Loutre River Trail

The Loutre River Trail parallels the Loutre river before ascending the hardwood forested hills before it passes by the campgrounds before ending back at the trail's origin. Following the Loutre River, the trail travels along the river road as it heads to the north camping area. Experience a high quality example of a bottomland forest in the flood plain of the Loutre River. Among the characteristic trees of this natural community are bur oaks, with huge acorns that have shaggy-fringed caps, and Kentucky coffee trees, with pods that contain seeds that pioneers used to make a coffee like drink. Below the tree canopy is an understory of pawpaws, Ohio buckeyes and spicebush. The trail parallels the Loutre River as you head from the boat ramp area to the north camping areas. There is also a rich variety of wildflowers that includes the showy blue-eyed Mary and rare false mermaid. Wildlife includes birds like northern parula warblers and butterflies such as the zebra swallowtail. Periodic flooding from the river makes the soil of this bottomland community very fertile and productive.