What to know before a picnic, hike or camping trip to an Indiana state park

Summer may still be a few weeks away, but Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the season and the great outdoors is beckoning Hoosiers with birdsong and sunrays.

Hikers, bikers, kayakers and sightseers will find Indiana’s state parks offer diverse landscapes from cool canyons at Turkey Run to sand dunes along Lake Michigan — with plenty of lakes, forests, trails, streams and rivers spread across the state.

Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your experience at any one of Indiana’s 24 state parks.

How to prepare for state park experience

Ginger Murphy, Indiana Department of Natural Resource’s deputy director for stewardship, said the first thing she recommends is getting a copy of the Indiana Recreation Guide.

The guide, which can be found on DNR’s website, includes a list of all state properties, maps and detailed information about facilities and services. The DNR’s website also offers interactive hiking and water trails and links to reserve camping sites and rooms at park inns.

An annual state park pass can save you money

Each state park with a gated entrance will require a $7 fee per vehicle (which covers passengers).

If you plan on more than seven visits in a year, save money with a $50 annual pass. They are available at park gates and online.

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What do Indiana state parks offer?

Visitors can day hike, spend a week camping and spread out a picnic, but Indiana state parks also offer a variety of other services.

Interpretive naturalists stationed at a park’s nature center offer insight into the flora and fauna of parks and natural biodiversity. A couple of parks offer off-road trails for dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

Are Indiana state parks accessible to all?

The parks are open to everyone, and Indiana offers accessibility in the form of service trails that allow different mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Several properties have mobile chairs available for guests.

Up in the dunes, beach mats allow anyone using assistance devices access to the water. The mobile chairs at the park also freely move on the sand.

What to remember before heading out

Murphy said it’s important to check the weather prior to leaving and while at the parks, especially if camping for a weekend or extended stay.

Bug spray is a must-have.

More: Is this Indiana State Park in Marshall really the Midwest's best place for hiking?

Respect your surroundings

Remember, you’re sharing this public space with others, Murphy said. Follow the rules and watch your volume.

The parks have a “carry in, carry out” policy. Take home what you bring unless you’re camping and there are proper waste disposal sites around. Litter is not only an eyesore, but can affect the native wildlife, too.

State parks also have firewood policies to protect the areas from destructive invasive species such as the emerald ash borer and spotted lantern fly.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana state parks are great for summer activities. What to know: