Martin State Forest Jug Rock Historic Mining Circuit

Martin State Forest’s mining circuit winds past the famous Jug Rock formation — a 60-foot sandstone pillar that’s been a landmark since pioneer days — before diving into the gnarly remnants of early 1900s coal and stone operations. The trail splits at Devil’s Hollow, where you’ll pick your poison: left takes you through flooded quarry pits with dicey limestone ledges, while right climbs past coal tipple foundations and mine shaft remnants that speak to harder times in these hills. Both routes converge at the old company town site where nothing remains but foundation stones and overgrown roads.

This is honest moderate terrain requiring 4WD with good ground clearance and recovery points for the quarry sections. Wet weather turns the clay base into wheel-sucking gumbo, so stick to dry conditions. No permits needed on state forest land, but respect the private property boundaries marked along the route. Loogootee has the last fuel and supplies. Fourteen miles of Indiana industrial archaeology that tells the story of boom and bust written in stone and steel.