Save with the 2026 Holiday Gift Pack
The $102.99 State Park Holiday Gift Pack includes:
- A 2026 Indiana resident State Park Annual Entrance Pass.
- A $65 gift card (you choose either an Inns card for hotel lodging or a Camp card for site reservations).
- A one-year (four issue) subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine.
Offer ends Dec. 31 or when sold out. Limited quantity available.
Holiday Gift Packs are also available for seniors and nonresidents.
Buy your hunting license early
Don’t wait – log in to the new system now
Because Indiana DNR’s new license system, the Activity Hub, is a bit different from the previous system, we encourage you to log in and make sure your account is ready to go. Acting now leaves you plenty of time to contact us or visit a retailer if you encounter issues. We anticipate a high volume of traffic Nov. 14-16.
Logging in
Click the login button on the home page of the Hub at GoOutdoorsIN.com. From there, you will be taken to Access Indiana, where you will be required to log in or create an account. Once logged in through Access Indiana, you will automatically be directed back to the Hub. From there, you will be able to buy a license, apply for reserved hunts, etc.
Tip: If it’s your first time using the Activity Hub, you will need to look yourself up in the system and verify that your personal information is correct.
For questions about checking in game, your online account, or license-purchasing errors, call 317-232-4200 or 877-463-6367 or email INHuntFish@dnr.IN.gov.
Free Youth Hunting Days
If you know a youngster who’s curious about hunting, take them out for Free Youth Hunting Days on Saturday, Nov. 29, and Sunday, Nov. 30.
These two free days offer any youth (17 years or younger) the opportunity to hunt in-season game species, such as deer, squirrel, and rabbit, without needing to purchase a hunting license. All youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years old and has a valid hunting license (unless exempt from needing a license under regular season guidelines).
If you previously had a child or other person linked to your account, you will need to re-establish that link in DNR’s new license system. The process functions differently from the previous license system, so please allow ample time to familiarize yourself with it.
• Link a youth under 13 years of age with an existing account to your own account
• Add and link a youth under 13 years of age who doesn’t have an account
• Link an account for someone 13 years or older to your account so that you can purchase on their behalf
In the previous system, anyone younger than 18 years old qualified for a youth account. In the new system, this has been lowered to those under 13 years old. This change will impact how you manage a child’s account.
Celebrate Thanksgiving with Indiana State Park Inns
Gather with loved ones for a festive Thanksgiving feast at one of the scenic Indiana State Park Inn locations. Enjoy a warm, delicious meal surrounded by the beauty of fall from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Reservations are required. Please make them by calling 1-877-LODGES1. Hurry! Seats are filling fast; Canyon Inn and Abe Martin Lodge are already sold out.
Revamped tree shirts coming Nov. 1
Get ready to wear your love for Indiana’s forests. Tree Shirts are making a comeback with a fresh new design. For just $15, each shirt purchase directly supports the Indiana Tree Project and helps plant a tree in one of the beautiful Indiana State Forests.
With your shirt, you’ll also receive an official tree certificate featuring your personal contribution to forest conservation, and the name of the state forest where your tree will grow.
It’s more than a shirt, it’s a statement of support for Indiana’s natural legacy.
Join us for OptOutsideIN2025
Plan to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 28, by visiting a DNR property.
DNR properties with entrance fees are offering free admission that day for those seeking to opt outside for a solo adventure or time with friends or family.
Share a photo of your day’s outdoor experience on social media and use #OptOutsideIN2025 or complete a scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes. Visit on.IN.gov/optoutside for details.
Need ideas on where to go? Visit in.gov/dnr/places-to-go/ to see what adventures await.
Free admission to DNR properties for veterans, active-duty military, Nov. 11
All veterans and active-duty military personnel, and everyone in their vehicle, will be admitted free to DNR-managed state parks, reservoir properties, state forest recreation areas, and off-road state recreation areas on Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
This includes admission to Falls of the Ohio State Park’s Interpretive Center.
Veterans and military personnel should simply tell the gate attendant at the property that they are either a veteran or serving and on active duty.
Nickel Plate Trail adds 10.3-mile trail connection in Indianapolis
Trail makes connection to Monon Trail & Fishers’ Nickel Plate Trail
The DNR and the city of Indianapolis celebrated the completion of the Nickel Plate Trail on Oct. 21 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The 10-foot-wide, asphalt, multi-use trail was constructed by the city with support from a $5 million grant from the DNR announced in April 2022.
Help feed hungry Hoosiers
Did you know you can donate your harvested deer to feed hungry Hoosiers? One donated deer can provide 200 meals for an Indiana family. To donate, follow these simple steps:
1. Enjoy a deer hunting experience.
2. Harvest a deer.
3. Drop off the field-dressed deer at a local participating processor.
4. Processing fees are paid for by Hunt for Hunger (at no cost to you).
5. The processor creates healthy venison burgers to distribute to food banks.
Fall fish stockings
From October to mid-November, DNR stocks several fish species into Indiana waters, including catchable-sized channel catfish, brown trout, and rainbow trout.
More than 130 locations will be stocked with 7- to 11-inch channel catfish. Rainbow trout (averaging 10 inches) will be stocked in seven locations, and brown trout (measuring 7-8 inches) are planned to be stocked in 12 locations. Catfish and trout will primarily be stocked in urban waters due to the cooler temperatures of those waters.
Additionally, smaller panfish, walleye, and muskie will be stocked this fall, but they will need several years to reach harvestable sizes. While these fish won’t be catchable right away, they are being stocked for DNR fisheries management goals and hatchery capacity.
Fish stocking plans are based on recommendations from fisheries biologists, providing the best chance of enhancing sport fishing opportunities for anglers. Stocking dates vary depending on weather conditions and water temperatures. More information on stocking can be found online.
Sandhill Crane Saturdays at Jasper-Pulaski FWA
Join the International Crane Foundation (ICF) during fall migration at the Sandhill Crane Viewing Platform at Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA).
ICF staff will be stationed at the platform on Saturday evenings, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET, until Dec. 13 (excluding Thanksgiving weekend).
During this time, ICF staff will be happy to answer your crane questions. You may even be able to spot an endangered whooping crane.
Make sure to dress for the weather. We hope to see you there.
Registration opens for Happy Little (virtual) 5K run
Registration is open for the Happy Little (Virtual) 5K, which the DNR and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation will welcome back for the fourth year in 2026.
In 2025, the virtual run raised more than $41,000 for tree plantings and healthy forest initiatives in Indiana State Parks, with more than 2,300 participants.
The event is open to everyone, and registrants can complete their 5K anywhere outdoors, on foot, by bike, skate, or paddle, or using a mobility device, anytime between April 18-26, 2026, to encompass Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 24).
For $36 per person, each participant will receive a keepsake Happy Little T-shirt, a commemorative bib number, and a finisher’s medal. Proceeds support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks.
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