Busiek State Park

Busiek (or as we've taken to calling it, Gary Busiek) is a pretty spectacular spot, considering how close it is to Springfield. Drive south on I-65 for about a half hour and you'll approach the turn on your left. Follow the horse trailers and you'll find yourself on a well-marked trailhead giving you several different hike length and difficulty options. Keep in mind that for the first thirty minutes of the hike, you will be serenaded by the sounds of highway traffic and semi-automatic gunfire (did we mention there's a shooting range nearby?) but soon enough, you'll be breathing heavily, crossing small streams and navigating rocky terrain.

The "easy" trail is certainly no leisurely stroll -- you'll need good shoes and maybe even a walking stick. Some of the trail highlights include the elusive prickly pear cacti (towards the higher, drier points on the trail), the old cemetery and the open fields with crops planted for the wild animals to munch on (a mid-winter hike yielded a surplus of radishes in one plot). There are plenty of spots to stop, rest and soak in the tranquil beauty -- you'll know you're reaching the end when you can start to hear the gunfire again. That shouldn't be funny, but let's be honest, it is.