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              Salamonie Lake

                   and State Recreation Areas

                                Wabash County

                                        Introduction

The Salamonie Lake Area is split in half by two counties. The west half of Salamonie is in Wabash County. The eastern half is in Huntington County. Because of this, you will find birding sites for Salamonie on both the Huntington and Wabash County web pages. It was important to separate the birding sites by county, as all record keeping by organizations and individuals are done by county.  Salamonie Lake is 12,486 acres large and contains a 2665 acre lake. The Salamonie River and the 10 creeks associated with the lake, provide abundant riparian birding. In addition to the reservoir, the Salamonie area has 60 ponds, marshes and wetlands. I have only accounted for less than 20 of them. So there is much exploring yet to do on my part. Thirty eight Wildlife Management Units, including the S- Zones,  serve as the perimeter of Salamonie Lake. As far as birding is concerned, it would take weeks to thoroughly explore all the Wildlife Management Units, State Recreation Areas and the Salamonie River State Forest. I break birding areas down into four major categories: 1. SALAMONIE SPILLWAY - The most important site for most birders, organized field trips are often led here during spring and fall migration. In late April, May, late August and September, birders slip into their hip boots to walk the spillway. The spillway is almost always wet during spring migration. If rains are adequate in late summer, the spillway can also be wet in fall. Yellow Rail has been found here in both spring and fall. The water can be 1 to 6 inches deep. In isolated spots, it can be as deep as 2 feet. The habitat in the spillway ranges from short grasses to four foot tall cattails. By yourself, walking the spillway may not be as productive as with a large group of people. Rails may scurry off in any direction when confronted by a lone birder, avoiding detection. A line of birders will force the birds to flush, so they may be identified and counted. 2.SALAMONIE RIVER STATE FOREST - Birders utilize this site during migration for warblers and other passerines of the mature forest. April, May, late August and September are the best times for migratory songbirds. Nesting species can be found in May, June and July. The horse trails and 13 Fire Lanes provide easy access to the forest. Walking north, and then east from the Hominy Ridge Picnic Area on the horse trail, will lead you to the Salamonie River. Excellent riparian birding can be enjoyed here.        3.STATE RECREATION AREAS - For birders, the boat ramps at the State Recreation Areas serve as strategic overlooks for Salamonie Lake. The boat ramps are utilized during migration to view waterfowl, gulls, terns, shorebirds, eagles and other raptors. The mowed grass areas are bordered by dense thickets and medium sized trees. Sparrows, towhees and other species which prefer a grassland, or open brush habitat, can be found here.                                                                                                                    4. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT UNITS - When birding the Wildlife management units, one must always wear hunter orange during hunting season. If you see vehicles already parked in the Unit Parking Lot, it is probably a sure bet that it is being hunted. If this is the case, move on to the next Unit. The Wildlife Management Units host a wide variety of habitat: rivers, creeks, grasslands, open brush grasslands, tree lines, woodlots, pine stands, marshes and ponds. Most of the units are bordered by Salamonie Lake. The Wildlife Management Units may not be as well maintained as the State Recreation Areas. You may find yourself working your way through tall weeds. I usually bird the Wildlife Management Units in May and October for sparrows. Search for wintering species here: Northern Shrike, Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier, White-throated Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow.

References: Indiana DNR State Map and Text for Salamonie Lake.

 

 

   Left click on the picture with your mouse, to make the image full size.               

                                 Salamonie Spillway

1. The Salamonie Spillway, on the north side of C.R.100, looking northwest.

2. Salamonie Spillway north of C.R. 100, looking northeast.

3. The Salamonie Spillway, south of C.R. 100, looking southeast.

 

Photos 1 thru 3: The Spillway is usually birded from late April, May, late August and September. Hip boots are used to wade through the water and flush wetland species. Rare or uncommon species sought out here include migrating Leconte's Sparrow, Yellow and Black Rail. Waders and many species of shorebirds can be found here when the spillway is wet.   Directions to the Spillway: From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and drive straight on the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)]. At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S.  Drive west roughly 2 miles. The spillway will be on both sides of C.R. 100 S. There is also spillway north of C.R. 50, which is one road north of C.R. 100.

