Friday, 19 September
The Drive
Leaving Red Hills State Park in Sumner, Illinois, we set out east on US-50 toward Clifty Falls State Park in Madison, Indiana. The road carried us through miles of quiet farmland, past silos and small towns where old diners and gas stations seemed to mark the rhythm of the highway. Crossing into Indiana, the landscape remained mostly flat for a time, with wide stretches of cornfields and open sky, but gradually the terrain began to change. By the time we passed through Seymour and turned south toward Madison, the road had taken on more curves, the farms giving way to wooded ridges and rolling hills that hinted at the Ohio River valley ahead. The final stretch was the most scenic, winding through tree-lined roads with glimpses of bluffs and valleys, a reminder that we were leaving prairie country behind.
Clifty Falls State Park
We entered Clifty Falls State Park through the south entrance. After we checked in and bought an annual pass — which was cheaper than buying the individual day passes we would need — we drove through the winding roads to the campground.
The park was created in 1920 to preserve the spectacular waterfalls and rugged canyons of Clifty Creek. The park’s four main waterfalls—Big Clifty, Little Clifty, Hoffman, and Tunnel Falls—were major draws, especially Big Clifty, which drops about 60 feet. These waterfalls, along with the dramatic cliffs, gorges, and unique plant life, made the site a natural candidate for protection.
Another key feature is the abandoned railroad tunnel. Construction began in the 1850s as part of a planned Madison & Indianapolis Railroad extension, but the company went bankrupt before it was completed. The tunnel later became a landmark within the park, eventually serving as a bat hibernaculum.
The park offers 167 total campsites, 106 of which have electric hookups and the rest set aside as non-electric or primitive tent sites. It has a dump station, potable water, shower houses with restrooms, seasonal laundry, and a swimming pool (though it was closed). Nightly rates range from about $19 to $32, depending on the site type, and then there was the separate park entrance fee.
Our Site
We had to stop at the dump station to get potable water and then proceeded to Site #21 in the electric loop, which was a convenient back-in site with a 50-foot driveway and plenty of room for our rig. Most of the sites did not have any shade, but we had a good mix of sun and shade. The gravel pad was not very level, and it took a couple of blocks on one side to get it even. We had plenty of distance from our neighbors. Setup was easy with the electric hookup, picnic table, and fire ring.
Clifty Falls
After setting up the camper, we drove over to Clifty Falls State Park to explore the Clifty waterfalls. The falls cascade through a deep gorge carved over millions of years by Clifty Creek as it winds from the uplands down toward the Ohio River, about two miles away. Big Clifty Falls and Little Clifty Falls sit close together, just a short walk from a parking area. Each drop about sixty feet from elevations around seven hundred feet above sea level, spilling over ancient layers of limestone and shale that once formed the floor of a prehistoric sea. Over the millennia, the creek has steadily eroded the softer shale beneath the harder limestone, causing sections to collapse and the waterfalls to slowly “retreat” upstream. This ongoing erosion has sculpted the dramatic Clifty Canyon, with its sheer rock walls, terraces, and natural shelters. Unfortunately, because of the ongoing drought—and since the creek receives most of its flow in the spring—only a small trickle of water was spilling over the ledges during our visit.
Mad Paddle Brewery
We decided to head down to Mad Paddle Brewstillery in Madison, Indiana, for dinner. We chose this microbrewery and artisan distillery because it advertised live music that evening. The brewstillery, housed in a historic brick building just a few blocks from the Ohio River, was about five miles from our campground. It was around 6:30 p.m., and downtown was bustling—with a surprising number of golf carts zipping along the streets. We found a convenient parking spot and grabbed a table inside near the bandstand. Beside us was an impressive 25-tap self-pour beer wall featuring both house brews and regional favorites. A waitress soon took our order: a couple of craft beers and a breaded chicken wrap served with house chips. The band started playing around 7 p.m. They were talented, but the crowd was still small and the energy subdued, so after enjoying a few songs, we decided to make it an early evening.
