University Elementary Student Pages

Outdoors & Nature in Bloomington
	Bloomington is a beautiful city for nature and the outdoors. There are lots of trees and parks, and there are plenty of outdoor activities you can do all year. Third graders at University surveyed students all over the school. They asked for opinions on the following questions:

Where is the best nature preserve or forest in or around Bloomington?
(Click on the links to visit each Web site) 37% McCormick’s Creek State Park 23 % Hoosier National Forest 6.5% Leonard Springs Nature Park 6.5% Bluespring Caverns Park 5% Yellowwood State Forest 2% Deam Wilderness 20 %Other

Comments:

"I chose McCormick's Creek because it's really beautiful there, and they have waterfalls and hiking trails."
" Hoosier National Forest is an amazing place to be. It is beautiful and in my opinion is a great way to view Bloomington."
"The best nature preserve is the Blue Spring because it is best preserved."

Where is the best camping in or around Bloomington?
(Click on the links to visit each Web site) 36% Lake Monroe Village 12 % Hickory Ridge Horse Camp 12% Morgan-Monroe State Forest 5% Deam Wilderness 3% Hardin Ridge Recreation Area 3% Bradford Woods 29 %Other

Comments:

"I picked Lake Monroe Village because it has the best places for setting up tents and camping."

What is the best way to experience nature in Bloomington?
(Click on the links to visit each Web site) 34% Horseback Riding at Stone Creek Ranch or the Hoosier National Forest 16.5% Hot air balloon ride with Balloon Safaris or Vencel Hot Air Balloons 16.5% Exploring caves at Bluespring Caverns or Leonard Springs 13% Kayaking at Pangea Kayak Ecotours 3.5% Hiking or rock-hopping at McCormick's Creek 16.5 %Other

Comments:

"Hot air balloon rides are the best way to experience nature in Bloomington because you can see the best nature areas from above. Also, you don't get tired from walking around."
"I like rock-hopping because it is nice and I learn a lot about the water and the rocks and the nature around me."
"I chose exploring caves because I think nature is best experienced when only you and your family are walking around just looking at nature and not having to worry about anything else."

Outdoors & Nature in Bloomington