French Lick: Train Travel, History and Trails
Accommodation in French Lick
French Lick offers a range of travel experiences: the French Lick Scenic Railway winds through the hills of southern Indiana, historic tours explore topics at the French Lick Springs Hotel, and the golf courses vary in format and scale. There are also two trails, each with its own length and landscape features. You can tailor your stay to focus on train travel, history, walks or golf.
A train journey through the hills
The French Lick Scenic Railway departs from the French Lick Depot in downtown French Lick. Its route winds through the hills of southern Indiana and along the Hoosier National Forest. Along the way, the train passes limestone and sandstone outcrops, a lake and the state’s second-longest railroad tunnel. The landscape and a distinctive structure are both part of the same route. For planning purposes, the downtown depot offers a specific point of reference; the route offers a different focus from a tour of the hotel or a walk on foot.
Historic topics at the French Lick Springs Hotel
The French Lick Springs Hotel offers historic tours. These tours cover the creation of tomato juice in 1917. Another option is the French Lick Resort’s self-guided historic tour, which takes visitors through the French Lick Springs Hotel and introduces them to the site’s first visitors in 1845. This means guided and self-guided formats are available, each with a different historical point of reference. Historic tour schedules may change; check the available dates before planning a specific visit.
Trails linking hotels and leading through the woods
The Ferguson Trail is an easy, paved, one-mile trail that connects the French Lick Springs Hotel with the West Baden Springs Hotel. The Creek Trail branches off the Ferguson Trail; it is also easy, 0.4 miles long and passes through wooded scenery with footbridges. This gives you a longer, paved connecting trail and a shorter branch with woods and bridges as two distinct options. The details about their lengths, connections and surroundings make the two trails easy to tell apart.
Golf courses in different formats
The Pete Dye Course at French Lick is a par-72 championship course measuring 8,102 yards. The Donald Ross Course at French Lick was restored in 2006 to preserve elements of its classic design. The par and length of the Pete Dye Course offer useful reference points, while the Donald Ross Course is distinguished by its restoration history.
The Valley Links Course at French Lick is a standard nine-hole course next to the French Lick Springs Hotel. The Sand Creek Course at French Lick is a short course with nine holes ranging from 40 to 90 yards in length. Both have nine holes, but they are classified differently: one as a standard course and the other as a short course with the stated hole lengths. These distinctions help you compare the golf options described by format and design history.
Use these experiences to guide your accommodation search
When searching for a vacation rental in French Lick, specific points of reference can help structure your plans: the depot downtown, the trail connecting the two hotels and the Valley Links Course next to the French Lick Springs Hotel. Consider which of these points matters for your planned activities, and tailor your search accordingly. This way, you can start choosing a location based on the experiences that interest you in French Lick.
For the broader travel overview: Orange County.
