Newton County – Nature, Water and Family Experiences

Newton County combines watery landscapes, wide-open prairies, wildlife watching and unusual family experiences. Anyone planning a trip with a variety of daily activities will find opportunities here for active hours outdoors as well as destinations with historical and agricultural connections. When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home, you can therefore first consider whether nature, water, family activities or regional history should be the focus of your trip.

Lakes, Trails and Wide-Open Prairies

Kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding are permitted on J.C. Murphey Lake. In the Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area, 1,000 acres along the lake and several ponds are also available for fishing. Five marked hiking trails lead, among other places, around J.C. Murphey Lake and through the restoration of an oak savanna. Those who enjoy combining different forms of transportation can pair time on the water with walks or a bike ride. A 20-mile paved loop runs around the protected area.

Kankakee Sands also showcases another side of the landscape. Efroymson Prairie encompasses 8,400 acres of prairies and wetlands and provides habitat for more than 240 bird species. These include the grasshopper sparrow, northern harrier and American bittern. The Grace Teninga Discovery Trail is a 2-mile loop through the prairie, while the 1.6-mile Conrad Station Savanna Trail leads through an oak savanna. Kankakee Sands is also home to a bison herd currently numbering 100 animals, which graze across 1,100 acres of prairie. At the Bison Viewing Area, signs provide information about the surroundings; short walking paths lead to a viewpoint on a sand dune.

Experiences for Families and Curious Explorers

Fair Oaks Farms has its own special focus. The Dairy Adventure Building houses a 15,000-square-foot interactive museum about dairy farming. The approximately 1-hour-and-15-minute Dairy Tour travels by bus to an actively operating dairy farm. In the Birthing Barn, visitors can watch live calf births every day. Mooville includes a train ride, a climbing wall made of milk cans, a giant bounce pillow, pedal tractors and a children's playground.

Other offerings are aimed at visitors who want to learn about agriculture from different perspectives. The Pig Adventure includes a high ropes course and offers close-up views of newborn piglets. The Pig Adventure Farm Tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes and travels by bus to a modern pig farm in the region; from there, visitors tour areas overlooking the pig barns. Guided tours are offered in the Pollinator’s Garden, where you can watch bees pollinating various plants. The Orchard Field Trips include a guided walk through the orchard.

History Between Brook, Kentland and Morocco

There are also points of interest related to cultural history. Hazelden, George Ade's historic home in Brook, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. George Ade had the property built in 1904. His literary and Broadway success drew nationally known figures to Hazelden and made it a cultural center of the region. On September 23, 1908, Republican presidential candidate William Taft's campaign tour began there; several thousand people attended the rally.

A historic marker in Kentland covers Warren T. McCray's breeding of Hereford cattle at Orchard Lake Stock Farm in Newton County. In Morocco, another historic marker commemorates Baseball Hall of Famer Sam Rice, who was born near Morocco, Indiana.

Which Accommodation Fits Your Travel Plans?

For a trip involving water activities and marked trails, it is a good idea to plan in a way that leaves enough time for days outdoors. Families who want to combine several Fair Oaks Farms offerings can choose their vacation rental based on their preferred itinerary. Those who would rather combine nature watching with regional history will find a variety of themes in Newton County for an eventful trip. The key factor is less a single vacation style than which experiences you want to combine during your stay.

Find more destinations in the surrounding area at Tippecanoe, Huntington County, Bartholomew County, Madison County, Wells County, Putnam County and Montgomery County.

For the overarching travel overview: Indiana.