Touring Tuesday - The Lieber Loop Bicycle Route

Richard Lieber (right) and Governor Harry Leslie at Dunes State Park

In 1915 Richard Lieber suggested to the governor of Indiana he create a state park system to celebrate the state's centennial in 1916. The governor liked the idea and put Lieber in charge of making it happen. The following year McCormick's Creek opened as Indiana's first state park. By the time he stepped down in 1933, the system had grown to ten state parks. In 1944 he died while staying at McCormick's Creek State Park.

In 2016, Circle City Bicycles is celebrating Indiana's bicentennial by creating the Lieber Loop bicycle route. This route will link together the following state parks and recreation areas:

1. McCormick's Creek State Park
2. Lieber State Recreation Area
3. Turkey Run State Park
4. Prophetstown State Park
5. Miami State Recreation Area
6. Oubache State Park
7. Summit Lake State Park
8. Whitewater Memorial State Park
9. Versailles State Park
10. Clifty Falls State Park
11. Spring Mill State Park
12. Brown County State Park

Five of these parks (McCormick's Creek, Turkey Run, Clifty Falls, Spring Mill and Brown County) were created under Lieber's administration.

The first two segments have been completed and are available online at our Bicycle Touring Indiana page. We'll keep you informed on our progress.