As soon as I turned on the road towards Ouabache State Park, I felt like I was headed to family camp! It probably helped that I visited the park with my sister and young niece and nephew. Bringing kids along was a must because I knew it had something no other state park has – bison! And I was right; seeing the park through kids' eyes made it even more fun to visit.
IN the Podcast Episode
Learn all about the bison, the fire tower, the Civilian Conservation Corps, how your dog can become a Tail Blazer, and more! You’ll hear interviews with the park manager, volunteer coordinator, office manager, and a wonderful board member from the Friends of Ouabache volunteer group.
Listen to Ouabache State Park: How to Build a Legacy on Apple or Spotify.
Park Features
Ouabache State Park is in Bluffton just south of Fort Wayne. The first thing I had to know was how to correctly say the park’s name. I learned Ouabache is pronounced oh-bah-chee. It’s near the Wabash River, so the word “Ouabache” comes from there. The French Jesuits who lived in the area did their best to spell the word they heard Native Americans using for the river, and that’s where we get Ouabache.
The park is best known for its herd of bison and the restored fire tower. They also have a swimming beach, boat rentals, and fishing on the 25-acre lake. Plus, there's a tennis court, basketball court, sand volleyball, and a nice wooded campground with well-spaced sites. The trails were very kid and stroller friendly, assuming your stroller is a little more durable. They were wide, mostly flat, and a dream for easy trail running.
Support from the City of Bluffton
In addition to all the traditional features, the park has a paved bike trail that goes to Bluffton. The city also promotes road and trail races at Ouabache. You can see the city’s support as you pass bison art displays and figures all over town. Park manager John Winnie is thankful for the strong relationship with the city of Bluffton.
He said, “Another really great feature about Ouabache is our connection with the local community. We have a tremendous amount of support from local groups and businesses and the town of Bluffton.” This thriving relationship with the city demonstrates the community’s loyalty to the park and the legacy it has created. One place that is most clear is with the fire tower.
Restoring the Fire Tower
The Ouabache fire tower, built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is one of the park’s best features. (The CCC story at Ouabache is one of my favorites, and I get into all the details on the podcast.) The fire tower has been a popular feature of the park ever since it was completed. Several years ago, it failed to pass a safety inspection. Instead of closing it off, the community raised over $80,000 in six months to restore the tower!
I asked Kathy Schwartz about the fundraising. She’s the board president for the Friends of Ouabache volunteer group, and she told me they made it a priority because it’s “one of our big gems.” But how did they raise the money so fast? She said, “We were busy beavers. We decided we weren't going to spend five years doing this!” Another park employee, Jody Heaston, told me the city supported the project because “This is the focal point of this property, and all the community wanted it open as soon as possible.” They even decorate the fire tower at Christmas!
The fire tower restoration was completed in 2019, and it’s truly a beautiful place. Your eyes are drawn to it no matter where you are. The fire tower is certainly high with 106 steps to the top, but my niece and nephew climbed it with me, so you can do it too! Unlike other fire towers where trees have grown up and blocked your sightline, Ouabache’s fire tower has views of the entire property. You can even see into the bison enclosure below to watch them grazing! It’s definitely worth the climb!
Running with the Bison
The bison really lived up to the hype for my niece, nephew, and me! They came close to the fence, even the baby, who we universally decided was the cutest! The bison pen is surrounded by a gravel path, so visitors can walk the perimeter and observe these amazing animals. They’re descendants from bison at Yellowstone National Park, which were some of the last remaining bison after they were nearly all slaughtered. I get into those grim details in the podcast.
On my visit, Jody Heaston and I walked around the enclosure, and she shared with me lots of great bison facts that you can hear about in the episode. We talked about why the bison are here, the ages and personalities of the ones at Ouabache, what they eat, how athletic they are, and how the staff can tell them apart. (Hint: it has to do with their horns and hair!) I learned baby bison are called red dogs, and it was so fun to see the little one in person!
Planning Your Visit
Ouabache is a fantastic year-round park. The last two summers a baby bison was born, and they always do Saturday feedings at 10 a.m. It’s a great time to see the bison up close! In the winter, the Wonderland of Lights Christmas event features lights on the fire tower and a drive through show in the campground along with other holiday activities.
No matter when you visit, I highly recommend a stop at Bummy's Drive-In where you can get a homemade root beer float in a frosted mug. It was delicious!
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