Indiana State Parks
The direct link to Indiana State Parks- Nature Preserves
We recommend purchasing a Year round permit.
Admission to most state parks in Indiana is $4 M-T and $5 F-S. A annual
pass can be purchased for $36 for resident's and $46 for non residents.
During the off season and occasionally during the week, the entrance
fees are waived.
Most preserves and a few SRA have free access. The proceeds from the entrance and camping fees go directly to the park system.
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Park |
Park Rating 1- 5 ( 5 * highest ) |
Camping 1- 5 ( 5 * highest )  |
Description -
Review |
Trail Map |
Image | Address |
| *** | N/R |
Brown County State park has an abundance
of Hills & Valleys, some say it resembles portions of
Tennessee. The majority of the park is easily accessible and it
is generally dry but picturesque the best time to visit is in
the fall. This park is great if you have a horse, or like visiting nature from your car. If you are an avid hiker like myself you may find spending more than one day on the trails is sufficient. If you are a hiker plan on two one day trips to cover the entire 15,000 acre park. I would personally space these trips 6 months apart and visit other areas in between. Warning: In remote portions of the park you may encounter Timber Rattlers. Camping: Yes |
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1405 State Road 46 West Nashville, Indiana 47448 | |
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Cataract Falls SRA
Recent Name Change: Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber SRA) |
**** | N/R | Cataract Falls is the largest falls in Indiana, the SRA contains two falls the upper & lower. I suggest driving to the falls rather than taking the hiking trail. Portions of this were destroyed during the flood of 2008 and are quite hazardous. |
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Upper Falls   Lower Falls   |
1317 W. Lieber Road, Suite 1 Cloverdale, IN 46120 (765) 795-4576 |
| Chain O' Lakes | * | N/R | If you are
looking for day a trip to take the family for a picnic, boating adventure,
fishing or just a day at the beach then the Chain
O' Lakes state park is for you. Amenities: Row Boats, Paddle Boats, Beach, Canadian Geese, Raccoons, ticks and hot trails. You may encounter the occasional native water fowl but these were not observed on our trip. Most are driven off by the geese. Camping: Yes |
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2355 E. 75 South Albion, IN 46701 260-636-2654 |
| Charlestown | ** | N/R | In about
5 - 10 years this park could rate a 3 or even a 4 however the trails are young
and not easily navigated. The trails are rugged which is a plus
but not well marked. The day we visited the park the temperature was in the mid 90's. This may have influenced our rating. The connecting trails are prairie trails and offer very little shade. This park is constructed on the site of an old ammunitions factory and portions still resemble this. The park is worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood ( Clifty Falls area ) but is not worth being a point of a single destination. Camping: Yes DNR Review: Charlestown State Park is located in southern Indiana with easy access from I-65, 8 miles to the east on state road 62. With scenic vistas of the Fourteen mile Creek valley and elevation changes of over 200 feet, Charlestown has much to offer the visitor with this diversity. While hiking the rugged terrain you will see Devonian fossil outcrops and areas of karst sinkhole topography. Bird watchers will enjoy the 72 species of birds, including bluebirds, black vultures and an occasional Bald Eagle. |
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Charlestown, IN 47111 812-256-5600 |
| Clifty Falls | **** | *** | Set on the
banks or the Ohio River, portions of Clifty Falls will take you
back to a land that has been frozen in time. The best way to
view the park is to hike the river trail. But do not
dismiss the rim trail, it has features that can not be seen from
the canyon / river trail. At the northern end of the rim trail
we spotted an Pileated Woodpecker. Be advised the river trail is a very rugged trail you will need to pack a lunch as there are very view exits once you enter the canyon. The nearby town of Madison is also worth a visit. INN: Yes Camping: Noisy easy access to trails |
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2221 Clifty Drive Madison Indiana |
| Falls of the Ohio | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| Fort Harrison | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| Harmonie | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| Indiana Dunes | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| Lincoln | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| McCormick's Creek | **** | **** |
McCormick's Creek is one of the oldest state parks in Indiana.
The trail system is well marked and offers a variety of views.
