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Help Ouabache State Park Celebrate 50 years, June 28 through July 8.
Upper Wabash Interpretive Services hosts more than 10 days of special events at Ouabache State Park to celebrate 50 years of family fun at this beautiful site. Explore the nature and history of this property with us through stories, exhibits, activities and fun.
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2012-13 Hunting and Trapping Guide
A full-version, 52-page, print Indiana Hunting & Trapping Guide is coming back and will be available at retailers in late July. This is slightly later than usual, but it’s worth the wait. In addition to the printed guide, an easy-to-use online version will be available in multiple formats.
Guide
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Summer Staycation specials
Stay 2 nights and the second night is half off at Canyon Inn at McCormick's Creek State Park and Spring Mill Inn at Spring Mill State Park, June 3 – Aug. 30.
*Available Sunday-Thursday only
*New reservations only
*Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Select staycation rate code online, or call 1.877.LODGES1 to make your reservation.
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Outdoor Indiana magazine goes off-road with its July-August issue
This issue gives readers an in-depth look at Redbird and Interlake, DNR’s hotspots for motorized trail riding. Mississinewa Lake is also featured. Subscribe for a year for $12 or read excerpts of key articles online and follow OI on Facebook for sneak previews.
OI
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Fireworks
Several state properties have fireworks on site (or adjacent to the property) sponsored by local organizations.
*Monroe Lake’s Fairfax SRA – Saturday, June 30, at dusk.
*Patoka Lake’s Newton-Stewart SRA – Saturday, June 30, at dusk.
*Pokagon State Park – Saturday, July 7, sponsored by Lake James Association.
*Raccoon State Recreation Area - Saturday, July 7, at dusk.
*Versailles State Park – Saturday, July 7, at dusk
Personal fireworks are not permitted in our campgrounds or any other part of our properties. If conditions remain as dry as they currently are, it’s important to follow this rule and celebrate in other ways, so leave your fireworks at home.
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Have Some Fun in the Sun
*Cornhole Tournament (double-elimination tourney for adults, single-elimination tourney for kids) on July 4 at Monroe Lake’s Paynetown SRA. Register day of the event; limit 32 teams/tourney.
*Annual Sand Sculpturing contest at Lieber SRA on July 7 at 1 p.m. Will judge by quality and originality in age groups.
*Salamonie Lake Christmas in July on July 13-15. Pack your decorations to help us make the campgrounds begin to look a lot like Christmas in July.
*Annual “3 on 3†Volleyball Tournament at the pool at Lieber SRA on July 14. Tourney starts at 4 p.m., so bring your team ready to play.
*Cool off with Christmas in July at Tippecanoe River State Park. Decorate your site; enjoy family games and Christmas crafts on July 14-15.
*Aloha! Join the Harmonie State Park Luau on July 21. This event, including a themed campsite decorating contest, Hawaiian feast with meal tickets available for purchase and free swim Saturday evening, is sponsored by the Friends of Harmonie State Park.
*Toss a shoe at Lieber SRA’s annual Horseshoe Tournament at 1 p.m. July 28 at the Sports & Activity Field. The winning team takes home T-shirts.
Step into History
*Living Farmstead at O’Bannon Woods, featuring demonstrations operating the 1850s hay press on June 30-July 1.
*Heritage Days at Monroe Lake’s Paynetown SRA, where re-enactors portraying time periods from the 1760s to 1890s invite you to step back in time as you wander through their camps, July 6-8. Craft and skill demonstrations, kids activities, live music, and more.
*Annual Heritage Festival at Turkey Run State Park from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on July 14. Experience life in the 1800s through hands-on activities. $1/person lets you make candles, ice cream and toys and use a crosscut saw, play old-time games and much more, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Discover Nature
*Astronomy at Mounds State Park on June 30 at 9 p.m.
*Wilderness Day Camp at Mounds State Park, July 10-13 ($45/child). Sign up your outdoorsy child.
*Visit with Hardy Lake naturalists and live birds of prey at the Scott County Fair July 15-20. Displays are open each day from 4-10 p.m., with live birds of prey, snakes, turtles, amphibians, and fish.
*A four-day Naturalist Day Camp at Mounds State Park for ages 8-10 features a look at the park through a naturalist’s eyes on July 24-27 (9 a.m.-noon Tuesday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday). Cost is $35/child; space is limited. Call (765) 649-8128 to register your young naturalist.
*Wildlife rehabilitator Kim Hoover visits Tippecanoe River State Park with native wildlife on Saturday, July 28.
Celebrate Smokey Bear’s 68th Birthday
*Brookville/Whitewater complex on July 7-8 with music, activities and the B.R.E.B. Band on Saturday evening.
*Lieber SRA, on July 21, at 1 p.m., sponsored by the Friends of Cagles Mill Lake.
*Mississinewa Lake on July 28 p.m., join us to party with Smokey and talk about wildfire prevention.
*Turkey Run State Park on Aug. 4. Join Smokey for pictures and cake. Meet Hopalong Cassidy re-enactor Joe Sullivan and hear Smokey's story. Meet wildland and structure firefighters and try out their equipment.
Quick Links
*Burn bans don’t always prohibit campfires. Check with the property you plan to visit for details.
*Make a camping reservation for fall.
*Discover more about each state park or reservoir.
*Earn patches, pins and more with Hoosier Quest.
*Learn more about how State Parks & Reservoirs manages deer and other wildlife.
*State Parks & Reservoirs staff has lots of outdoor fun planned in July. See all the details on our program schedule pages.
