The photo on this year’s Indiana State Parks Annual Entrance Pass features the Walkway of Roses, a restored pathway at Charlestown State Park from the time the area was Rose Island, an amusement park that attracted visitors from across the Midwest. Charlestown celebrates its 30th anniversary in the state park system this year, and the pass celebrates some of its varied history.
Beginning in the 1880s, visitors from Louisville would spend Sunday afternoons picnicking in the area, especially on a peninsula between the Ohio River and Fourteenmile Creek, calling it Fern Grove. In 1923, the scenic tract of land was bought by David Rose and became Rose Island. The park went out of business after a major flood in 1937.
When the U.S. entered World War II, the site was used by the federal government to manufacture munitions (smokeless powder) to support the war effort. After the war ended, the site fell into disuse. The federal government officially closed the plant in 1995. The next year, the DNR acquired a 2,000-acre plot of land to establish a new state park.
Buy your 2026 Annual Entrance Pass now at ShopINStateParks.com and get access to every Indiana state park all year long.
Plan your Adventure!
Fireworks, car shows, living history, hayrides, volunteer days, and fishing derbies are just some of the special events planned at Indiana State Parks this year.
Find special events on the DNR calendar at on.IN.gov/INStateParkEvents.
For a PDF version of the special events list, email specialevents@dnr.IN.gov.
A Valentine’s Getaway
Celebrate with your loved ones with a getaway weekend at Indiana State Parks. There are seven state park inns, or cozy up in a cabin.
Happy Little 5K
This virtual Bob Ross themed race lets participants choose where and how to complete the race while supporting Indiana State Parks’ forests and trees.
How does it work?
Fighting Kudzu at Charlestown State Park
Kudzu, an invasive vine, has been steadily moving north and establishing infestations in Indiana. Dense mats of the plant can devastate the native forest ecosystem and make the area incredibly difficult to access and treat.
In partnership with the DNR Division of Forestry, Charlestown State Park is working to combat kudzu. Specially trained DNR staff used a drone to access difficult-to-reach areas with dense infestations and spray them with foliar herbicide.
Dedicated efforts to remove kudzu will allow diverse native plants to flourish again in the future. Foresters will be returning in the spring to assess the situation and make a plan for treating any kudzu that sprouts back.
Winter Camping
Winter camping is available at Indiana State Parks, but facilities may be limited. Learn more about what’s available at on.IN.gov/wintercamping.
Camping during the winter takes more planning than during warmer months. Follow these tips to ensure you are ready for winter camp:
• Check the weather forecast before you go.
• Tell someone where you will be camping and when you’ll be back.
• Pack more food, water, clothes, and firewood than you think you’ll need.
• Make sure sleeping bags and equipment are rated for the conditions.
• Layer your clothing, beginning with a wicking (or perspiration-removing) layer, followed by insulating garments, topped by a wind and/or waterproof shell.
• Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia.
• Drink plenty of water. It can be easier to get dehydrated without realizing it in the cold.
• Prepare warm and hearty meals.
Upcoming Events
• Feb. 7: Winter Hike Series: Ten O'Clock Line Nature Preserve, Brown County SP
• Feb. 7: Winter Tree Id Hike, Hardy Lake
• Feb. 7: Old Time Winter on the Farm, O'Bannon Woods State Park
• Feb. 13-15: Eagles Over Monroe Lake
• Feb. 14: Polar Plunge, Versailles State Park
• Feb. 14: Women's Hiking Group Meet-Up, Clifty Falls State Park
• Feb. 21: Arts, Film and History Intersect at the Dunes, Indiana Dunes State Park
• Feb. 21: A Day in a One-Room Schoolhouse, Chain O'Lakes State Park
• Feb. 28: Cowboy Gathering, Salamonie Lake
• Feb. 28: Hidden Caves, Spring Mill State Park
• Feb. 28: Full Moon Hike, Brown County State Park