Plymouth, IN Outdoor Activities

Mudderland transmutes one of the Midwest's largest motocross tracks into a swampy test of endurance, challenging thrill-seekers across 3.5 miles of military-style obstacles. Unfurled across the site of a WWII munitions factory, the one-day, full-body assault sends participants running, climbing, and crawling through a lineup of natural barriers, including a 19-foot concrete wall that sprouted from a radioactive apple seed during the 1940s. As limbs splash through ponds, slither through tunnels, and flail wildly while soaring down monstrous slip and slides, spectators bask in the muddy melee from elevated bleachers and VIP viewing decks. Afterward, fresh water bursts from the course's showers to blast away dirt and reveal each participant's new layer of confidence.

When Jim Wiseman bought what would become Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area in 1968, it consisted of a dilapidated farmhouse and seven rope tows. A mere day before opening, five of the tows were condemned. But Jim remained undeterred, forging ahead with a humble inventory of 122 pairs of rental skis. Today, that number has grown to 2,000, in addition to 500 snowboards, which plunge down 11 runs and a 225-foot peak that also allows guests to test-drive the equipment and practice their yardstick skills. The terrain parks, one of which was added in 1997 to reflect the resort’s devotion to freestyle skiing, greet visitors with new challenges such as tabletops, high spines, grind rails, and pyramids.

Whether skiers tackle the stunt-ready equipment or seek out beginner lessons, they’re guaranteed fresh powder thanks to Swiss Valley’s expert method of snowmaking. The technology ensures enough snow for winter fun, as long temperatures allow and no salt giants attack the slopes. After their frosty jaunt, visitors can warm up in the fireside lounge, dotted with freestanding fireplaces and picture windows that overlook the snowy terrain.

Originally built as a one-room house in 1816, the Morse Mill Hotel grew to 5,300 square feet under the watchful eye of engineer John Morse, a former Confederate officer and suspected warlock. In its present state, the hotel may house ghostly figures who once took up residence in one of its 33 rooms. Jesse James and company signed their marks in the guest register, and a famous female serial killer, Bertha Gifford, was kept in the hotel's employ; a nearby gravesite marks her resting place. A burial ground for Confederate soldiers, relics of Al Capone's old brothel, and a dungeon also add to the sinister air. An expert paranormal guide leads amateur ghost gumshoes through the 33-room, four-story Morse manse, providing advice on where to find the friendliest demons. If they dare, guests are encouraged to snap photos to document their occult encounters with phantoms, specters, or eerily expensive minibars.

Noble Hawk Golf Links brings the haggis-flavored flair of Scottish course design to this 6,817-yard Northeast Indiana haunt. A moderate-length opener, hole 1 (par 4) tests club-wielding precision from the first tee with a series of deep bunkers hugging well-contoured fairways. From there, a round gets rowdier with diverse challenges such as a drive between water at hole 4, a huge mound bisecting the green at hole 5, and an over-water tee-shot into a large, undulating green at hole 15. Click here to take an online tour of the course, or let the innovation, diversity, and slumbering deer on the luscious greenery surprise you while you play. Pre- or post-round, practice drives with the large bucket of balls to fine-tune form and eliminate embarrassing mid-swing pirouettes.

Looking to put a new spin on a classic family activity, the minds behind Glowgolf decided to give the game a phosphorescent update. Incandescent courses place friends and family amid a tropical-fantasy golf world of neon orange, green, and violet surroundings. Players putt luminous orbs through vibrant treasure chests and glimmering windmills while negotiating tricky obstacles near walls portraying black-light-lit aquatic scenes. With more than 20 locations spread over 10 states, Glowgolf's fluorescent labyrinths challenge human players and traveling gnomes.

The flowing waters of the Maumee River gird the northernmost fairways of River City Links' 18-hole putting course, inviting misaimed golf balls to plop alongside the aquatic artery’s cargo ships floating down from Lake Erie. The waterway nestles alongside the course without cutting through it, enabling the course to maintain its straightforward layout. This, in turn, lets golfers focus on the fundamentals of their game without the distraction of elaborate hazards such as lava pits and ball-eating goats. After a relaxing day on the course, players can lounge on the clubhouse’s white wraparound deck and look out over the river, listening to the breeze that whispers through the weeping willows.