This State Park In Indiana Is So Little Known, You'll Practically Have It All To Yourself
By Tori Jane|Published June 06, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Indiana’s state parks and recreation areas are quite beloved by locals and visitors alike, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year. Sure, it might not SOUND like much compared to parks like Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, which sees a couple of million visitors annually, but for our little corner of the world? It’s perfect. Not too crowded, never terribly busy. So, which one of the state parks in Indiana is likely to be the least crowded? Head out to the unfortunately underrated, least visited state park in Indiana for a nice, quiet afternoon outdoors – it’s the Trine State Recreation Area, and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to celebrate the beauty of the Hoosier State without the potential for crowds.
The Trine State Recreation Area is located adjacent to the much more popular and sought-after Pokagon State Park, where most folks usually go, blissfully unaware that they're missing out on a wonderful little state park right next door.
Gentian Lake is a kettle lake, which is essentially a "hole" in the plains formed by retreating glaciers long ago, and other than the perch and bass known to live within its clear, blue water, there are also rarer species called cisco, an uncommon freshwater whitefish that normally makes its homes in northern countries, as well.
Other fascinating natural features at the park include wetlands, meadows, and beautiful, rolling, wooded hills, which are a brilliant green following particularly good rains.
From late March through May and sometimes into June, the meadows light up with brilliantly-colored wildflowers, and we bet you'll regret it if you don't bring a camera along for that. It's a stunning natural spectacle that really makes you love Indiana that much more.
The trees provide ample shade, and you won't be able to wander any one trail here without being serenaded by the sounds of wild birds that inhabit the area.
Fall in love with it and want to stay? Consider renting one of the 12 cabins on the grounds to stay overnight and sleep under the stars at this stunningly beautiful, least visited state park in Indiana.
For information about how to book your cabin, be sure to check out the Trine State Recreation Area website. What are your favorite lesser-known parks in Indiana? Tell us about them in the comments!
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