Saturday, 20 September
Madison Farmers Market
We left the trailer around 8:15 and headed into downtown Madison to visit the Farmers Market. The market was gathered near the Broadway Fountain, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Originally displayed at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, the ornate cast-iron fountain was gifted to Madison and has stood ever since as a centerpiece of the historic district. With water spilling gracefully down its tiers and flowerbeds brightening the brick-lined square around it, the fountain created a picture-perfect backdrop for the market.
The market itself was modest, with fewer than a dozen vendors. A couple of stands offered fresh produce, a coffee truck added the smell of roasted beans to the air, and the rest sold homemade baked goods, jars of honey, and colorful preserves. Though we had expected something larger, the small scale gave us more time to appreciate the surroundings. Strolling among Madison’s 19th-century brick storefronts, with the Ohio River just a few blocks away, made the visit feel like stepping back in time.
We didn’t leave empty-handed: a few ripe tomatoes, sweet corn fresh off the stalk, a jar of local honey, and a small assortment of donuts and scones made their way into our bag. Even though the market itself was small, the combination of history, atmosphere, and a few simple treats made the trip feel worthwhile.
Canaan Fall Festival
We then headed north to the Canaan Fall Festival, about a half hour’s drive from Madison. The ride itself was scenic, taking us past rolling farmland and wooded ridges before bringing us into the tiny community of Canaan. Founded in 1812, Canaan is considered the first settlement in Jefferson County and one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in Indiana. Today the town is little more than nine blocks, but it carries a remarkable legacy—hosting what is believed to be the oldest continuously running fall festival in the state, dating back to the mid-1800s.
Despite the town’s modest size, the festival was anything but small. We parked in a grassy field on the edge of town and walked toward the center, passing rows of folding chairs already lined up along the streets for the parade scheduled to start at 10:30. As we drew closer, the streets buzzed with life: tables of rummage-sale finds, handmade crafts, and local vendors. Amish families sold fresh baked goods, a donut truck turned out hot mini-donuts by the dozen, and a large bandstand stood ready for the day’s performances.
We set up our own chairs near the bandstand but couldn’t resist trying a bag of donuts dusted with Fruity Pebbles. Watching the automated donut machine drop dough into the fryer through the glass window was almost as fun as eating them. We also sampled a gooey blueberry dessert that lived up to its name before circling back to our seats as the parade began.
The parade was pure small-town charm. Three fire trucks from the local department led the way, followed by tractors, four-wheelers from a local business called “The Farm,” and marching bands from the area’s middle and high schools. Each class from the local schools, some with less than a dozen students, had its own float with a theme like the “monkeys” or “class clowns.” Their excitement made the whole scene feel festive and genuine.
The heart of the festival truly lay in its sense of community. Proceeds supported the Canaan Volunteer Fire Department, which had transformed its firehouse into a bustling cafeteria serving hamburgers, hot dogs, tenderloin sandwiches, and more. The streets were lined with forty to fifty vendors offering everything from crocheted items and handmade clothing to ice cream, baked goods, and jars of jam. One of the most anticipated events was the pie and cake auction, where homemade desserts fetched staggering bids—some climbing as high as $600.
Lisa and I joined the long cafeteria line and carried away a tenderloin sandwich, a cheeseburger, fries, and a couple of Diet Cokes. We barely managed to eat half our meal before it was time to move our chairs down the street to a park for the cowboy show, one of the festival’s headline attractions.
The show featured a troupe of a couple of dozen men and women dressed in full cowboy attire, reenacting a lively Wild West shootout. Before the action began, they introduced themselves, sharing stories of their experience as reenactors at other events and even as extras in a few independent films. They proudly held up DVDs for sale as part of their fundraising. They also explained that their guns were real, firing blanks for the performance—a detail that made the rattling gunfire all the more dramatic and made me a little nervous. The staged gunfight filled the park with noise and smoke, and afterwards, the performers happily mingled with the crowd for photos. One even posed with me and staged me throwing a punch.
Afterward, we wandered back to the main festival grounds to catch a children’s tractor pull for kids under 100 pounds, cheering as they strained to pedal miniature tractors down the track. We strolled through the vendor area once more, admiring the crafts and homemade wares, and couldn’t resist buying a lemon pie from an Amish booth before finally deciding we had seen and experienced just about everything the festival had to offer.
