Hi there!
The Hell’s Point Challenge of Pokagon State Park is around 8 miles long.
This is the ultimate hike of Pokagon State Park.
You will want to prepare for a good hiking day!
In short, this most importantly means good shoes, water, and snacks.
It can be good to prepare for a 3 to 4 hour hike for the Hell’s Point Challenge.
A park ranger at Pokagon State Park said the Hell’s Point Challenge takes around 3 hours.
The Hell’s Point Challenge is actually combines several of Pokagon State Park hiking trails.
ð According to the people of Indiana state parks, the Hell’s Point Challenge is moderately difficult. There are 84 steps up to Hell’s Point.
If you show proof that you did the full Hell’s Point Challenge to an Indiana state park ranger at the Pokagon State Park nature center, then you will receive a Hell’s Point souvenir!
You can take pictures along the way as you hike the Hell’s Point Challenge.
You will also contribute to the total number of people who have completed the Hell’s Point Challenge in 2023!
The goal is for more people to finish the Hell’s Point Challenge than last year.
You can be a part of reaching that goal!
ð The goal in July 2023 is to have more than 336 people finish the Hell’s Point Challenge!
ð You will receive a Hell’s Point Challenge finisher’s sticker after completing the Hell’s Point Challenge hike! You will show the Indiana state park ranger at the Pokagon State Park nature center pictures you took along the way!
Hell’s Point is a spot in Pokagon State Park, and you can also go to Hell’s Point without doing the full challenge.
If the whole Hell’s Point Challenge doesn’t interest you, and/or you want to do a slightly shorter but solid hike, then the most “rugged” hike in Pokagon State Park is trail #9.
You can combine trail #9 and the Hell’s Point loop to do a shorter hike in Pokagon State Park!
You can make a weekend of it too by staying at the Potawatomi Inn, which is the Pokagan State Park lodge.
You do need to complete the Hell’s Point Challenge in one day, though!
ð The Pokagon State Park lodge is the Potawatomi Inn. There are also cabins in Pokagon State Park. You can also go camping in Pokagon State Park.
ð Pokagon State Park ranger programs listed at the nature center. Do some hiking in Pokagon State Park and attend an Indiana state park ranger program!
Pokagon State Park hiking map for Hell’s Point Challenge
You can download the official Hell’s Point Challenge map before you go, as of summer 2023.
If you can’t see the map, try the official Indiana state parks website and look under the “maps” section for “Hell’s Point Challenge trail.”
I recommend you have 3 maps with you if you will be doing the Hell’s Point Challenge:
- The Hell’s Point Challenge map
- The Pokagon State Park trail map
- The mapsme app with the Northern Indiana map
You want the Hell’s Point Challenge map because well, that’s what you’re doing. ðĪŠ
You can get the Hell’s Point Challenge map at the Pokagon State Park nature center.
ð You can get a Pokagon State Park trail map of Hells Point Challenge at the nature center.
You want the larger Pokagon State Park trail map because that will show a few more trail details than the Hell’s Point Challenge.
Because those details will come in handy to help guide you to go the right way.
And, they can help you if you go the wrong way and get lost. ðĪĢ
I got the Pokagon State Park trail map at the front desk of the Potawatomi Inn, but I am guessing you can also get it at the Pokagon State Park entry station. Just remember to ask for it!
Yes, I got lost while doing the Hell’s Point Challenge. ðĪĢ
And actually, it wasn’t either of those paper maps that ultimately helped to get me back on track!
It was the mapsme app that got me back on the Hell’s Point Challenge trail!
This is free.
Luckily there was data service while out on the trail, so I was able to download the Northern Indiana map when I was lost.
But it’s better to have this downloaded before you go so you will be confident that you are going in the right direction!
Once you have the Northern Indiana map downloaded, you can be offline and still use the mapsme app.
You will just need the GPS turned on to figure out where you are.
The mapsme app has good details of the Pokagon State Park trails, so I used the paper map of the Hells Point Challenge to compare with the mapsme app to know the proper route to take.
ð Download the north Indiana map on the mapsme app before you start hiking in Pokagon State Park!
ð You can see the different trails marked on the mapsme app, including Hell’s Point!
ð It will even show you the stairs of Hell’s Point!
While out on the trail, there are some trail markers pointing in the direction of the Hell’s Point Challenge, but this clearly was not enough for me, as I somehow ended up on the wrong trail.
But, maybe your trail navigation will be better and you will be just fine with one or both of the Pokagon State Park maps. ðĪŠ
Where to start hiking the Hell’s Point Challenge in Pokagon State Park
The Hell’s Point Challenge starts near the Pokagon State Park nature center.
You will start off hiking on the paved biking trail.
There is a parking lot at the nature center, so you can drive straight there.
The start of the Hell’s Point Challenge is on the opposite side of the parking lot from the nature center.
Before you start your hike, go into the nature center to ask for the Hell’s Point Challenge map.
You can also talk to the Indiana state park ranger there about the hike.
If you are getting a late start, you might also ask what time the nature center closes, to know if you’ll be able to get the Hell’s Point Challenge finisher souvenir.
The listed phone number for Pokagon State Park is 260-833-2012, so you can also try calling before you go to confirm.
The nature center needs to be open in order for you to receive the finisher souvenir.
If you are getting a really early start, you’ll want to make sure it will be open when you finish.
For example, on the Sunday that I went in July 2023, the nature center opened at 10:30am, I think. It was also open until like 10:30pm the Saturday evening before!
I nearly started off hiking the Hell’s Point Challenge in the wrong direction! ðĪĢ
But if you actually read the directions posted on the nature center door, then you will have no problem with starting the hike.
Cost of hiking in Pokagon State Park
There is an Indiana state park entry fee for Pokagon State Park.
So the cost to hike in Pokagon State Park is the entry fee of around $7. See current fees.
Hiking in Pokagon State Park
Here are some pictures from the Pokagon State Park hiking trails while doing the Hell’s Point Challenge!
I went hiking in Pokagon State Park in July 2023. Your experience may vary!
ð Pokagon State Park trail marker. Directions to continue Hell’s Point Challenge, along with directions to trail #2, to Snow Lake, and to the Spring Shelter. At the spring shelter, there is a natural spring water source, and the Indiana state park ranger at the nature center told me that water was safe to drink!
ð Pokagon State Park trail marker. Directions to Hell’s Point! And to the Spring Shelter, Trail #2, and Trail #3.
ð Continue the Hell’s Point Challenge!
ð The Hell’s Point stairs are up ahead on the trail!
x
ð There are some portions of the Pokagon State Park trails that cross roads. Take care when crossing the road!
ð You can hike from Potawatomi Inn to Hell’s Point.
ð Hike to a small Pokagon State Park lake. This is Lake Lonidaw.
Hiking in Pokagon State Park with kids!
I did the Hell’s Point Challenge in July 2023 with my cousin’s 13-year-old son. He loved it. He said a few years ago he saw the Hell’s Point Challenge and thought there was no way he could do it. Now he wants to do more hikes!
My cousin hiked with her 9-year-old daughter and did a shorter loop of hiking in Pokagon State Park, including trail #9, trail #3, and Hell’s Point. They both loved it.
And that’s a bit about hiking in Pokagon State Park!
Explore Lake Michigan:
- South Haven beaches
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
- Muskegon State Park (hiking + beach!)
More road trips from Indiana:
- Best places to visit in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
- Things to do in Mammoth Cave National Park
- Things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Indiana to Yellowstone National Park
HAPPY HIKING IN POKAGON STATE PARK!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.