A State at a Time: Indiana

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Indiana - Day 19

O'Bannon Woods State Park
Wednesday, 19 June 2019

Campground life
I just had to rest and rain was predicted and Wednesdays are usually light days at campgrounds, so I decided today was a stay-in-place day. I spent most of the day figuring out where I was going next and catching up on my blog, except I didn't get caught up, obviously.

The air was so full of moisture this morning that on our second morning walk it felt like I was swimming instead of walking.

I saw an older woman - she looked like my mom did when she was in her 80s - going from the restrooms to her camper. She was using a cane and acted like she actually needed it for balance. But she had to test every step because there was so much moisture in the ground she couldn't always put the stick down and expect it to support her. Not a hazard I'd ever thought of for camping while elderly.

The woodpeckers showed up again. I'm certain there were 3 of them. I think the males and females look pretty much the same, but the young ones don't so this wasn't a family group I was seeing. Just beautiful to watch them fly.

Serious bugs also showed up. I think they were gnats, but they were bigger than Texas gnats so I'm not sure.

Several times today we had downpours, but when the sun came out it was really hot. And humid.

Indiana state parks
The state parks here are almost all very well cared for. They're staffed and the staff are pleasant and helpful. The price for weeknights is usually pretty good (it varies from one park to another but is usually around $25), but it gets knocked up to around $30+ for weekends, which is close to the cost of private campgrounds.

The irritating thing about them, though, is that they also charge an admission fee to the park, separate from the camping fee. In other states, the admission fee is waived if you're camping, but not in Indiana. And that fee for out-of-staters ranges from $9 to $12. They say it's just a one-time fee - you don't have to keep paying every time you leave the park and come back - but you have to pay at each park.

You can buy an annual pass for $65, but when I first stayed at a state park I wasn't sure if I'd be staying often enough to make it worth my while to buy the pass. By the time I realized how well-run and conveniently located they are, I'd already spent enough on entrance fees to make me irritated. So if you're coming to Indiana, it's something to consider.

The thing is, there just aren't as many private campgrounds as you might expect, which is why the state parks start looking so attractive. In some areas, they're almost the only game in town.

Indiana license plates