Hiking the creek beds at Clifty Falls and climbing over downed trees…

We arrived at the park around noon on Thursday and immediately hopped on Trail 3. Matty and I wore boots so we could walk in the creek. Rick planned on sticking to the banks and taking a few photos. The first thing we noticed was yellow tape blocking off a footbridge crushed by a fallen tree at Hoffman Falls. This didn't bother us because we planned on walking the creek upstream. In September of 2008 remnants of Hurricane Ike swept through the Midwest  leaving downed trees and major destruction in its path. In Cincinnati, many of us were without electricity for seven to ten days (some even longer). It was clear the people in Madison, Indiana had also experienced the hurricane-force winds (which is a very strange sensation when you’re smack dab in the middle of the continent with nary an ocean in sight!). We spoke to a woman from Madison who said further damage occurred this February when the ice storm swept through toppling already weakened trees.

Everywhere we went, we saw toppled trees 

and massive exposed roots.

The birds loved hoping in and out of the root balls 

and made the most of the situation by hiding in the 

dead leaves and branches. Just behind the limbs 

in the dark crevices of the rock overhang a mama 

Phoebe was making a nest. She and her mate 

kept us company while we climbed over this tree.

We walked the creek above Hoffman Falls upstream 

to this gorgeous, gentle fall that cascades over rocky 

steps. Over eons, the water has carved out a rock bowl, 

and it feels like you've stumbled into a secret cove. The 

splash of the water echos all around you adding to 

the excitement of the discovery. If you have boots on 

you can walk to the base of the falls and experience 

the bowl sensation with no problem. 

You can find some fairly rugged hiking here, and 

climbing over the downed trees just adds to the fun. 

Here Matty and I are working our way back down 

to the falls from the "exposed" side.

Just downstream from the Secret Falls (that's our 

name, we don't know if it has a real name) this 

huge tree blocks the creek bed. Getting through 

and around it is like solving a puzzle. To get an idea 

of its size, look closely, and you'll find Matty and me 

standing under it in the water near the rock wall.