Collocations: Outdoors in Indiana 5: Tippecanoe State Park

I have been eager to go exploring in Tippecanoe State Park for quite some time. There was no objective basis for my enthusiasm; I had never been there before, and all that I knew about the park I had learned from my friends’ stories about the fun times they’d had while there.

So, I was curious about what the park would be like. What’s more, it is the only one of the Indiana State Parks with a name that effortlessly transforms into a delightfully apropos pun.

My interest was peaked even further when I went onto the Indiana DNR’s website. I learned that the park has a “Canoe Camp” area that is separate from both the family campground and the youth tent area. The Canoe Camp consists of ten widely-spaced, primitive sites and is located directly next to the park’s access point onto the Tippecanoe River.

Though I knew that I had to go check it out before the end of the semester, I decided I would wait until a colorful, sunny autumn day.

Friday, October 12th was a warm day with a cool breeze। The trees were changing into the color of sunsets, plump with the leaves that would be clinging to the branches for only a short while longer. The weather was perfect, and I drove to the park as soon as my classes were over.

When I arrived at the park, a woman named Jen was managing the front entrance. I had several brief conversations with her throughout the course of the weekend; she was always kind, and I was grateful to have met someone so helpful.

Tippecanoe’s Canoe Camp is designed to provide campers with convenient access to both the tent sites and the river. Therefore, rental of these sites is only available to individuals who will have either a kayak or a canoe on their site overnight. One result of this restriction is that the setting remained quieter, more private, and more peaceful than that of the average campground.

I went on several kayaking excursions through the Tippecanoe River’s wiggles and bends, admiring the diversity of plant and animal life along the way. If you do ever decide to camp at the Tippecanoe State Park but don’t own a paddleboat of your own, I strongly urge you to rent or borrow one.

Within the park’s 2,761 acres there are two nature preserves and ten hiking trails; the trails range in distance from 0.8 miles to 3.5 miles. Jen had recommended that I hike trail eight, a 1.4 mile-long trail that meanders through the Sandhill Nature Preserve.

Trail eight wound through a deciduous forest, over a sand dune covered in prairie growth, and through a large pine grove before looping back into the deciduously forested area. It was so beautiful that I actually hiked it several times.

In addition to hiking and boating opportunities, the park has bridle trails and a horse camp (great options for those of you who own your own horses), a fire tower for bird watching, and cross country skiing during the winter। Furthermore, the park employs “interpretive naturalists” who provide services such as guided hikes, presentations of थे nature centers’ exhibits, and historic tours.

I ended up returning to the park three times during the next two weeks; site three of the Canoe Camp has started to feel like my home away from home. I may not have initially known why I felt so drawn to go there. However, now that I’ve spent time on the trails and rivers of Tippecanoe State Park, I have discovered countless reasons to return.

Tippecanoe State Park is located just south of Winamac on US 35; the drive from campus takes just over an hour. And remember, the world is right outside your door... Let's go!