Places to hang around Northern Indiana?

[GreenMaus]

Hi all,
I've had hammocks for years but as my tent is getting worn out and i want to gain skills in pitching tarps,
I'm looking into switching to hammock camping. I've got a DIY gathered end ripstop nylon with a Ridgeline, and a 10×10 tarp. Not sure how well these will work together yet, would love to take them out for an overnight but finding a safe/ legal place to do so in my area is difficult!
I have lots to learn here, and hope i can make a few friends along the way!

[OneClick]

Welcome! I joke about living here, but seriously I think it's the worst place in the world for hanging, camping, outdoor whatever. But thankfully the good stuff is not too far south or north. Just nothing "down the road" that's for sure.

Seriously, I think I could find a better place nearby in Camden, NJ than here in Fort Wayne.

[Just Bill]

https://www.nps.gov/indu/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

Currently closed- but I have hung here before with no issues.

Potato Creek is closer to you guys and I don't recall any issues.

I tend to scoot over to Tippicanoe more often than Potato Creek SP but I have hung a hammock at both.

The I&M canal (where we do the Windy City Winter hang and other Chicago area hangs) is a decent spot and very hammock friendly but a bit further.

Beyond that... if you're just dinking around for the day most local parks and all of the National Forest trailheads along the lakeshore are still open. We went to Kemil beach the other day and it wasn't crowded.
There is also a pull off/picnic area around Beverly shores as well as the spots along the calumet bike trail that might be fine to sling up a hammock for an afternoon.

Not that I don't appreciate the responsibility but my attitude at the city park or where ever is to simply apologize rather than seek permission. You're just practicing your hang... worst case they ask you to move on.
Just make sure that you are responsibly hanging with 1" or even 2" wide tree straps rather than rope and feel free to use your public resources.

I agree with One-Click that overnight opportunities (backpacking really) are limited- but we got plenty of trails and trees to practice on at least.
Paying $25 a night for the car camping gets old quick- but I scoot into Dunewood when I'm looking for a local fix. The walk in sites there are fairly nice and the other drive in loop has some good sites I sometimes hitup midweek just to be in the woods.

[SilvrSurfr]

I've got a DIY gathered end silnylon with a Ridgeline, and a 10×10 tarp.

You have a silnylon hammock? That must be very clammy and uncomfortable.

[GreenMaus]

Thanks for the tips, I hadn't considered some of those places!

[GreenMaus]

You have a silnylon hammock? That must be very clammy and uncomfortable.

Is sinylon bad for the hammock? I haven't been able to actually get out and camp in it yet, only a few afternoon nap hangs. The one I had previously was a gathered end ripstop, I made a new one from sinylon to make it lighter and softer thinking it would be an improvement...

[GreenMaus]

Looking back on the purchase i made from rilstop by the roll, it wasn't silnylon, i guess i made that up! This is what i got: https://ripstopbytheroll.com/product...nt=11187606657

It says its breathable so when i do get to sleep in it i should be okay!

[poor_jalopy]

I have a hammock made out of that (1.1 ) it's very stretchy, and very lightweight. There's some definite pros and cons with that material. Then again, there's definite pros and cons with almost everything to do with hammocking. You pretty much have to decide exactly what you want and what you are willing to give up in order to get it.

[Grunt]

Welcome! I joke about living here, but seriously I think it's the worst place in the world for hanging, camping, outdoor whatever. But thankfully the good stuff is not too far south or north. Just nothing "down the road" that's for sure.

Seriously, I think I could find a better place nearby in Camden, NJ than here in Fort Wayne.

Yep. Central IN is even worse. I can drive for an hour south or almost three north to get someplace worth being outdoors in this state.

If I were in your area (or OneClick's), I would slide up into MI to do most of my hanging. I have friends in Niles who have a yard that would be better to hang in than Deam/HNF/Brown County. The area around Coldwater is nice, too. The closer to the center of MI you get, the thicker the trees. If you just want to practice pitching and striking a tarp, you can always go to a local city/county park or onto a college campus (if they aren't closed).

Bonus for OC's area of this god-forsaken, flat cow patty of a state is the best pizza in the universe is located in Ft. Wayne (Oley's on Hwy 24 and Homestead Rd.).

[OneClick]

Yep. Central IN is even worse. I can drive for an hour south or almost three north to get someplace worth being outdoors in this state.

If I were in your area (or OneClick's), I would slide up into MI to do most of my hanging. I have friends in Niles who have a yard that would be better to hang in than Deam/HNF/Brown County. The area around Coldwater is nice, too. The closer to the center of MI you get, the thicker the trees. If you just want to practice pitching and striking a tarp, you can always go to a local city/county park or onto a college campus (if they aren't closed).

Bonus for OC's area of this god-forsaken, flat cow patty of a state is the best pizza in the universe is located in Ft. Wayne (Oley's on Hwy 24 and Homestead Rd.).

Oooh good pizza!!!

Being 30 minutes from MI, I hang up there 9/10 times. Better scenery, better weather IMO, better hiking and no thick sticky clay. In most places it can rain an inch and you wouldn't even know it an hour later.