Traveling anywhere between Indianapolis and Chicago? Let the prairie wind blow you into one of the most popular and newest state parks in Indiana which is only a few miles off of I-65 near Lafayette along the Wabash River. According to the Facebook Indiana State Park Camping group, this seems to be the place to be (besides Indiana Dunes and Turkey Run) where it is difficult to reserve a spot during prime camping times.
We visited during the week and were quite pleased with our site and the cleanliness of the facility and what it had to offer. It’s just a couple miles off of the interstate, so it’s easy to access, and the drive in meanders around a bit. (Try to avoid Highway 225 because it just crosses over the park and it will be like you can see it but can’t get to it. The maps can be deceiving. Reminds me of a trip to Boston where we could see the USS Constitution while driving over a bridge but couldn’t ever seem to get to it. I digress.)
Amenities:
- 50 amp service & full hook-ups in the Spruce Loop; Most sites are fairly secluded unless a buddy site
- 50 amp service and electric with water within 3 sites in the Savannah Loop; all sites are in the wide open with some small trees or bushes; the large (& very nice) restroom is housed in this area
- Packed gravel pads with RR tie outlines
- Large, mostly level sites and clearly marked numbers on the rocks
- Buddy sites are available, so notice when you reserve whether you will be looking into open areas (or into a stranger’s campsite if traveling solo)
- During the summer, the aquatic center alone would be a great benefit for your family (It looked cool but was closed until Memorial Day)
- The campground playground is one of the largest and nicest we’ve seen at Indiana’s state parks
- Verizon cell phone coverage was great for us
- Nova and I enjoyed the large grassy area in the Savannah part for walking because it wasn’t very crowded at that time
This was more of a relaxing trip for us so we didn’t venture out too much until later in the day. So on the first full day, we decided to ride our bikes on the paved bike path to the 1920s farm. Little did we know that when we left the cover of our trees, we would be hit with a strong headwind. So riding the short distance to the farm (that seemed so close before) took a bit of extra effort. Whew!
It was great to look through the two houses on a self-guided tour with all the items that would’ve been used in the 1920s. So many items reminded us of our grandparents or parents and things that they may have had from that era.
The farm outside was just as intriguing especially if you haven’t been to too many farms. (We have both been to farms and have a couple of farmers in the family.) However, the birds alone kept us on our toes! The chickens were free in the yard and some ran close to you or just clucked at you. It was quite windy and the ducks seemed to be the smart ones by hiding behind posts with their beaks stuck into their feathers to stay warm. There was this one turkey…who decided that maybe I would like for him to give me a personal guided tour! (I like looking at birds from a distance especially larger ones. Ha-ha.) I was not happy that he left the rest of the birds and thought to escort me across the farm. Finally, he decided his tour guide skills were done and left us to go our own way. By the way–rooster crows are LOUD and it makes us thankful we don’t live near any.
The rest of the farm was well-maintained and there were some old tools, friendly barn cats, horses, sheep, and cows. It would be a good place for the kids and I’m sure when they have activities the place is quite busy. We were there at the very end of the business day during the week and it was fairly quiet. They also sell some of their own farm products in the large farmhouse. In case you were wondering, the ride back was a breeze!
The next day we decided to ride the bike path in the other direction to the east side of the park. This is a nice winding, paved path again through the prairie. We visited the Tippecanoe River, saw the bald eagles’ nest (but no eagles), and traveled back across the boardwalk. It would probably be very pretty when everything is blooming. In April in Indiana, prairie grass is still pretty much…dead. Yup, not much color there but I’m sure it’s absolutely gorgeous at other times of the year.
Well…on the return trip we had forgotten the wind…again. It was great fun to be passed by couples at least 15 years older than us on their electric bikes because you are riding into a headwind again. Then Jon lost a derailleur sprocket on his bike and we had to spend some time looking for all the pieces (with our burning thighs, of course). Thankful for the mini toolkit he keeps on his bike all the time.
We also took a side trip (in the truck this time) to the Nature Center and the Native American Village. We missed the Nature Center’s hours by 10 minutes but the self-guided tour of the Native American Village was interesting. We both had to learn about Tecumseh in our school days during Indiana History. The Tippecanoe Battlefield Museum resides outside of the park and many people have commented about it being great to visit as well as a Rock Park to walk and climb in. Then if you have more time you could venture into Lafayette to see what it has to offer besides Purdue University.
Must see items:
- The Farm at Prophetstown (Even if it’s only to say “Hi!” to my turkey tour guide) http://prophetstown.org/
- The Bald Eagles’ Nest (It is huge in person)
- Wolf Park (This park is a few miles from the State Park; We visited this a few years ago on our way back from Chicago and was great to see wolves up close and learn about them) https://wolfpark.org/
We thought this was a nice pleasant stay and would likely try some hiking trails and the aquatic center the next time, along with some of the places nearby outside the park. There was a hiking trail north of the campground that probably made a nice loop for walking your dog but it was a bit muddy for us at the time so we decided to stick a little closer to our site. If you have the opportunity to reserve a site, take it, and maybe we’ll see you there!
https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/parks-lakes/prophetstown-state-park/
SOLID OAKS RV TRAIL 