Delphi high bridge

If you want solitude in Indiana, just go hiking on a January day with windchill in the single-digits.

We were silly and possibly frostbitten, but cloudless blue sky and vivid sun almost required us to take a trip outdoors.  It was either that or finally throw ourselves into the garbage disposal so we loaded up the truck and headed north to Delphi.

Previously we have reported on the great hiking trails and interesting history of Delphi.  Literally placed on the map by the Wabash and Erie Canal, perhaps no other small town in Indiana has so successfully leveraged history and the outdoors to drive tourism to this otherwise cookie-cutter Hoosier town.

One of the more interesting of the dozen or so trails of the city is along the old Monon Railroad right-of-way east of town.  Here the “High Bridge Trail” gives walkers a chance to experience tremendous vertigo and possible death by slippage on one of the most spectacular railroad bridges in northern Indiana.

The trailhead is a bit difficult to find but once we drove up the dead-end driveway through the inch of virgin snowfall, we bundled up and headed down the level, wide trail.  It was obvious the only hikers in the past few days had been coyotes, fox and perhaps the odd squirrel.

We walked the .85 miles out to the old bridge, happy whenever we could slip below the level of surrounding fields out of the wind. Whenever the cold east wind was blocked by terrain or trees, the day and even the snow felt warm enough to slip on a pair of shorts for these winter-weary Hoosiers.

Along the way, I found the top of a very old whiskey bottle peering out of the mud along the old railbed.  Though long past the age of collecting such junk, the thought of a train passenger or crewman heaving the bottle from a passing train over 100 years ago made it seem more important than a mere piece of milky, discolored glass.  It is setting on my desk as this is written.

Along the way the trail split and we took the right-hand path.  This lane ended up traveling down into the bottomlands of Deer Creek to an old farm building.  While the walk was enjoyable, we decided to go cross-country back to the top of the tall railbed to resume our journey.

Halfway up the steep embankment, we found the remains of a springhouse under an ancient yew bush.  The spring was pouring from a half-rectangle of galvanized pipe and dropping into the opening of a hewn granite boulder.  Why such arrangement was necessary is only a guess but it made for a few intriguing moments as each of us threw out our ideas.

Back on the right track (pun intended), we arrived at the bridge.  The rails are gone but all of the crossties are present and in fairly good shape.  However, due to snow on the timbers, we decided that it was only good judgment to save a crossing for another, warmer day.

After a thermos of hot Chai tea and gorp in the warm sun of the secluded bridgehead, we turned and moved back to the car.  The hike back was equally enjoyable and we surprised a herd of six deer along the way.

It was a great way to spent a cold, but sunny afternoon to ward off yet one more week of terminal cabin fever.

For another trip to Delphi canal sites, click here.

Map to trailhead parking area:
Trailhead parking

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