See What Is New At State Parks This Year

Last updated on Wednesday, May 18, 2016

(UNDATED) - Indiana State Parks is nearing its 100th summer recreational season and working hard to make sure visitors have a good experience this year.

The system of 24 parks and 8 reservoir properties has finished or will complete this year hundreds of improvements to enhance campgrounds, restrooms and trails.

Partners and volunteers have helped with many of the projects. Non-profit "friends" groups have contributed thousands of dollars and hours.

"Creative and dedicated employees stretch the dollars that you pay when you enter the gate, rent a campsite, launch a boat or attend a special workshop or program," said Ginger Murphy, deputy director for stewardship at Indiana State Parks.

A complete list of park improvements is at stateparks.IN.gov/2441.htm.

Indiana State Parks celebrates its centennial this year. The system began 100 years ago with the opening of McCormick's Creek and Turkey Run state parks. The public can find information about activities and projects related to the centennial at INStateParks100.com.

Park improvement projects include:

At Brookville Lake, three comfort stations in the Mounds State Recreation Area campground are being remodeled.
At Brown County State Park, 12 new "cabin suites" will open in 2016 at Abe Martin Lodge. Each suite will sleep up to six people. Also, 14 new vault toilets will replace existing toilets in the family and horseman's campgrounds.
At Raccoon State Recreation Area on Cecil M. Harden Lake, the new paved and accessible Centennial Trail will provide a safe and scenic way to walk from the campground to the beach.
At Chain O'Lakes State Park, 46 campsites were lengthened and upgraded to 50-amp service. This brings the number of sites with 50-amp service to 66.
At Fort Harrison State Park, the third play area of the dog park will open this summer.
At Indiana Dunes State Park, a new beach comfort station next to the pavilion has changing rooms and outdoor showers. Also, the Dunes Kankakee Trail was extended from the park to the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, making the park more bike and pedestrian friendly.
At Mississinewa Lake, drainage in the campground was improved. Also, campground pads will be rehabbed and expanded during spring and summer.
At O'Bannon Woods State Park, the Class A campground has a new playground. Also, work is underway for the reopening of Wyandotte Caves this summer.
At Prophetstown State Park, a new entrance road will be open by the end of May. The road winds through prairie and fields and along a sand-and-gravel mining operation that will eventually be a recreational lake for the park.
At Spring Mill State Park, dredging of Spring Mill Lake is complete. The lake is ready for fishing, kayaking and canoeing. It will be dedicated as a Centennial Legacy Project with a celebration in September.
At Summit Lake State Park, a new nature center will be developed in a former campground office. Also, the property boat rental will now offer bait and tackle, two additional boats, two paddle boards and trolling motors for rent.

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