10 Gorgeous Hoosier lakes that sometimes get overlooked (Part 1)

Indiana is absolutely swimming in great lakes. But if you’ve spent enough weekends on Lake Michigan or Lake Monroe, the larger bodies of water may feel a little too familiar. For those who have Wawaseen it all, here are 10 gorgeous Hoosier lakes that sometimes get overlooked—and the best rental houses on their shores.

1. Lake Syracuse

FOR THOSE looking to enjoy the abundance of Lake Wawasee without the abundant boat traic, neighboring Syracuse Lake ofers a quiet alternative. Connected by a channel, the later is a fraction of Wawasee’s size, but has access to the same dining, festivals, and real-estate voyeurism. Since multimillion-dollar homes circle Syracuse, renting a pontoon at the Wawasee Boat Company (6521 E. Cornelius Rd., Syracuse, 574-457-4404) to tour the shoreline should be a priority. At stunning Lakeside Park (syracusein.org /departments/parks), a beach volleyball court caters to adults while a playground keeps kids busy. The park also hosts the only public swimming beach on Syracuse. When you’re ready to dry of, the 11-milelong Syracuse-Wawasee Trail (syracuse wawaseetrails.com) meanders around this lake. Along the paved path, you might see turtles, great blue heron, and other wildlife. The town of Syracuse itself boasts a few cute shops such as Absolutely Apparel & Gits (509 S. Huntington St., 574-457-8887, absolutelyapparel.com), but the Artisans & Farmers Market (1013 N. Long Dr., syracusefarmersmarket.org) each Saturday morning is the highlight. Dining options are more plentiful. The Channel Marker (5793 E. Pickwick Dr., 574-457-5900, channelmarker.net) on the passage between the lakes serves great seafood, and Kiyomi Japanese Cuisine (404 S. Huntington St., 574-529-5025) surprises visitors with big-city–quality sushi. For drinks, belly up to the bar at the historic Frog Tavern (1116 S. Harkless Dr., 574-457-4324, sslillypad.com/frog), where sunkissed revelers end carefree days listening to live music. July happens to be the best month to visit Syracuse Lake, thanks to a number of festivals. The north shore puts on a modest ireworks show on July 4, and Lake Wawasee follows up with a huge show launched from a sandbar (wawaseeireworks.com) on July 7. Even more impressive, the Tour des Lakes (tourdeslakes.com) on July 14 atracts hundreds of cyclists for 25K, 50K, and 100K rides that start here and explore all of Kosciusko County. Syracuse Lake may be smaller than its more famous neighbor to the south, but with scenic beauty and a full summer calendar, it’s more than just along for the ride.

2. Lake Barbee

WITH MORE THAN 100 lakes in Kosciusko County, the Barbee chain doesn’t get a lot of atention. Six of the seven small bodies of water in this group appear interchangeable with so many puddles in northeastern Indiana. But “Big Barbee Lake,” as it’s sometimes called, has an advantage the others don’t: It’s large enough to allow speed-limit–free boating. That makes the Barbee Marina (314 EMS B61 Ln., Warsaw, 574-834-2595, barbeemarina.com) the irst stop if you’re interested in renting a vessel for watersports or ishing. Barbee is a hotspot for the later, with a diverse list of species that includes muskie, rock bass, and bluegill. For history-lovers, the Barbee Hotel (3620 N. Barbee Rd., 574-834- 1111, barbeehotel.net) is the lake’s most important landmark. Built in 1897, it once hosted the likes of Al Capone and Clark Gable. Today, the clapboard building serves some of the best Chicago-style pizza in Indiana, and—bonus!—is supposedly haunted.

Famous for its antiques, the town of Pierceton lies just south of Barbee Lake. My Red Moon (306 N. 1st St., 574-529-2102) and Blue Pearl Antiques (112 N. 1st St., 574-594-9800) are among the standouts, and when the annual Heirloom Tomato Festival (pierceton.us/event) brings people to town on August 25, the stores are packed. For a campy experience—pun fully intended— you might also consider a trip to the nearby Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park (1916 N 850 E, 574-594-2124, piercetonjellystone.com), the largest campground of its kind in the country. A sea of cabins, tents, and RVs host people more interested in events such as a rib fest cook-of (July 20–22) than roughing it. Barbee also sits just ive minutes from Tippecanoe Lake to the north, so if you tire of the former’s 304 acres, there’s a larger pool to explore. But given Barbee’s charm, the odds are good that you—like Clark Gable’s ghost—decide to stick around.

3. Lake Shafer

TO PARAPHRASE the crow in Indiana Beach’s commercials, there’s more than an amusement park at Lake Shafer. Sure, roller coasters dominate the western shore. But this body of water in Monticello, formed by a dam in the Tippecanoe River, also boasts nearby breweries, a charming drive-in theater, and a Pete Dye golf course.

Indiana Beach (5224 E. Indiana Beach Rd., 574-583-4141, indianabeach.com) is the main draw, of course. Founded in 1926, the park hosts several respectable coasters, including the wooden Cornball Express (save your Arrested Development jokes) and the Steel Hawg (with an 111-degree irst drop). Shafer’s only sandy swimming beach can be found here. Food Network featured the Taco Shoppe for its locally famous hard-shells. And 80 feet above, a slowmoving ski-lit called the Skyride ofers spectacular views not only of the park, but of the entire lake.

