IN the Parks

Join me and my family on a trip to Capitol Reef National Park near Torrey, Utah. We stayed in Conestoga wagons at Broken Spur Inn before spending the day in the park. The park's geology is very interesting and to truly understand it, be sure you stop at the visitor center. Our "must do" trails include Goosenecks Overlook, Sunset Point, and Hickman Bridge. Plus, be sure to stop and see the petroglyphs. The trails we wish we had done include Cohab Canyon and Cassidy Arch trails. We also drove along the Scenic Drive and Grand Wash and got great pictures of Chimney Rock and Capitol Dome.Capitol Reef is also known for the Fruita settlement's orchards in the park. Be sure you stop at Gifford House to buy some pie! And learn more about the orchards from the National Park Service.Buy an Indiana state park hat for yourself or a friend! Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube.Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

On my family trip to the Utah Mighty 5 National Parks, our next stop is Bryce Canyon National Park. This park left a lasting impression on all of us; it was definitely a favorite! We got to enjoy Astronomy Fest events on our first night there, taking advantage of the park’s Dark Sky status. We were in awe of the hoodoos, unique rock formations all throughout the amphitheater. (Note: Bryce Canyon is not technically a canyon). And if a little kid can hike Navajo Loop and the Queen’s Garden Trail, so can you!Learn more about hoodoo formation from the NPS site.Buy an Indiana state park hat for yourself or a friend! Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. You can also subscribe to the YouTube channel, which now includes the podcast with rotating pictures from the park.Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

Join me and my family in Zion National Park! We hike the trail to The Narrows, Emerald Pools, and Court of the Patriarchs on our day in the park. I’ll give you our park strategy, tips, mistakes, regrets, and memories while sharing some info about the park. There are thousands of resources online about Zion from people who have spent considerable time there. Don’t get lost in all the options; just go and enjoy this truly stunning park!Want your own Indiana state park hat? You can buy one here! Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. I'm also posting podcasts on YouTube with very basic video so you can see pictures related to the episode.Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

It's time for Season 2, and I'd like to invite you to join me and my family on a road trip! We're headed to Utah's Mighty 5 National Parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches. Plus, we'll finish at the Grand Canyon. While there are no National Parks staff interviews, you'll hear from my family what we did, what we wish we'd done, and what we learned. I'll share information about each park and what makes each one special!Buy IN the Parks hats and stickers here! Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

On this Season 1 wrap-up episode, you’ll hear from me about ALL the parks. I’ll share my park “stats” and give you my top recommendations for the ideal parks for hiking, paddling, animal lovers, kids, and more!You’ll learn about the 4 things that make hiking horrible and hear about my 5 favorite experiences. Plus, I’m sharing my Top 20 lessons learned from the Indiana State Parks. Finally, you’ll get to hear what’s next for IN the Parks!Buy your Indiana state parks hat and show off your love for the parks!Be sure to buy stickers on my website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for updates on Season 2 and 3!

Come discover what may truly be Indiana State Park's hidden gem: Trine State Recreation Area. The beautiful property is just minutes away from Pokagon State Park, and we have a woman named Helen Swenson to thank for the personality and style at each park. Helen's hand-drawn maps of each property still exist. Her attention to detail and intention in every design choice reflect a deep love for nature, color, and purpose.Today, Trine is still an oasis for people who love fishing, bird watching, quiet mornings, and scenic trails.If you want to see some of Helen Swenson’s art and read more about her, visit the ACRES Land Trust website.Podcast Listening Feedback Needed! Want to give input on your favorite park, what topics you want to hear about on the podcast, and more? I’d love it if you could take my listener survey Open through July. Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast!Interviews edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

Let’s go for a ride or walk along the Monon South, stopping in 6 small towns along the trail. We’ll get breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, and plenty of activity along the way! And best of all, you’ll be close to several state parks, so consider adding in these communities to your visit to Spring Mill State Park, Deam Lake, or Patoka Lake!Below are events or places I visited and recommended. There are even more restaurants and shops mentioned in the episode!Borden: -Broken Town Granola-Norma Jean’s Ice Cream (didn’t eat anything but stopped by)Pekin:-4th of July Festival-Silver Fox CafeSalem-John Hay Center-The Depot Railroad Museum-Born Boutique-El Maguey (didn’t eat here but wanted to!)-H&R BakeryCampbellsburg: -Cave River Valley (didn’t make it but looks awesome!)Orleans:-dogwood festival-El CompadreMitchell:-Mitchell Opera House-Gus Grissom’s boyhood home (did a drive-by)-Main Street Raceway Slot Car Racing-Spring Mill State ParkIf you want to learn more about the Monon South, here's trail info and check out Magnificent Monon South and Discover Southern Indiana to find even more fun activities in this part of the state!Podcast Listening Feedback Needed! Want to give input on your favorite park, what topics you want to hear about on the podcast, and more? I’d love if you could take my listener survey Open through June.Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast! Edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

Indiana Dunes State Park is our most visited park and has been loved for over a hundred years! But do you even know what a dune is? Or why they're important? Or the people we have to thank for the park's creation? What about the shipwreck offshore? And how many birds migrate along Lake Michigan every year? You're about to discover there's a lot more that makes the dunes special than you know!If you’re interested in attending the Indiana Birding Festival, be sure to follow Indiana Audubon.The Indiana Dunes tourism site is where you can find that great app, learn about all the events in the area, and check out the 3 Dune Challenge map.Support the Friends of Indiana Dunes by becoming a member, even if you don’t live nearby.Podcast Listening Feedback Needed! Want to give input on your favorite park, what topics you want to hear about on the podcast, and more? I’d love if you could take my listener survey, open through June.Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast!Interviews are edited for length and clarity. Any mistakes are my own.

It's my 50th episode! Hooray! To celebrate, we're hearing from Brandt Baughman, the Indiana State Parks Director. Brandt grew up going to Spring Mill and spent time working there, at Ouabache, and at Indiana Dunes before moving into management roles. After 36 years, he's now the director of all Indiana's state parks.I loved learning about his deep family connections to Spring Mill, what he's excited about next for parks, and what his favorite things are. (Is Brandt on Team Cave or Team Fire Tower? And what animal would he still love to see in Indiana?)This interview has been edited less than my typical episodes, but has still been edited for clarity. We also talked a while about the Indiana state fair, but I did not include that here as it didn’t fit within the larger flow of the episode. However, I learned the theme is baseball and the DNR building will still be a fun spot for families and park lovers!Podcast Listener Feedback Wanted! I'd love to hear from YOU! What's your favorite state park? What topics & places do you want to hear about next? How can I make the pod better? Let me know!Check out the IN the Parks website and follow along on Instagram and Facebook. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast!Any mistakes are my own.