IN the Parks

an Indiana state parks podcast
  • 4.9 (30)
  • History
  • Updated Biweekly

IN the Parks is an Indiana state parks podcast telling the stories of the Hoosier state's incredible parks! Hosted by Indy-native Allison Martin, IN the Parks gives you the history, stories, best trails, hidden gems, and all the latest park events. On each episode, you'll hear from Indiana state parks staff and volunteers. So come fall in love with the Hoosier state and see why the best memories are made in the parks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. The Monon South & Next Level Trails: How Trails Connect Our Communities

    2h ago

    The Monon South & Next Level Trails: How Trails Connect Our Communities

    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 Cafe Salem -John Hay Center -The Depot Railroad Museum -Born Boutique -El Maguey (didn’t eat here but wanted to!) -H&R Bakery Campbellsburg:  -Cave River Valley (didn’t make it but looks awesome!) Orleans: -dogwood festival -El Compadre Mitchell: -Mitchell Opera House -Gus Grissom’s boyhood home (did a drive-by) -Main Street Raceway Slot Car Racing -Spring Mill State Park If 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min
  2. Indiana Dunes State Park: How an Ordinary Person Has an Extraordinary Impact

    Jun 9

    Indiana Dunes State Park: How an Ordinary Person Has an Extraordinary Impact

    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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  3. Brandt Baughman, Indiana State Parks Director: The State of the State Parks

    May 26

    Brandt Baughman, Indiana State Parks Director: The State of the State Parks

    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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    27 min
  4. Starve Hollow State Recreation Area: The Mother of the State

    May 12

    Starve Hollow State Recreation Area: The Mother of the State

    Starve Hollow State Recreation Area is an intimate, beautiful property where it's nearly impossible to take a bad picture! The lake perfectly reflects the trees and rolling knobstone escarpments. The lakefront camp sites are highly sought after, and the trails and access to neighboring Jackson-Washington State Forest offer exciting challenges for hikers. What's really special about this park and surrounding properties is that it's the mother to the state. At first, the property was used as a tree nursery and hatchery, supplying seedlings and fish to forest, ponds, and properties across the state. DNR still provides these essential services to the state, just down the road from the recreation area. Starve Hollow is still home to several tree plantations that provide seeds for the nursery, which you can visit any time. If you want to learn more about the Vallonia Nursery or the Jasper-Pulaski Nursery, visit the DNR’s forestry site.  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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  5. Tippecanoe River State Park: History, Diversity, Community

    Apr 28

    Tippecanoe River State Park: History, Diversity, Community

    Come with me to Tippecanoe River State Park where there is so much to discover! Hear about the history, fire tower, diverse ecosystems, wildlife, camping, generous community, and activities at this beautiful park. I learned about the Works Progress Administration (later renamed Works Projects Administration) on several sites: Britannica, PBS, the state of North Dakota, Indiana DNR. Go for a ride or run on the Panhandle Pathway. Learn more about black oak savannas and their importance from the National Park Service.  Watch this video of a glass lizard! They’re really cool!  If you want to help out with the Friends of Tippecanoe River State Park and stay up to date with events and the WPA cabin project, be sure to follow them on Facebook.  Check out the website and follow on Instagram and Facebook. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast! Be sure to join the thousands of Hoosiers keeping up with the latest and greatest happenings at GetIndiana.com. Any mistakes are my own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  6. Shakamak State Park: A Family by Choice in the Campground

    Apr 14

    Shakamak State Park: A Family by Choice in the Campground

    Shakamak State Park is a park for campers: group camps, cabins, campgrounds, primitive camping, and even deluxe duplex cabins! You'll hear from some of the park's camp hosts (who are also Friends group volunteers) about how they developed a community in the campground and created their family by choice! Check out the Friends of Shakamak site to save the date for Christmas in July and the October Halloween weekend! Plus, discover what Olympic trials event was held here and learn more about the Civilian Conservation Corps. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast! Be sure to join the thousands of Hoosiers keeping up with the latest and greatest happenings at GetIndiana.com. Any mistakes are my own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
  7. The Knobstone Hiking Trail: Indiana's 160 Mile Trail

    Mar 31

    The Knobstone Hiking Trail: Indiana's 160 Mile Trail

    The extended Knobstone Hiking Trail is Indiana's 160-mile long trek through the southern part of the state. It includes the original Knobstone Trail, the Pioneer Trail, Hoosier National Forest Trail, and Tecumseh Trail. These four sections wind through the hilliest parts of the state to show off the amazing beauty of Indiana. Ready to hike parts (or all!) of it? Get maps, tips, segment ideas, pictures, history, and more on the Knobstone Hiking Trail Association website. If you're into trail running, definitely sign up for the Knobstone 50 trail race. You can read the original Outdoor Indiana article from 1981 about the Knobstone Trail here. It was written by Joe Payne, who worked with Jerry Pagec and was responsible for the physical construction of the original Knobstone trail.  Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast! Be sure to join the thousands of Hoosiers keeping up with the latest and greatest happenings at GetIndiana.com. Any mistakes are my own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  8. Redbird Off-Road State Recreation Area: Learning to Be Brave

    Mar 17

    Redbird Off-Road State Recreation Area: Learning to Be Brave

    Redbird Off-Road State Recreation Area in Dugger, IN, is another epic spot for driving, riding, and hiking! This park provided me with a chance to be a little braver than I wanted to be, but was I ready to take advantage of it? If you visit Redbird to ride, don’t forget the park fees are a little different. You’ll need to pay a different (but still small) fee if you plan to take a motorized vehicle on the trails. Check the park’s website to learn more. The dates for this season’s night rides are April 18 for the Spring Night Ride, July 25 for Trails for Tikes Night Ride, and October 24 for Hall-O-Wheelin. Check out the website and follow on Instagram and Facebook to see pictures from Redbird. Buy IN the Parks stickers and support the podcast! Any mistakes are my own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
See All (53)

4.9
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

IN the Parks is an Indiana state parks podcast telling the stories of the Hoosier state's incredible parks! Hosted by Indy-native Allison Martin, IN the Parks gives you the history, stories, best trails, hidden gems, and all the latest park events. On each episode, you'll hear from Indiana state parks staff and volunteers. So come fall in love with the Hoosier state and see why the best memories are made in the parks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    an Indiana state parks podcast
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Allison Martin
  • Show Website
    IN the Parks

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