     

   Salamonie Dam - Tailwater Fishing Site

4. The Salamonie Dam sign, on the west side of the Dam.

5. The road across the Salamonie Dam, looking east.

6. A view from the Dam, looking directly south.

7. From the Salamonie Dam, looking north at the Tailwater Fishing Site below.

8. The Salamonie Tailwater Fishing Site, up close.

 

Photos 4 thru 8: Directions to Salamonie Dam - From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and drive straight on the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)]. At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S. Drive west roughly 2.5  miles to the Dam.   To access the Tailwater Fishing Site, turn right (north) on C.R. 650 E. (a brown "Tailwater Fishing Site" arrow sign will signal this turn). Drive 1 mile north to the stop sign / T-section. Turn left (west) on C.R. 50 S.  Drive roughly 3/4 mile to the stop sign / T-section.  Turn left (south) on C.R. 600 E.   Follow this road south till it dead ends at the Tailwater Fishing Site Parking Lot.

 

                  Salamonie River State Forest

 

9. The Salamonie State Forest sign at the north end of the forest, at S.R. 524.

10. The State Forest Road leads north to the entrance of Salamonie State Forest, at S.R. 524.

11. Fire Lane 2: There are at least 13 fire lanes in Salamonie State Forest, which provides easy access when birding for migrating songbirds.

12. Hominy Ridge Lake and Picnic Area sign.

13. Looking northwest from the Hominy Ridge Lake Boat Ramp.

 

Photos 9 thru 13: The 13 fire lanes and the horse trails along Salamonie River State Forest Road provide easy hiking, while searching for migrant songbirds. In the winter of 1997, a Townsend's Solitaire was discovered by Jim Haw. The bird was wintering in cedars, on the north slope of Hominy Ridge Lake.  Directions to Salamonie River State Forest: From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and drive straight on the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)]. At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S. Drive west roughly 4 miles (crossing over the Salamonie Dam). Turn right (north) on Pefley Road. Drive roughly 1/2 mile to the stop sign / T-section. Turn left (north) (this is State Forest Road, but the road is unmarked). This road cuts north through Salamonie River State Forest and ends at the T-section of America Road / S.R. 524 N. This is the official entrance of the Forest. The Horseman's and Primitive Campground is on the west side of this road. Eleven Fire Lanes are along this road. Birders seem to prefer Fire Lanes 2 and 3.   

 

 

14. Hominy Ridge Lake Boat Ramp, looking northeast.

15. The levee on the east bank of Hominy Ridge Lake. This levee leads north to horse trails and the Salamonie River.

16. Hominy Ridge Lake, looking west from the levee.

17. A steep ravine with a small stream.This is north of Hominy Ridge and along the horse trail.

18. The horse trail leading north from Hominy Ridge Lake.

 

Photos 14 thru 18: Directions to Hominy Ridge Picnic Area - From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and go straight (north) on the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)]. At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S.  Drive west roughly 4 miles (crossing over the Salamonie Dam). Turn right (north) on Pefley Road. Drive roughly 1/2 mile to the stop sign / T-section. Turn right (southeast) on State Forest Road (road is unmarked).  Drive roughly 1/2 mile east to the Hominy Ridge Lake parking lot.

 

 

19. The Salamonie River, looking southeast. Accessed from the horse trails, north of Hominy Ridge

20. The Salamonie River, looking north. Accessed from the horse trails, north of Hominy Ridge.

21. A trickling stream at the bottom of a steep ravine, north of Hominy Ridge.

22. The Picnic Area of Hominy Ridge, looking southwest.

 

 

 

                           Dora-New Holland S.R.A.

