Lower Cascades Park — Attraction in Bloomington

On the first evening of a three and a half day long vacation that my mom, my sister, my two youngest cousins (who are a year and two years older than me. I'm 13 by the way). The evening was Monday, July 27th, 2020. "We" (my amazing mom) drove between four and a half hours and five hours to bend is down here. Back to the story. So, some of my mom's friend lived down near here and one of her other friends goes down here to visit family and their son rock hunts for fossils and geodes. Luckily, since around (and probably under Bloomington) there is a large amount of limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary stone. That means it's made of many particulates of materials such as stone, sand, and dirt (there might and probably be tiny microscopic and macroscopic [microscopic means you need a microscope to see whatever it is while something that's macroscopic is just very, very, very difficult to see with the naked eye but it's possible] particulates of bones and in cases that make me sad, fossil particulates from fossils that just couldn't withstand all of the pressure, heat, movement, etc. that goes into becoming a fossil). Sedimentary rocks are the perfect type of rock to find geodes and especially fossils in. Well, there was a geode about the size of a grapefruit (according to my mom because I've never seen one asides from fruit snacks). My mom couldn't get it out using the chisels and hammers we brought. However, I kept on trying. A bit later my mom helped. Then a storm started to roll in. Instead of just leaving, my mom allowed me and my youngest cousin to try to get the geode out quick. We were quickly excavating the thing but then I got an idea. I put my chisel under the geode and but it with my hammer three times to be exact. Then it popped out and I grabbed it. I had actually hit my finger with my hammer a few times but I didn't feel a thing 'til I got it out and we drove to the Air B'n'B that my mom got above the small(ish) restaurant called Le Petit Cafe. Just too advertise it I'm going to tell you that the mattress I slept on (which was the mattress under the bed so it was on the floor) was so comfortable that I feel asleep in sometime less than 15 minutes. I probably feel asleep in around 7 minutes. When I sleep on my favorite mattress at home, it still takes me around 5 minutes with the most calming thing on the Calm app which (at least to me) is the Deep Sleep course when I'm very tired like I got every day of vacation. The Lower Cascades Park has rightfully earned the five stars I have given it. (P.S This is something I learned after we excavated the grapefruit-sized geode. Apparently, the geode we unearthed was the same one that the son [the one of my mom's second friend I mentioned] has tried to get. Their family had been down in Bloomington few weeks ago. Apparently the son, who I'll call C for the little bit left of this story; So C had actually been trying to dig that exact geode out for a while. Probably at most an hour. I'm guessing because I didn't really find out how long C was trying for [why would they even...

This secluded park is part of a larger overall park and trail system located north of downtown Bloomington along Old State Road 37. Just about a mile north of the College-Walnut split, this heavily wooded park opens up for a large playground area. There is a large ramp that allows access to the upper levels of the playground equipment for those challenged by climbing. There is plenty of parking on each end of the playgrounds. The road to the park is filled with blind curves, so the speed limit is slow. A creek that flows north to join Griffy Creek is on the west side of the road and you can see were access to the shelters on the west side of the park acts like a small dam until the water flows over the concrete, creating a water slide effect (not really...

The park itself is pretty great. This park is very large and tall for kids to explore on safely. There's plenty of room for many many kids to safely play together. Two different sets of swings and even a jungle gym iroented for younger kids, too. A tall rope-web climibng pyramid. The park is very close to a creek, waterfall access, and various hiking trails. Lower Cascades Park also has various shelters that can be reserved for events of all sorts. The only issue I have with this park is that it will periodically bring is homeless indiviudals that like to use the bathroom for their showering/drug use - I always stay clear of the restroom unless it's...