The Fourth of July holiday is one of the busiest recreational weekends of the year, and state parks across south-central Indiana will be filled with Hoosiers looking to enjoy the outdoors.
As per a report, although most campgrounds are already booked this weekend, lucky Hoosiers might be able to secure a spot on the state’s reservation system at camp.in.gov.
Here is the list of events happening at state parks and recreation facilities across the region over the weekend.
Spring Mill State Park east of Mitchell will be hosting various activities this weekend. It will begin at 7:15 p.m., Friday night, with a discussion about the snakes found throughout Indiana in the campground amphitheater.
Another snake talk is scheduled to be held on Monday at 11:00 a.m. on the patio of the Spring Mill Inn.
The park will also hold the Old Fashioned Independence Celebration from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday, at the Pioneer Village. The event will feature spinning demonstrations and pioneer games that everyone can enjoy.
There will also be a 20-minute natural dyes talk at 11.20 a.m. Saturday, at the back patio of the Lakeview Activity Center.
State Park Jeopardy will test the expertise of people on the different state parks in Indiana this Sunday at the Lakeview Activity Center.
Activities at Lake Monroe this weekend will begin today, at 6:30 p.m., with a Better with Bobcats discussion at Paynetown State Recreation Area campground playground.
The park will also be hosting Dandy Dandelions from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, at the Paynetown campground playground, an animal track matching game from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the activity center, weave a web from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the campground playground and spider sniffing at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the campground playground.
The activities continue on Sunday with UV Bead Bracelets crafting from 10 until 11:30 a.m. at the campground playground, batty craft activity from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the activity center, and firefly flashes craft from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the campground playground.
The activities on Patoka Lake will begin Friday with the birds of prey displayed between 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the nature center in the park. This event will run from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday and from 10:30 a.m. until 3.30 p.m. on Monday.
The highlight of the Fourth of July weekend at Patoka Lake is the Thunder over Patoka fireworks display. The fireworks will begin at dusk. Those who wish to go are requested to arrive at the beach no later than 9:30 p.m.
Brown County State Park, one of Indiana’s most popular state parks, will also host weekend activities.
Activities start today with a snake feeding from 11 to 11:15 a.m. at the park’s nature center and a naturalist hike from 3 to 5 p.m., beginning at the park’s fire tower.
Events continue Saturday with a Lake Ogle Hike from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., snake craft from 2 to 4 p.m. at the nature center, and a live raptor show from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the large field near the park’s olympic pool at the north gate.
Sunday events include a CCC history hike from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday beginning at the Abe Martin Lodge lobby, My First Nature Journal craft from 2 to 3 p.m. at the nature center, and a vintage video presentation about Indiana State Parks from 4 to 4:30 p.m. at the nature center.
The park will also host a Fourth of July Arts and Crafts event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the nature center.
For more information, visit https://indianastateparks.reserveamerica.com/.
This story originally appeared on Reporter-Times.