Resources For Indiana’s Protected Areas Map
The shapefiles with Indiana’s state boundary lines, major rivers, and cities were downloaded from Natural Earth Data.
The Parks and Public Lands shapefiles for Indiana were downloaded from USGS.
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Mccormick’s Creek State Park
McCormick’s Creek State Park is the lime green park located northwest of Bloomington.
McCormick’s Creek State Park offers a spectacular limestone canyon to explore, scenic waterfalls, and a flowing creek. The hiking trails feature diverse forest trees, native wildflowers, and spicebush.
There’s a trail through the Wolf Cave Nature Preserve, as well as an accessible trail at the nature center.
History lovers enjoy climbing the fire tower, exploring the shelter house, and crossing the stone arch bridge.
The historic Statehouse Quarry is located near White River. The lobby of Canyon Inn is open to all park visitors, and they can also enjoy bird watching from the dining room’s porch.
Cultural events take place at the park amphitheater, and there are also several special events hosted throughout the year.
The summer brings visitors to the pool for a dip in the cool refreshing water.
The park offers several activities such as hiking, a recreation center, horseback riding trails, picnic shelters, and tennis courts.
Stick around and camp out at one of the campground sites. There are 32 primitive sites, as well as 189 developed sites with electricity.
Indiana Dunes National Park
The Indiana Dunes National Park is the red strip that spans 15 miles of the southern shores of Lake Michigan. Visitors love scouting the area for rare bird species and flying kites on the sandy beach.
There are over 50 miles of trails for hikers to explore. Experience the rugged dunes, sunny prairies, forests, cool rivers, and mysterious wetlands at the park.
The park offers tons of outdoor recreational activities like camping, biking, bird and wildlife watching, horseback riding, and even hosting winter events. The historic sites are a great way to learn about the history of the people and places of the area, Indiana Dunes.
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Indiana Dunes State Park
Chesterton, IN 46304
Indiana Dunes National Park is one of the newest national parks and an easy getaway from the greater Chicago area. Indiana Dunes State Park, adjacent to the national park, was founded in 1925 and gives visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in this unique natural environment. High sand dunes and the spectacular Lake Michigan shoreline are the highlights, but the state park also includes peaceful wooded trails where you can escape the sun and the crowds. There are close to 140 large campsites with electric hookups available. Campground facilities include basic but clean restrooms and showers, potable water, and a dump station. Families will love the nature center and The 3 Dune Challenge . Note that the park entrance fee is $12 for out-of-state visitors.
Clifty Falls State Park
Clifty Falls State Park is located in southeastern Indiana, on the shores of the Ohio River.
One of the park’s main attractions is the incredible waterfalls. They seem to change moods with the weather and seasonal shifts. The falls can range from roaring plunges to a delicate bridal-veil mist, and in the winter they become gleaming frozen titans!
Spring and winter visits to Clifty Falls reveal the waterfalls at their best. Clifty Canyon offers excellent opportunities for year-round hiking and scenery. The waterfalls and streams are enough to draw a crowd on their own, Clifty Canyon.
The creek’s stony bed is littered with all sorts of fossil remnants reminding visitors of a time from the past. The long-vanished marine ecosystem that was once teeming with life included ancestral squids, brachiopods, and ancient corals.
Visitors can look but can’t collect, as fossil collecting within the park is prohibited. However, nearby locations are readily accessible for those who want to bring a souvenir home.
The Lanier State Historic House, located in Historic Madison, is a mansion. Enjoy a scenic drive along the Ohio River and catch a glimpse of the stunning architecture.
The park hosts special community events, including the July Regatta hydroplane boat race and the Madison Chautauqua Festival of Art.
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Winter Camping At Indiana State Parks
- Current: Winter Camping at Indiana State Parks
Camping is available year-round at Indiana State Parks. Reservations can be made year-round so you can see what camping loops and sites are open for winter camping and reserve a site if you choose to. Walk-in registrations are still accepted and can be made at the park office or the gate. Some campground loops may be closed. Check with the property office when planning your visit.
- Primitive camping sites remain available at all state park campgrounds throughout winter, offering full exposure to the elements for hardy, experienced campers.
- Reservations can be made year-round so you can see what camping loops and sites are open for winter camping and reserve a site if you choose to. Walk-in registrations are still accepted and can be made at the park office or the gate.
- At most properties, the number of campsites open for reservations is reduced to sites in one or two loops, which helps us manage cleaning and site care more effectively.
- Electricity is available in most modern campgrounds, but water may not be or may be found only at a single source, so prepare accordingly.
