Martin State Forest — Hotel in Paoli

Amidst the natural allure of Martin State Forest, we found a secluded spot to witness the grandeur of the 2024 Total Eclipse. Surprisingly, the park was a hidden gem that day, with minimal visitors, granting us a serene environment to take in the cosmic phenomenon.

Our initial plan to watch the eclipse from the fire tower was thwarted, as it was closed, hinted by the DNR patrol vehicle stationed at the trail's start. The reason for the closure remained unknown, but it did little to dampen our spirits. The forest's well-kept grounds provided a spectacular alternative viewpoint that did not disappoint.

Before the eclipse, we enjoyed the park's amenities, including a delightful playground that offered younger visitors a chance to play amidst nature, and several gazebos that served as the perfect setting for our pre-eclipse picnic.

The well-maintained park, the quietude of the forest, and the shared experience of the eclipse created a tapestry of memories. Even without the elevated view from the fire tower, the eclipse was a sight to behold, its beauty undiminished by our grounded perspective. The day was a testament to the forest's understated charm and the magic of nature's...

The fire tower is definitely the highlight of this place. While maybe slightly sketchier than some fire towers I've climbed, it felt solid structurally and offered a great view above the tree line once you got to the top (something that isn't true of all fire towers like the ones at Brown County and McCormick's Creek state parks). Don't come here for the mountain bike trails. They appeared to be just old fire roads and were overgrown and didn't look like anyone was maintaining them anymore. The campground was alright (about what you would expect for state forest primitive campgrounds), although the bugs were pretty bad when I came. Overall, if you need a place to camp for the night and all state parks are full, it could be worth the stay (I was one of only three campers total in the entire campground on a Friday night), but this will probably be a place I check off my list and won't be coming back to with some many other neat...

Only had time to fish at Martin Pond, fish wasn't really biting but I did see a few pretty big bass. scenery is beautiful, trails I walked were pretty decent, maintained fairly well. I'll definitely be going back, my dad said there is two other ponds, one right up road from where we were and another a little bit further with a trail to walk to it, or so it looked like it on the map view. hopefully it's not overgrown too much. nice time and look forward...