Ohio River Scenic Byway
We decided to return to Madison and then go east along the Ohio River Scenic Byway along the north side of the river. The drive was pleasant and scenic, with stretches of moderate riverside homes and numerous RV parks lining the shoreline. Passing through the town of Vevay, we stopped for gas and then couldn’t resist pulling over for a photo with a giant yellow duck by the roadside.
Founded in 1802 by Swiss immigrants, Vevay became famous for establishing one of the first successful commercial vineyards in the United States. Its name comes from Vevey, Switzerland, a lakeside town on Lake Geneva. We then decided to visit the local historical museum. When we arrived, we found several tables set up outside—it turned out to be Archaeology Day. One booth displayed a beautiful collection of stone tools, with demonstrators actively making more. Another table gave demonstrations of various atlatls, and gave us an opportunity to try to use one and hit a large chicken-shaped target. Lisa and I each took a turn, and we spent some time chatting with the presenters before heading inside.
We learned that the Vevay Historical Museum actually consists of two museums: the County Historical Museum and the River History Museum. We first visited the River History Museum, where a volunteer guided us through the various rooms featuring models, artifacts, and displays about how life and commerce were shaped by the river. The volunteer then took us to the second museum, which was housed in a 1860 Greek Revival Presbyterian Church building. This museum had artifacts telling the story of the Swiss immigrants who founded Vevay and the surrounding region, and some artifacts and tools from the indigenous peoples of the area. While neither museum was very large, they were neatly organized and thoughtfully presented.
Afterward, we continued driving along the northern side of the Ohio River and crossed into Kentucky via the Markland Dam Bridge. We then followed the south side of the river back toward Madison. The Kentucky shore was dominated by large sprawling mills like the Nucor Steel and the North American Stainless, and Dow Silicones, which was a big contrast with the mostly rural and residential north side.
Grumpy’s Diner
In Milton, we crossed back into Indiana over the Milton–Madison Bridge, then continued west to Hanover for dinner at Grumpy’s Diner. This restaurant served classic comfort foods. Lisa ordered chicken tenders with mashed potatoes smothered in white gravy, plus green beans loaded with bacon. I went for a pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and brown gravy, along with coleslaw. The food was excellent, and the portions were so generous that we both left with leftovers.
We then returned to the camper and settled in for a relaxing evening.
Sunday, 21 September
Morning Bike Ride
The forecast called for heavy rain that afternoon, so we started the morning with a bike ride around the park. The cool air and sounds of birds and squirrels made it a perfect ride.
We stopped at Tunnel Falls, where I descended the 95 steps into the canyon. The falls were dry, but I explored nearby Brough’s Tunnel, a 600-foot passage carved in the 1850s for a railroad that was never completed. Nicknamed Brough’s Folly, it cuts through fragile shale, was abandoned when funds ran out, and today serves as a winter home for bats and salamanders.
Later, we stopped at Trail 1 and walked a short trail along a ridge to an observation tower. From the top I caught only a glimpse of the Ohio River through the tall trees.
We then biked up to the Clifty Falls Inn, which began in the early 1920s as a converted stone farmhouse and barn, later replaced in 1924 by a 32-room brick lodge overlooking the Ohio River. The inn quickly became a popular destination, even hosting First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1934. Much of the park’s development, including trails and structures, came through the Civilian Conservation Corps and WPA in the 1930s. The original inn was destroyed by a tornado in 1974, but was rebuilt and later modernized, with a major renovation in 2006. Today, Clifty Inn offers 163 rooms, dining, and sweeping river views. We wandered the lobby and common areas, took selfies with oversized animal statues, and relaxed on a glider in the courtyard overlooking the river.
By the time we returned to camp and started loading the bikes, the first sprinkles began to fall. We decided to settle in for the rest of the day, watching football as the rain moved in.
Monday, 22 September
The morning began with heavy rain, and the ground around our trailer was quickly turning to mud where there was little gravel. Watching the weather radar, we noticed a brief gap in the storm around 9 a.m. When the drizzle lightened, we hurried to hook up the trailer, made a quick stop at the dump station, and managed to get out of the park just before the skies opened up again. By 10:30 we were finally on the road, heading toward Ouabache State Park, located north of Indianapolis.