If you plan on boating, Lake Shafer Boat Rentals (2419 N.W. Shafer Dr., 574-583-5238, lakeshaferboatrentals .com) stocks the state’s largest leet of speedboats and pontoons. Throw your golf clubs on board and cruise over to the waterfront Tippecanoe Country Club (3267 N.W. Shafer Dr., 574-583- 9977, tippecanoecc.com), one of Dye’s irst projects. The 18-hole, par 72 course is open to the public. While on dry land, consider having a cold one at Kopacetic

Beer Factory (12195 U.S. 421, 574-808- 3378, kopaceticbeer.com). The microbrewery keeps an impressive selection of its own suds on tap, as well as crat beer from around Indiana. Lake Shore Drive-In (100 Rickey Rd., 574- 583-0311, lakeshoredrivein .com) is a quaint spot for ending the day with a ilm under the stars.

On the other side of the dam, at Shafer’s southern end, the Tippecanoe River meanders toward Lake Freeman and ofers a couple of fun places to eat at along the way. The Sportsman Inn (12340 N. Upper Lakeshore Dr., 574-583-5133, sportsmaninn.com) has been selling fried haddock and beer since 1928. The Oakdale Dam Inn (11899 W. Oakdale Dr., 574-965- 9104, facebook.com/oakdaledaminn) serves up similar fare downstream. If you’re interested in a tour of Freeman while you’re there, the doubledecker Madam Carroll (12244 N. Upper Lakeshore Dr., 574-583-3545, madamcarroll.com) puters around the lake every Saturday night with a band. Depending on the wind, it’s just enough to drown out the screams of joy coming from Indiana Beach.

4.  Lake Lemon

IT MAY BE Indiana’s second-largest public reservoir, but there’s nothing second-rate about Lake Lemon. A nature-lover’s paradise, the body of water spans 1,650 acres and 24 miles of shoreline inhabited by bald eagles, great blue heron, egrets, muskrats, and more. One of the area’s bestkept secrets? The “Litle Africa” wetlands on the lake’s east end. Fed by Bean Blossom Creek, this spot is shaped like the continent that bears its name. Here you’ll ind catails and American lotus, the later blooming spectacularly in mid-to-late summer.

Established in 1953, Lake Lemon was Bloomington’s primary water source until the late ’60s, and conservation oicers still take its health very seriously, regularly checking for nuisance species and testing the water quality. The result? Anglers enjoy some of the best largemouth bass ishing around. (There are also crappie, catish, and bluegill.) Lake Lemon is strictly B.Y.O.B.—bring your own boat—as rentals aren’t available. There’s just one public ramp for large watercrat (7599 N. Tunnel Rd., Unionville), making Lemon generally less crowded and chaotic than its aquatic neighbor to the south, Monroe. (Pro tip: Kayakers may also launch via South Shore Drive, which goes from the mouth of Bean Blossom Creek right into Litle Africa.) Riddle Point Park (7599 N. Tunnel Rd., Unionville, 812-334- 0233, lakelemon.org/recreation) is home to the only public beach, and includes picnic areas, volleyball courts, and hiking trails. Leashed dogs are welcome everywhere. When hunger hits, you can head over to the nearby Port Hole Inn (8939 E. South Shore Dr., Unionville, 812-339-1856, portholeinn.com), accessible by land or boat. Although best known for its catish, the Port Hole ofers everything from pizza and calzones to tenderloins and deepfried pickle chips. The eatery also features live music on weekends. Rather DIY? Feel free to take your own grub and grill to Riddle Point Park. Because the beach at Lake Lemon is one of the few in the state to allow alcohol on its premises, you can bring your own beer, too. A toast to nature!

5. Lake Witmer

OF THE FIVE lakes that make up the Indian Chain in the northern part of the state, Witmer may be the most beautiful. Situated near the small town of Wolcotville, it’s also one of the cleanest in Indiana. As many ishermen know, cisco are a good sign of great water—and Witmer has its fair share of the species. Then there’s the interconnectedness of the lakes. You can explore more than 640 acres from this unspoiled litle hideaway (204 acres in its own right). There’s no boat rental place on Witmer, so you’ll want to bring your kayaks or ishing boat with you. At Coody Brown’s Lakeside Grill (1510 E 700 S, 260-854-2425), you can puter right up to the dock for pub grub. In town, Rieglings Coppertop (725 W. 700 S., 260-854-3000) has a roadhouse feel, with entrées more sophisticated than the exterior suggests—think blackened salmon drizzled with bleu cheese, then baked to a golden crisp. Perhaps the most unique experience near Witmer is Cook’s Bison Ranch (5645 E. 600 S., 866-382-2356, cooksbisonranch.com), where 500 bison roam and you can feed the animals. This third-generation ranch also ofers hunters the opportunity to harvest other large game on the property. A few miles south, Rome City features more reined atractions. The Limberlost Golf Club (3204 E 900 N, 260-854-4878, limberlostgc.com)—named ater the classic novel by Gene Straton-Porter, who lived in this area—is one of the oldest courses in the state. At The Lavender Lane (2258 E. Northport Rd., 260-854- 4494, thelavenderlane.com), you can buy soaps, oils, and potpourri from a farm that smells like heaven. Hiking trails wind through the uninhabited Big Island (sylvanlakeindiana.org/big-island.html) on adjacent Sylvan Lake. And the Sylvan Cellars tasting room (2725 E. Northport Rd., 260-760-1421, sylvancellars.com) pours both crat beer and cocktails in a renovated barn. Back on Witmer, you won’t ind much to distract you from the scenery. It’s probably the sleepiest lake on this list. But for those who prefer tranquility to tourist atractions, the water here is just fine.

sources:

Indianapolis Monthly, July 2018

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