- Most dump stations are closed or have no water available for rinsing. Contact properties for specifics.
Roughing it, with heated restrooms and water
Several campgrounds offer heated modern comfort stations and/or a single water source through all or part of winter. Most have, at minimum, unheated vault toilets available.
Tips for winter camping
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Campground Open: Please Use Caution Due to COVID-19 Virus
The national park’s Dunewood Campground is OPEN this season, but please take any necessary precautions due to the virus, COVID-19 . Restrooms and showers are also open. For more information, please visit the park’s status page.
- Address: Golf Wood Road & Dunewood Parkway, Beverly Shores, IN 46301 .
- GPS Coordinates: 41.671786, -86.983985 .
- Phone: 219-395-1882 .
Campground Open Dates
Dunewood Campground Map
Facilities
- Sites 1-54 are conventional drive-in sites for RVs and/or tents. RV length is limited in some sites.
- Sites 55-67 are for tent camping only.
- Sites 15, 30, 41, and 55 are wheelchair accessible.
- Restrooms and showers are located in the center of each loop.
- No electric or water hookups at individual sites. There is potable water located at several locations in each loop.
- The campground does have a RV dump station.
Fees
- $25.00 per night camping fee .
- All camp sites are reservable in advance at www.recreation.gov starting six months in before the check-in date. Sites are reservable beginning on November 15 for the following camping season.
- 50% discount for the following America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes: Senior Annual, Senior Lifetime, and Access Passes.
- No discount for the following America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes: Annual , Military, Volunteer, and 4th Grade.
Attractions / Services
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Turkey Run State Park
Turkey Run State Park is the lime green unit west of Indianapolis. Thanks to its location, this park gets over a million visitors every year.
The park offers over 60 rooms at the inn, which can be booked up to a year ahead. Pricing ranges between $115 to $180 per night. Over 20 rental cabins and 213 campsites are available as well.
Turkey Run offers over 14 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to rough and rugged. Visitors enjoy horseback riding, picnics, and picnics.
The Nature Center offers several incredible displays, a wildlife watching room, interactive exhibits, and scheduled educational programs for the youth.
The Olympic-size swimming pool is the place to be during the summer months. The pool is complete with a bathing house and wadding area.
History lovers appreciate the historic sites around the park. Sports enthusiasts enjoy the ball courts, as well as the opportunity to go canoeing and kayaking.
The park hosts various events throughout the year. These events change, so if you’re interested, keep an eye on the events board posted online.
The themed camping weekends put a fun spin on a weekend out. Guided tours allow you to learn more about the wildlife and nature surrounding.
The hiking trails are legendary for their stunning views. The deep canyons are nestled in the sandstone cliffs, and the hemlock groves are worth seeing.
List Of Indiana State Parks
The U.S. state of Indiana has 24 state parks maintained and operated by Indiana Department of Natural Resources . In addition, a separate state agency operates White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. and Clark are the only counties to have two parks. Brown County, the largest state park, has the greatest number of visitors, followed by Indiana Dunes State Park.
Richard Lieber was instrumental in the foundation of the Indiana State Park system. The first state park in Indiana was McCormick’s Creek State Park, in Owen County in 1916, followed in the same year by Turkey Run State Park in Parke County. The number of state parks rose steadily in the 1920s, mostly by donations of land from local authorities to the state government. Of the initial twelve parks, only Muscatatuck State Park is no longer a state park, having been given back to Jennings County in 1968. It was during the Great Depression of the 1930s that much infrastructure was built within the parks, constructed by New Deal agencies such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, with the majority of this Depression-era construction still in use in the 21st century. This delay in infrastructure was due in part to Richard Lieber’s belief that the parks should be kept as natural as possible.
It is possible to view the Milky Way at 3 of the 24 Indiana State Parks, which are Shades State Park, Tippecanoe River State Park, and Turkey Run State Park.
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Chain O’lakes State Park
The Chain O’Lakes State Park is situated northwest of Fort Wayne and depicted in lime green.
If you are looking for raw, natural beauty, the Chain O’Lakes State Park is the place to explore.
The lake is a small boater’s paradise dream. There are nine connecting lakes for visitors to enjoy and paddle through.
The park also offers an electric-motors-only lake, which isn’t always common in areas like this.
With 23 miles of forested trails, there’s also something for hikers to explore.
The forested hillside family cabin is available, but book it before it’s taken. The park’s historic one-room schoolhouse is a key point. The Nature Center offers an interactive display and educational points.
Go for a picnic, visit the beach, and get your campsite ready because adventures are waiting to be had at this beautiful place.