not working, David loves to be outdoors hiking, fly fishing, kayaking or woodworking.
Jamison Hutchins
Stewardship Director
Jamison leads our stewardship team in caring for the land that is so important to you. He comes to our team after eight years as Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the city of Indianapolis, where his work had a positive impact from both health and environmental perspectives.
Jen Schmits Thomas
Media Relations
An award-winning communicator and recognized leader in Central Indiana’s public relations community, Jen helps us tell our story in the media. She is the founder of JTPR, which she and her husband John Thomas own together. She is accredited in public relations (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America, and loves to camp and hike in perfect weather conditions.
Shawndra Miller
Communications Director
Shawndra’s earliest writing projects centered around the natural world, starting when a bird inspired her to write her first “book” in elementary school. Now she is in charge of sharing our story and connecting you to our work. Through our print and online materials, she hopes to inspire your participation in protecting special places for future generations.
Phillip Weldy
Stewardship Specialist
Phillip enjoys nature’s wonders from an up-close-and-personal perspective as he works to restore the natural places you love. As an AmeriCorps member in Asheville, NC, he had his first full immersion in relatively undisturbed land while reconstructing wilderness trails in National Parks and National Forests.
December 16, 2025
In Montgomery County, we recently assisted the DNR Division of Nature Preserves expand Spring Creek Seeps Nature Preserve. A 30-acre tract adjoining the preserve is now protected in perpetuity.
Newsroom,Properties
December 11, 2025
Brown County is beloved for its vistas of iconic Southern Indiana hills. Now the forests under protection in the county include another 89 acres. That’s all thanks to our members’ generosity!
Betley Woods,Blossom Hollow,Callon Hollow,Homepage,Newsroom,Properties
December 9, 2025
Board member Ryan C. Fuhrmann, CFA, is President and founder of Fuhrmann Capital LLC, an Indiana-based investment management firm. As our incoming board chair, Ryan brings a strong desire to preserve natural habitats for wildlife. We asked him to share his perspective on making gifts of stock to the [...]
Newsroom
