On this special episode, get ready to fall in LOVE with Indiana state parks! All 24 state parks, eight reservoirs, two state forest recreation areas, and two off-roading parks add up to 36 properties! Could you hike them all in one year?
The start of each year brings new resolutions and goals, but most people quit those after about two weeks. What can keep a person going and committed, even in the gray days of January and February? The types of goals we stick with are ones we find fun and exciting. They strike the right balance of challenging and realistic. Why not set the goal of visiting all 24 state parks in the next year? If you’re feeling ambitious, you could also visit the 12 reservoir/recreation/off-roading properties or the 15 state forests! I don’t think you’ll ever regret the time you spend in Indiana’s parks.
IN the Podcast Episode
I interviewed Lydia Fox, Nikki Holmes, and Laurie Danielson to learn how they hiked all the state parks in one year. The episode includes why they took on the challenge, tips for how to accomplish the goal, and life lessons learned along the way.
Listen to How to Hike All 24 Indiana State Parks in One Year on Apple or Spotify.
Tip 1: Have a Plan…or Don’t!
Nikki and Laurie decided to hike all the parks and reservoir properties with three of their friends, Nikki, Natalie, and Tracy. The group called themselves the Mosaic Trailblazers, and they had to be very strategic with their park visits. With 36 properties and five schedules, it took a lot of forethought. Nikki said, “You have to have a plan, and you really have to commit.” The planning and time were worth it because “it's just allowed us to learn so much about Indiana and that people should get out and explore and get outside. There's really cool history, nature, and to be able to do this and see all the four seasons, that was really cool as well.”
If you aren’t much of a planner, take heart! Lydia lives in the northeastern part of the state and admitted, “I can't say that I really explored our state a whole lot.” Before 2024, Lydia had only been to seven state parks, including her “home” park, Ouabache. She had an idea to visit all 24 parks in one year, but also knew she had to be flexible and plan loosely. She said, “If I'm honest, I was very much winging it. And part of that is because I have five kids and a busy life. I was sort of out to prove that it could be done even with all those factors.” Whether you’re a Type A scheduler or need to go with the flow, you can still make it to all the parks in a year.
Tip 2: Combine Park Visits
One way Lydia was able to make sure she visited all the parks was to include visits along with other life events. For instance, after picking her daughter up from the Chicago airport, they stopped at Indiana Dunes State Park. It helped to route the parks into what was already going on in life.
Another tip she shared was to combine park visits. Since Lydia lives in northern Indiana, it took her about five hours to get to Harmonie State Park. That's why she realized batching the parks was such a smart idea, and she also made park visits into long weekends with her friends. She explained, “One of my most fun times was when I did Charleston, Falls of the Ohio, and O'Bannon Woods. I had gone with three friends, and we stayed in New Albany. So we started out the weekend by going to Charleston… O'Bannon Woods was actually on our way home then.” Other parks she did together were Turkey Run and Shades; McCormick's Creek and Shakamak; Spring Mill, Lincoln, and Harmonie. Laurie and Nikki also recommended combining Fort Harrison and Mounds. Batching the parks into long weekends is an easy and efficient way to visit them all.
Tip 3: Go With Friends
While Lydia embarked on this adventure independently, she said the parks were made richer when she experienced them with friends. The memories they formed in these special places make their bonds stronger. Nikki, Laurie, and their Mosaic crew had the same experience. By hiking the parks together, they found themselves growing closer. Laurie shared their origin story. She said, “We were out golfing one day, and… I said, well, I have a friend, Nikki, who wants to do every state park… So the five of us, we started the first part of January 2023 and set out to do as much as we could.” That spur-of-the-moment conversation has developed into a core group of adventure-seekers. They even took a trip to Alaska together last year!
Tip 4: Have a Few Must-Do Items
For her year of parks, Lydia did have a few must-dos on her list, and she recommended doing something similar. She advised, “Come up with a few extra items that you definitely want to do, because that may help you prioritize the parks and determine their order.” She knew she wanted to camp at a park and do a full moon hike, which she was able to do at Spring Mill State Park. Lydia also highly recommended climbing the fire towers at any state park because “you really do get such a beautiful view of the park, and you can see for miles. I mean, it's really a fun thing.”
Nikki and Laurie also said the fire towers were must-do items. They’ve even started visiting fire towers in the state forests and have now hiked 10 of the 13 in the state. They told me, “In the fall, if you can hike an Indiana fire tower, that's a great day.” I also love the fire towers and definitely agree they give the best views of the state.
Your Turn!
These women had a goal to hike all the state parks in one year. What kept them committed was their love for the parks, love for the beauty they found in the state of Indiana, and love for the friendships that developed along the way. Whether your goal is to visit all the state parks in one year or to hike them all in your lifetime, get started today!
Follow and Share
Want to join my IN the Parks journey? Check out the podcast, follow along on Instagram and Facebook, and be sure to share with a friend. Now, go make some of your own memories, and I hope to see you in the parks!