2019 fishing and hunting licenses
Basic Indiana fishing and hunting licenses are now available for purchase and are valid from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020.
Get Outdoors and Explore IN State Parks with your new GO! Pack
A special bundle of items that helps you GET OUTSIDE with Indiana State Parks this year.
Your Go! Pack includes:
• A state park entrance permit (regular or senior)
• Your choice of a $40 CAMP gift card - or a $40 INN gift card
• A nylon backpack to use when hiking our properties
Go! Pack offer ends May 12, 2019. Please note that there are four different types of Go! Packs available:
$79 Go! CAMP pack OR $79 Go! INN pack (for those under age 65)
$59 Senior Go! CAMP pack OR $59 Senior Go! INN pack
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 Land purchase expands Prophetstown State Park
Prophetstown State Park is expanding under an agreement to purchase 134 acres of land on the southeast side of the park’s existing footprint. The land, part of the park’s original master plan, has been sought by the DNR since the 1990s.
The purchase allows the DNR to consider future relocation of power lines located in the park, which have no direct electricity customers, and currently run from a sub-station east of the park to the Battleground sub-station west of the park.
The DNR plans to eventually develop a lake on the property into a recreational facility for the state park. Duke Energy worked closely with the DNR to provide viable alternatives for the power line relocation that would avoid the lines running through the lake.
Redbird SRA closed for upgrades
Among the improvements are new trails, major trail repair and reroutes, and paved access from County Road 350 N to Whitetail Shelter.
Property staff will add approximately five miles of new dirt bike trail, reroute trails 0 and 3 to avoid conflict with traffic on the new pavement, and rebuild multiple trails that sustained damage during the wet 2018 season.
Staff will also add amenities such as trail-side rest areas at scenic vistas. Other plans include increasing signage and adding new trail designations to help visitors better navigate the property and avoid areas beyond their skill level.
The property will remain closed until early summer.
 Keep wildlife wild this spring season
The birds and the bees are active again and that can mean only one thing: baby animals. If you encounter a young animal, remember that adult animals rarely abandon their young.
The adult may be out of sight gathering food. Leaving young unattended is normal for many species. Baby animals should not be handled. Though human scent may not cause parents to abandon their young, it can alert predators to the young animal’s presence.
 Easter egg hunting opportunities at state parks
Families won’t have to look hard to find Easter egg hunting opportunities near them, thanks to Indiana’s state parks.
April 20
Harmonie State Park
Pokagon State Park
Potato Creek State Park
Summit Lake State Park
April 21
Whitewater Memorial State Park
Free Fishing Days, April 20, May 18, June 1-2
Indiana residents do not need a fishing license to fish on these four days. Kids 17 and younger can fish every day without a license.
Buy a shirt and have two trees planted
When you purchase this limited edition shirt, you are helping reforest Indiana. For each shirt sold, the Natural Resources Foundation will partner with the Division of Forestry and plant two trees in an Indiana State Forest to celebrate Arbor Day and Earth Day.
Along with each shirt, you'll receive an official tree certificate with a unique tree ID and the coordinates for the acre where the tree will be planted. If you are interested in participating in the next public tree planting, please email champton@dnr.IN.gov to receive updates.
The types of trees planted are native Indiana hardwoods and typically upland and bottomland oaks, walnut, black cherry and other species that are in need of restoration.
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Get your hike on
This year, the Division of Nature Preserves is teaming with some of its partner organizations and land trusts to hold a series of hikes on nature preserves. We hope you can join us to see some of Indiana’s finest natural areas.
Attendance is free, but registration required.
Indiana State Preservation Plan Survey
The DNR needs your input to help revise our statewide Cultural Resources Management Plan. Please take our brief survey to let us know what you think about heritage preservation in Indiana.
Celebrate National Volunteer Week at Indiana State Parks
If you’re looking for a place to donate your time for National Volunteer Week, Indiana state parks have the answer. From maintaining trails to helping in a nature center, there are many opportunities for people to celebrate the week, which is April 7-13, and give back to the outdoors.
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The Indiana Natural Resources Foundation's mission is to support and encourage charitable, educational and scientific programs of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Together, we have helped expand public lands, restore wildlife habitat and create educational opportunities.
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