Jennings Environmental Education Center is a state park that neighbors Moraine State Park, and is notable for the relic wildflower prairie, which you'll pass through on your hike to the geocache. The prairie has a self-guided tour with various signs along the trail, and is especially beautiful in the summer months when crowned by the stunning Blazing Star flower.
After passing the prairie, you'll start on the park's longest trail loop, the Oak Woods Trail. The trail is nicely shaded and well maintained. You'll notice a few things as you hike: a deer exclosure area often studied by local colleges, trees marked with small silver tags and initricate carvings that were ravaged by the Emerald Ash Borer, and the remnants of abandoned ore pits.
You'll know you're in the area of the geocache when you see these ore pits. They are particularly noticable in the winter when there is less plant cover, though less obvious when lush with vegetation. Pay attention to the landscape around you - it will seem suddenly more hilly and valley-esque, almost as if someone dug shallow holes in the ground and never filled them in. The ore pits at Jennings were used to mine iron ore back in the early 1900's, prior to Jennings designation as a state park.
You will find the geocache in this area, no more than 3 feet off trail - is it on the right ore left?