Portions of the stimulus money was spent last year to upgrade several of the trails. The wolf cave is currently closed to help reduce the spread of the White-nosed syndrome, a fungus that is killing bats in large numbers in the Northeastern U.S. and is now spreading west. This park is worth a visit, and is centrally located and is within an hour or two of many interesting state parks and it is within 45 minutes of Cataract Falls.. INN: Yes Camping: Section of the Campground are very quite. Others are inherit of the season, easy access to trails. |
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250
McCormicks Creek Park Road Spencer, IN 47460 |
| Mounds (Anderson) | *** | *** | Mounds
State Park is a very interesting park, it is nestled in the city
of Anderson Indiana. It contains several earthen works ( Mounds
) that date back to 160 BC. The park can be navigated within a
few hours. On our visits we have seen deer, owls, various
smaller birds, squirrels, ground hogs and a fox. The park will not filter out the daily noise of a city unless you walk deep into the park. The white river runs along side of the park which attracts several species of waterfowl. This park is a nice one day trip. Camping: Yes |
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     Photo Quality Poor on this one. We were stuck in the woods and about 1 inch of rain fell with in an hour. |
4306
Mounds Road Anderson, IN 46017 765-642-6627 |
| O'Bannon Woods | N/R | N/R | Not rated at this time | |||
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Ouabache ( French for Wabash ) |
*** | ** | Excellent
for a day trip. The park is wooded with a small pond that is
populated by Canadian geese. Paddle and row boat rental is
available. The park has a fire tower, pool and Bison exhibit. The down side of the park is that it's close to a large dairy farm. On hot windy days avoid the western side of the park unless farms smells do not annoy you. Near the park is a walking / biking trail that follows the Wabash river from the park to Bluffton Indiana. Camping: Sections of the Campground are very quite. Others are inherit of the season, easy access to the eastern trails. |
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4930
E. St. Rd. 201 Bluffton, IN 46714 260-824-0926 |
| Pine Hills Nature Preserve | ***** | N/A | A true
place where nature has not been disturbed is Pine Hills. The nature preserve has several wonders to behold. The Devils & Turkey Backbone trails are 200 feet high and sections are only 3 foot wide. The slate bed of Indian creek winds' though the valley. Deer and small mammals inhabit the park but are rarely seen. The trails are scarcely marked, you will not get lost in the valley, but may not discover all of it's beauty unless you keep a watchful eye. Be careful on Devil's backbone the climb up is quite dangerous. Portions of the trail are less then 4 feet wide and it's at an elevation of over 200 feet. At the valley floor make sure you visit honeycomb rock. Pine Hills is connect by a trail from Shades state park and also has it's own parking area. If you are not camping at Shades I suggest driving to Pine Hills and parking in the adjacent lot this will take 3 miles off of your journey. Map |
N/A Occasionally a map can be found at the check in point. |
Additional Photos      |
Pine Hills Nature Preserve Directions Map |
| Pokagon | *** | N/R | Pokagon is
close to Angola Indiana, and lake James. It features a toboggan
run and a variety of trails. Features are a waterfowl area,
wooded and prairie trails and a beach. On our trips we have seen
various animals and birds including several foxes. Pokagon is
good for a on day trip or weekend camping. INN: Yes Camping: Yes |
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450
Lane 100 Lake James Angola, IN 46703 260-833-2012 |
| Potato Creek | N/R | N/R | Not rated at this time | |||
| Prophetstown | N/R | N/R | Not rated at this time | |||
| Redbird State Riding Area | N/R | N/R | Not rated at this time | |||
| Shades | ***** | **** | If you
like nature then Shades is worth a visit. There are several
towns with in an hour that make accessibility to Shades easy.
Shades has the beauty of being untouched by progress. Rugged trails and several small waterfalls and wildlife are the norm at shades. Shades is less then a 30 minute drive from Turkey Run the "crown jewel" of Indiana's park system. Given a choice I would visit Shades over Turkey run. Camping: Quiet all sites are non-electric. Modern shower house. |
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Route 1
Box 72 Waveland, IN 47989 765-435-2810 |
| Shakamak | N/R | N/R | Not rated at this time | |||
| Spring Mill | **** | N/R | Spring
Mill has a cave system that can be navigated by guided flat boat
tours. And a few others that you can explore by foot. Spring
MIlls also features rocky and wooded trails and a pioneer
village staffed by volunteers. Pets are restricted in portions of this park. Camping: Yes |
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3333 State Road 60 East Mitchell, IN 47446 812-849-4129 |
| Summit Lake | N/R | Not rated at this time | ||||
| Tippecanoe River | ***½ | ***** | Within the borders of Tippecanoe are two nature preserve areas.
Sand Hill Nature Preserve has a huge pine forest that smells
like Christmas anytime of the year. Tippecanoe Nature Preserve contains a trail that winds in and out of low lying swamp areas. ( Be careful of the swamp rattlers !! ) Another great feature is the waterfowl area. We observed several species of heron and many species of frogs. Tippecanoe is a river otter release area and bald eagles have been spotted in the area. Neither were observed on our trip but we did see several hawks. Tippecanoe was give a 3.5 for the following reason: Stay away from hiking / horse trails ( 1 , 6 & 7 ). Navigating these types of trails is as pleasant as walking in 4 inches of snow. The topsoil is only 3 to 4 inches thick and the horses expose the under lying sand. Making hiking difficult. If the horse trails were separated from the hiking trails this park would rate a 4. If you have a horse then you would rate it a strong 5. Camping: Yes - Nice quite campground. |
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4200 N. U.S. 35 Winamac, IN 46996 574-946-3213 |
| Turkey Run | ***** | N/R | Turkey Run is the "Crown Jewel"
of the Indiana State Park system. Turkey Run is truly frozen in
time and untouched by the glaciers. The park consists of several rock caverns and sandstone ravines. Sugar creek cuts through a portion of the park. Most people head for the suspension bridge and begin exploring the park. Fight the urge and visit "Turkey Run Hollow" located behind the Inn. Next follow the rest of the explorers and cross the suspension bridge to a land time forgot. Turkey Run is located within an hours drive of several Indiana parks. Spend several days at the INN is worth the investment. Use the INN as a jumping point to the other parks. However expect to spend a few days at Turkey Run to explore the entire park, you will not be disappointed. Portions of the park trails follow stream beds, you will have a 50/50 chance of getting wet feet. It is suggested that you wear a sturdy pair of gym shoes that have plenty of grip, then swap them out for dry if needed when you exit the park. INN: Yes Camping: Yes |
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8121 East Park Rd. Marshall, IN 47859 |
| Versailles | *** | N/R | This park is similar to Mounds
except that it has natural sink holes. The park is a mostly dry
with the exception of a 240 acre lake, Versailles is worth a
stop on they journey to Clifty Falls. Camping: Yes |
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Versailles, IN 47042 812-689-6424 |
| Whitewater Memorial | ** | N/R | White water is a close cousin to Charleston except for the access to the Brookville Reservoir. This park is excellent for horses and boating. Mounds SRA is near by which contains earthen works similar to the ones in Mounds State park. But these are almost completely reclaimed by nature. |
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1418 S. State Road 101 Liberty, IN 47353 |