 

23. The Dora-New Holland State Recreation sign.

24. Wildlife Management Unit S-3 is on the north side of Dora-New Holland's main park road.

25. Dora-New Holland's main park road. Long-eared and Saw-whet Owls have been found wintering in the pines on the left.

26. View from the Dora-New Holland Boat Ramp, looking southeast toward the Salamonie Beach.

27. Dora-New Holland Boat Ramp, looking northeast toward the Dam.

 

Photos 23 thru 27: Dora-New Holland S.R.A. is half way between the Dam and Salamonie Beach.  Salamonie Lake elbows slightly here, making it difficult to view the entire lake from the dam. The boat ramp allows scope views of waterfowl north toward the Dam and southeast toward the beach. A strategic overlook. The pine stands along Dora-New Holland's main park road has hosted wintering owls in past years. On the north side of the road, in Wildlife Management S-3, the pine stands hosted a Northern Saw-whet and Long-eared Owls one winter.  Directions to Dora-New Holland - From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and go straight (north) on the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)]. At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S.  Drive west for roughly 4 miles. You will cross over the Salamonie Dam and then veer left (south).  At some point, C.R. 100 S. became Salamonie Dam Road.  When you reach the stop sign / T-section, turn left (east) on C.R. 250 S.   Drive east for roughly 1/2 mile. Turn left (north) on C.R. 600 E. (a Dora-New Holland S.R.A. sign will signal this turn).

 

 

                                       5 Ponds Area

                    Wildlife Management Unit 29

 

28. The entrance sign for Unit 29 and the 5 Ponds Area, at the intersection of C.R. 200 S. and C.R. 750 E.

29. The mowed trail leading east into the 5 Ponds Area, from the 5 Ponds parking lot at the roads dead end.

30. Habitat at Unit 29: Corn, Soy beans, Black oil sunflower, grasslands, dense thickets, tree lines and marsh.

31. Pond number one.

32. Pond number one.

 

Photos 28 thru 39: The 5 Ponds Area has a lot to offer. When water levels are low, shorebirds and waders might be found at any of the 5 ponds in April, May, August and September. Wood Ducks can usually be found here on every visit during the summer months. In April, May and October, birding for sparrows should be good. The mix of weedy grassland areas and crop fields, combined with tree lines with dense thickets for cover, would seem to be ideal habitat for sparrows. The planting of black oil sunflower here in 2004 provides an excellent food source for birds and mammals. When I visited 5 Ponds (Unit 29) in September of 2004, hundreds of finches were dining on the sunflower seeds.   Directions to 5 Ponds (Wildlife Management Unit 29) - From the intersection of S.R. 105 and S.R. 124, drive straight (north) on S.R. 105 for roughly 5 miles [ignore S.R. 105 when it elbows right and follow the gravel road (C.R. 900 W.)].  At the stop sign / T-section, turn left (west) on C.R. 100 S.  Drive west for roughly 2 miles.  Turn left (south) on C.R. 750 E.   Drive 1 mile south to the elbow in the road.  At the intersection of C.R. 750 E. and C.R. 200 S., continue straight (south) on the gravel road (a brown "Wildlife Management Unit 29" sign is here).   Follow this gravel road south for roughly 1/2 mile.   At the cement wall with a "Road Closed" sign, turn left (east) at this dead end and park in the grass / gravel lot. Walk east on the  mowed, grass service road.

 

 

33. Sparrows seek refuge from predators at the woodland edge, made up of small trees and dense thickets.

34. Some fields at Unit 29 are planted in black oil sunflower, a food source for birds and wildlife.

35. Pond number 2.

36. A grassland area leading to an open brush area with small trees.

37. Pond number 3.

 

 

38. Pond number 4.

39. Pond number 5.

 

 

More site photos of Salamonie Lake can be found on the Huntington County web page. From my home page: click on East-Central, then click on Huntington County.

On the Birding Tour web page, you will find 2 downloadable tours which pertain to Salamonie. The Salamonie Big Day Tour provides directions to the most frequently birded sites at Salamonie. It is a one day loop through the area. The East-Central Birding Tour provides directions to key sites at Salamonie, Mississinewa and J. Edward Roush (Huntington) Reservoirs. It is geared toward waterfowl migration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

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Last modified: 02/08/07