Riders under a canopy of fall trees in this Hilly Hundred file photo by Chris Howell.

Rita Jackson of Mitchell likes to take in the beauty of fall with her dogs at her side, leaves crunching under her feet and a colorful canopy towering overhead at Spring Mill State Park.

“I am a great lover of the oak tree. If you walk the paved walking trail around Spring Mill, you will see leaves on the trail of every different type of oak tree imaginable,” said Jackson.

Teresa Mathis of Greene County hops on her road bike and heads onto the backroads of Greene, Lawrence and Monroe counties where the colors “are absolutely gorgeous.”

Doug Baird of Nashville, has one of the best jobs in the world. He’s surrounded by the spectacular fall show every day this time of year as property manager of Brown County State Park. Brown County offers the ultimate fall color experience and for mountain bikers, it doesn’t get much better.

“There aren’t many mountain bike trails in Indiana with the terrain and amount of acreage of Brown County State Park,” said Baird. “We have about 20 miles of trails that range from basic to high skilled level. Very few places have all that in one place.”

The mountain bike trails first opened in 2004. The park has continued to expand them and has plans to add more trails. The trails have been highly rated by mountain biking groups, including being namedz one of the best trail systems in North America in the March 2009 issue of Bike magazine.

Baird said specific numbers aren’t available on just how many people visit the park during the peak fall season, but he said it’s safe to say attendance doubles at Indiana’s largest state park.

Baird said what makes Brown County special isn’t so much the kind of trees but the opportunities for viewing them.

“We have the same tree species most of the other parks have, we just have a lot more of it,” he said. “And with our overlooks, you can see color from one ridge to the next.”

As Jackson and Mathis will tell you, Brown County is far from the only place in south-central Indiana to get a good look at the fall colors. In that spirit, we asked some outdoor enthusiasts and state park officials for their favorites places to view fall color.

Mark Young, park manager at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell

“My favorite for fall colors is above Hamer Cave. When the colors are really good, it’s a great place to stop. You’re looking north and across the top of the village and the view is really nice.”

It can be accessed from the paved walking/biking loop around the park, so it’s not necessary to take a trail.

He also noted the overlook at Donaldson Cave on Trail 3.

Park at the Donaldson Cave parking lot and take the stairway that leads down to the cave. Stop at the first landing, get off the stairs and take a connector trail to the overlook.

“The view is an overlook that allows you to view the valley where the water is coming out of Donaldson Cave and the colors are beautiful there.”

Finally, he suggested Trail 3/Donaldson Woods.

Park at the Twin Caves parking lot and take Trail 3 into Donaldson Woods. The entrance is opposite to the building where you register for boat tours.

“It’s a fun walk because there are several areas with lots of paw paw trees and they have such big leaves that it’s a lot of fun to walk through them.”

He added that his “all-time favorite is Skyline Drive near Brownstown. It takes you up onto the knobs. They’ve maintained some nice scenic overlooks. It’s steep in places but it’s paved.”

Doug Baird, property manager of Brown County State Park

Hohen Point, an overlook in the southern end of the park.

“It has about the widest view of any in the park,” he said. “But none of them that aren’t worth stopping at.”

Dave Vadas, forest supervisor at Morgan-Monroe State Forest

Low Gap trail takes hikers into the back country area, popular with backpackers and campers.

Jeremy Kolaks, assistant property manager at Morgan-Monroe, on best trails at Yellowwood State Forest and Morgan-Monroe

“I recommend the Lake Trail at Yellowwood. You go right by the lake where you’ll see bald cypress, which offer a different type of fall color. It also gets up in a white pine plantation which is very majestic, and right against the lake.”

Scarce O’Fat Trail, goes high and low so you get some nice overlooks and can see differences in colors.

Rock Shelter Trail is a shorter 3-mile loop in Morgan-Monroe that takes walkers by some sandstone shut-ins.

“It’s nice if you’re looking for a leisurely walk.”

A burst of fall color. Photo by Chris Howell