This 290 acre state park is 10 minutes from Anderson University. We stayed here for a long weekend when we moved our daughter to college for her freshman year.
Campground
The campground has 75 electric sites. They also have a group camping section. We prefer the sits around the outside rather than the ones in the middle. Here is a map of the campground. Since these sites are electric only, you need to fill up your water at one of the stations on the way in, or you can fill up containers as you go.
Part of the campground borders a small airport, but I’m not sure a single plane took off while we were there.
The mounds
The Adena and Hopewell cultures created and used the mounds between 200 BC to 200 AD. There are several trails with some exhibits telling you about the mounds.
The hikes
5 out of the 6 trails at the park are a mile or shorter. Trail number 5 that travels around the boundary of the park is 2.5 miles. I strongly urge you to carry this map with you. The trails interconnect and although you cannot truly get “lost,” you can make the 2.5 miles into 4.5 if you are not careful. Not that we would have any experience with that. 🙄
The hikes take you through the forest, by the mounds, along the White River, and sites where an old amusement park used to be as well as an interurban station (similar to a streetcar).
Other features
There is a nice visitor center with exhibits, a pool (closed because of Covid), and several large shelters you can rent for group events. You can also take tours of the Bronnenberg House which is being restored to its late 1800 condition. The Bronnenbergs were the ones who helped to preserve the mounds before it became a state park.
Although the park can get quite crowded on the weekends, fewer people camp here during the week. Since this park is only 10 minutes from Anderson University, we will be using it as a home base whenever we come to visit her.