The ice has melted, the birds are chattering, and plants are greening. Spring is here and state parks are a great place to enjoy the season.
Brown County State Park near Nashville, Indiana’s largest state park, offers 16,000 acres of activities and great lodging options. Immerse yourself in nature.
Make the Abe Martin Lodge your base and choose from the accommodation that suits your group best. Options range from comfortable lodge and patio rooms (some wheelchair accessible) to suites, two-story and rustic cabins. All cabins come with heat, air-conditioning and a private bath.
During the lodge’s “Spring into Savings” promotion through May 23, stay two or more consecutive nights and you’ll get 25% off. All reservations come with wristbands for gaining admittance into the lodge’s indoor aquatic park. Certain restrictions may apply. Reserve by calling 1.877.LODGES 1 or online at IndianaInns.com.
This aquatic center is no ordinary hotel swimming pool. Guests can enjoy water fun in a zero-entry pool, water slide, lazy river, water volleyball and basketball, a hot tub, whirlpool, and waterfall. Those who would rather be outside can take a dip in the Olympic-size pool in the summer, where a lifeguard is on duty. A nearby wading pool will help to entertain small children.
Two lakes beckon visitors for a different kind of fun. At 17-acre Ogle Lake you can fish for bass, bluegill, and more and you can bring your own permitted watercraft— kayaks, canoes, or a boat with a trolling motor. Seven-acre Strahl Lake isn’t large enough for boats but affords equally good fishing. Be sure to bring your license! Neither lake allows swimming.
You can also bring your own horse to ride on some 70 miles of bridle paths in the park’s rolling—sometimessteep—hills. Nohorse of your own? Report to the Saddle Barn for guided trail rides for guests over 7, pony rides for the little ones, and hayrides on weekends beginning in late May.
Bring your rackets and balls to take advantage of the tennis courts, or plan to organize a soccer game or other play in one of the grassy open spaces. Be sure to drop in at the Nature Center, where you’ll see a snake exhibit, bird-watching room, and other displays where you can learn about the plants and wildlife in the park and its surrounding area.
While you’re out and about, watch for white-tail deer, raccoons, foxes, gray squirrels, and wild turkeys. Other birds you’ll find here are robins, white-breasted nuthatch, bluejays, cardinals, juncos, and crows.
If you love camping, you’ve come to the right place. The park has 401 campsites that are equipped with electricity, 17 of them wheelchair accessible. The Horsemen’s Campground has 117 electric sites, of which one is accessible, along with restrooms, shower houses, and tie-ups for six horses. At this campground are also 86 non-electric sites that come with pit toilets. Other campgrounds are for groups of families or organizations with adult leaders. A Camp Store provides snacks, souvenirs, and items you might have forgotten to bring.
Hikers will appreciate the 18 miles of rugged trails that range from easy to difficult, and mountain-bikers will find 30 miles of beginner to expert trails with 400 feet of elevation change. Bring your own bike for rides through the park, if you’d like, but remember non-mountain bikes should stay on paved public roads.
Be sure to save a few hours to run into nearby Nashville. Here you’ll find a plethora of locally owned boutiques, art galleries and bookstores, wineries, breweries, and the Brown County Music Center, which features big-name acts and cover bands. Also nearby is the home of renowned Indiana artist T.C. Steele, whose house, studio, and gardens you can tour. Walking paths lead through the forest on the property.
Then head back to the lodge for a comfort-food dinner at the casual Little Gem Restaurant. Maybe after that you’ll stop in the game room or play games and cards in one of the comfortable lobbies before turning in for the night in anticipation of another Brown County day.
For more information visit: IndianaInns.com
