Find a holiday light event at a park this season!
Ouabache State Park - Wonderland of Lights nightly, Nov. 28-Dec. 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. Featuring more than 40 light displays and a synchronized music and light show at the fire tower. Cost is $5 per vehicle, cash or check only.
Mounds State Park - Nights of Lights every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from Nov. 28-Dec. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. Featuring more than 60 light displays. Cost is $10 per vehicle, cash and credit cards accepted.
Cagles Mill Lake - Lieber Winter Lights on Dec. 5-7 and 12-14, from 6 to 9 p.m. Donations will be accepted for driving through the light display in the park and campground. Santa will visit on each celebration’s Saturdays, Dec. 6 and 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Spring Mill State Park - Drive-through holiday lights event on Dec. 5-6, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per vehicle, cash only. It is the same weekend as the park’s Holiday in the Village events.
Versailles State Park - Santa’s Lighted Forest on Dec. 6 from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets for the event can be bought ahead of time or day-of from the park’s Friends group.
Osprey towers added at Monroe Lake
In October, new nesting platforms for ospreys were installed at Monroe Lake’s Northfork Waterfowl Resting Area, Cutright SRA, and Paynetown SRA.
This project was driven by volunteers in Monroe Lake’s Osprey Nest Watch program who donated materials and built the platforms. The poles were donated by REMC (Utilities District of Western Indiana) out of Bloomfield, which also supplied the labor and equipment to install them at no charge.
Ospreys will return to Monroe Lake in the spring, and we hope that they'll be pleased to discover these new nesting sites!
Toboggan Run Fun Returns
Pokagon State Park's Toboggan Run is now open! Enjoy this fun and thrilling experience through March 1, 2026. No snow needed to ride (perks of a refrigerated track)!
Looking for a meaningful holiday gift? Indiana State Parks has you covered with holiday gift packs! The bundle includes a 2026 entrance pass, an inn or camping gift card (you choose), and a 1-year subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine.
In this season of giving, give back to nature. Thank you for partnering with us to conserve and manage Indiana’s natural and cultural resources for this generation and the next. Here are some ways you can give back:
• Support the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, which partners with state parks on projects: Indiananrf.org
• Support the Indiana Parks Alliance and its "Trails for Tomorrow" campaign: Indianaparksalliance.org.
• Join and support a local Friends group for your favorite state park or lake: on.IN.gov/INStateParksFriends
• Donate to the Nongame Wildlife Fund to support wildlife and habitat restoration: on.IN.gov/wildlifefund
• Donate directly to your favorite park or make a memorial donation in honor of a loved one: on.IN.gov/INStateParksDonate
Special Winter Hikes!
Our parks offer one-of-a-kind winter hikes. Charlestown State Park created the "Devils Backbone" hike series to highlight a unique geological feature in the park. There are fantastic stories connected to the site, including the Legend of Prince Madoc, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and more.
The 3-mile rugged, off-trail hikes are only offered November through February, and each is limited to 12 hikers. Registration is required.
First Day Hikes: Mark Your Calendars for Jan. 1
Join Indiana State Parks for the annual First Day Hike tradition. We’ll be kicking the new year off right with fresh outdoor air and healthy exercise. Join us for a fun hike on January 1 at any of our park locations.
Upcoming Events
• Spring Mill State Park Holiday in the Village - Dec. 6-7
• Breakfast with the Grinch, Clifty Falls State Park – Dec. 13
• Christmas with the Bronnenbergs, Mounds State Park – Dec. 13
• Happy OWL-idays!, Indiana Dunes State Park – Dec. 13
• Geminids Meteor Shower & Telescope Viewing, Fairfax SRA (Monroe Lake) – Dec. 13
• Snowman Trail and Winter Craft Bonanza, Summit Lake State Park – Dec. 15-18
• Christmas Bird Count, Clifty Falls State Park – Dec. 27