Indiana State Parks Tour: Fort Harrison

1 of 24 in my tour of Indiana’s State Parks

I moved back to Indiana from the coast of Maine in January of 2024. For years, I was spoiled by the scenic coastal highways and trails. Maine captured my heart and drew it out from my body and into the woods. But, my family tree cannot be transplanted and my roots are in the Midwest. My return broke no small piece of my heart, but returning to the woods and waters of Indiana is a balm called home too. Smelling the pebbles of White River reminds me of my childhood.

One of the first things that I did when I got back to Indiana was institute regular trips to a local park. Hiking large loop trails while listening to audio books or my favorite music felt like a healthy routine to keep me growing in the right direction. I saw that park through its gray winter and subtly abundant spring. I leaned on an off-trail honeysuckle tree by the river while summer passed through it. But as beautiful and special as a connection like that is to a place one can frequently return and watch breathe, it’s just as necessary to explore and see the abundance of new and never-seen places.

Determined to maintain a strong connection with nature and get the most out of my state park pass, I decided to begin a tour of all 24 of Indiana’s State Parks, starting with Fort Harrison. My sibling lives not far from Fort Harrison State Park, so I texted to see if they wanted to tag along and grabbed my camera bag. They pointed out birds and fungi while I pointed my lens. Here are just a few things that we saw: