We recently visited Wesselman Woods and Nature Preserve in January 2025. Wesselman Woods is the largest tract of virgin, old-growth forest within any city limits in the United States. It also has many of the last surviving remnant of Southern Indiana’s original forests. It features 200 acres of virgin bottomland hardwood forest and is home to more than 300 species of wildflowers, 150 species of birds and numerous mammals. In 2025 they were able to enlarge the park with the return of the ground that Robert’s Stadum stood on.
It is one of the parks that we live close to but seem to always forget about going to visit it. Cheryl and I both went there when we were much younger so many things have changed. I think manly it is because we live in the country and have woods on our place that we do not think about going to look at trees. Along with the many other state parks in the area. We took time to visit it this January and made a video of our walk. You can look at the video below and for more insights that did not make the video keep reading.
When you enter the Wesselman Park it is free to use much of the park grounds. There are shelter houses, walking paths, biking trails, and many more things that are not part of the Nature Preserve. To get to the Nature Preserve you have to drive to the back of the main park and there is a parking area and Main entrance to the Nature building.
There is an admission charge to enter the Nature area, $5 per Adult and $3 per child age 3 to 12. Admission is free, if you are a member.
Once you go into the visitor center there are displays and different things for you and kids to interreact with. After looking at the displays, you can go out to walk the paths in the woods. The nature center also hosts several events throughout the year.
On the left a person can go behind the turtle shell and stick their head out like a box turtle. While on the right you can learn about Indiana old growth forest and see how much of the old growth is left in America.
Here on the left you can see how a woodpecker using a dead tree to build their nest. I found this display very interesting as I had never studied one before. I have seen many woodpecker holes and knew there were nest in them.
In this display there is a box turtle that is hiding can you find it?
Then you can walk to the back side of the visitor center, and they have a area where you can sit and bird watch or watch for any animals that might live in the woods.
Next it was time to go outside and walk around the woods. When you first walk out you will see a building called Sugar Shack. Every spring they have a group of people that come in and tap many of the maple trees. They will bring the sap into the shack where the sap is boiled to remove the water from the sugars that come of the trees. It takes many gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. The trees will move more sap and produce the most sap while the outside temperatures are freezing at night and gets above freezing during the day. Some years here in southern Indiana that can be just a week or two. It is best to check with the park to see when they are sugaring, if you are thinking about going to watch.
Once you start down the trails the first trail that you will come on is for people that need to use wheelchairs. The trails are well marked that let you know where you are at.
The trails will be fairly flat and easy to walk in. Many places they have a board walkway that you can travel on.
One of the things that Cheryl and my son enjoyed doing was all the interactive signs that help with identifying the different trees and plants in the woods. My son would cover them up and then ask Cheryl what the plant was. Being that we went in January it was harder for Cheryl because she knows the leaves better than the bark of trees.
The older areas of the woods or forest area has more space between the trees and undergrowth. The old tall tree canopies will block out the sun light that is needed for the younger trees and underbrush to grow.
These large canopies, in the fall, will put a lot more leaves on the forest floor than what is produced in a younger forest or woods. Along with the branches and trees that fall will provide a deeper ground floor cover keeping weeds out of the forest. The deep layer of flooring will provide the food that grubs, termites, and other insects to live and help break down the debris to provide the fertilizer that the trees need to keep growing.
On the north side of Wesselman Woods you can walk another historical part of Indiana. You will find what is left of the Wabash and Erie Canal.
Walking down the tow pathway you can see how close that Evansville was to loosing these old growth woods. There is urban development on all four sides of the woods as Evansville kept expanding. The two different owners had to fight hard to keep from selling the land as people tried to pressure them to sell. As you can see some of them were able to get at the land like the canal works, the railroad on the northside of the canal. The old Roberts Stadium that has now been removed and the land handed back to Wesselman Park.
We hope that people in the area will go visit this little gem in southern Indiana. It is overlooked by many. We also didn’t think about this park and didn’t visit, until now. There is so much that you can enjoy and learn. A nice walk in the woods, is peaceful and good for the soul!
Visit their website for more information. Wesselman Woods
If you have any stories about your visit to Wesselman Woods feel free to give us a comment below. We would love to hear them!
