Fort Harrison State Park

Don’t miss out on our Summer Concert tonight with the GMH Jazz Combo! 7 pm at the Sledding Hill (across from Sycamore Shelter). The Friends of Fort Harrison will be providing free ice cream while supplies last!! We hope to see you there!

We have some gorgeous summer blooms happening now giving the park a beautiful pop of color!

Join us for some programs this July!!

Wanting to get outside this weekend? Join us for some programs!!
Saturday, June 29th
10:00 am Tree ID Hike – Are you interested in learning about Indiana’s native trees and how to identify them? Meet the Naturalist at the Schoen Creek Parking lot for a short 1 mile hike on the Tree Line Trail. Hike will last approximately 1 hour.

1:00 pm Marvelous Metamorphosis – Join our naturalist to learn about the process of metamorphosis that our amphibians and insects must undergo to become their adult forms. Two craft activities will be available to outline this unique transformation. Meet in the program room of the Visitor center for a 30-minute program and activity.

Sunday, June 30th
10:00 am Leave No Trace Hike – Take a walk with our naturalist and learn about the meaning behind the saying “Leave No Trace.” We will discuss the importance of being a carry-in, carry-out property while picking up litter along the way. Great opportunity to earn your $2 Explore Pin! Meet at the Delaware Lake parking lot for an easy 1-mile walk lasting 1 hour.

1:00 pm Get to Know Smokey – Ever wondered how the spokesperson for the parks came to be? Stop into the program room for a presentation on how the world’s most influential bear came to be! Program and craft will last 30 minutes.

Join us for some programs this weekend!
Saturday, June 22nd
11:00 am Snake Talk – Meet the naturalist in the program room at the Visitor’s Center to learn about the snakes of Indiana and meet our resident black rat snake. Program lasts 30 minutes.

1:00 pm Awesome Opossums – Meet our naturalist in the program room of the Visitor Center for a 45-minute presentation all about the Virginia opossum! We will discuss the unique features as well as the benefits of having this marsupial in the environment. Stick around to make your own hanging opossum craft after the program!

Sunday, June 23rd
9:00 am Duck Pond Wildlife Watch – Start your morning off with an easy hike out to Duck Pond in search of critters that call Fort Harrison home! We will discuss various tips and tricks for wildlife watching along the way. Grab your binoculars and meet our naturalist at the Delaware Lake parking lot for a 2-mile hike lasting around 2 hours.

1:00 pm Brilliant Butterflies – Have you been wondering who your colorful garden visitors have been? Join the naturalist in the program room for a lesson on common butterflies we see. Be sure to stay for an example of how you can bring more guests to your garden! Program lasts 30 minutes.

Hummingbird moth enjoying the garden at the Visitor Center!

The Saddle Barn will be closed the rest of today and will be closed all day tomorrow, June 22nd. We apologize for any inconvenience!

Turtles are out and about! Drive carefully through the parks to avoid crossing turtles.

You can move turtles across the road in the direction they are headed (if safe to do so) but please no further.

📸 Eastern Box Turtle crossing the road at Spring Mill State Park.

Join us this summer to listen to local musicians on the Sledding Hill for our Summer Concert Series! GMH will be brining their Big Band, Jazz Combo and other musical groups this summer, and the Indianapolis Symphonic Band will be here to provide enjoyable music for everyone. These are free events with park admission. See the schedule below for dates!

June 15th: GMH 7:00 pm
July 13th: GMH 7:00 pm
July 27th: Indianapolis Symphonic Band 7:00 pm
August 31st: GMH 7:00 pm

Join us on the sledding hill tonight for the first concert of the year! GMH will be playing at 7 pm. Bring your picnic supplies and lawn chairs and enjoy listening to local musicians. This is a free event with park admission. We hope to see you there!

Don't miss our programs coming up! There is something for everyone to enjoy!!

Saturday, May 18th
1:00 pm Welcoming our Hummingbirds – Join our naturalist to learn about the spectacular Ruby-Throated Hummingbird and how it spends its summer here in Indiana. We will also discuss tips for attracting hummingbirds to your own backyard. Meet in the program room of the Visitor Center for a 30-minute presentation.

7:00 Summer Concert Series – Join us on the Sledding Hill for a relaxing evening listening to local musicians! Bring a lawn chair and enjoy! This is a free event with entry fee to the park. Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a 6 ft leash! (more dates to come)

Sunday, May 19th
8:00 am Sunday Morning Bird Walk-Sunday Morning Bird Walks are back for spring migration! Bring binoculars, water, and appropriate footwear for a two-hour walk. Meet at the northeast corner of Delaware Lake parking lot. Hike starts promptly at 8 am.

1:00 pm Camp Creek Guided Hike – Meet our naturalist in the Delaware Lake parking lot for a guided 2-mile hike along the Camp Creek Trail. Learn about the variety of flora and fauna that may be found within this area, including Delaware Lake and the Duck Pond!

Heres a few spring wildflowers that are now blooming!

Happy National Volunteer Week!
Our special events at Fort Harrison wouldn't be possible without our volunteers! We would like to thank the Museum of 20th Century Warfare for providing the park with great volunteers to staff the museum, as well as providing re-enactments, and putting on the Soldier's Haunt for or Halloween events.
The Friends of Fort Harrison State Park have successfully put on many years of BBQ & Blues, providing guests with great options for food with great entertainment.
Thank you volunteers!

It's National Volunteer Week and we have some of the best volunteers to thank! The Friends of Fort Harrison State Park have done fantastic work over the years with many projects they have been working on. Most recently, they have been doing great work tackling invasive plant species on their Maintenance Monday's, where they meet to remove Autumn Olive and Bush Honeysuckle. Thank you volunteers!
For more information regarding volunteering, email the Naturalist at [email protected].

We still have some spots left for this great workshop!

Paint with Certified Bob Ross Instructor Chris Taylor as part of Indiana's Happy Little Trees 5K. Chris, who does the majority of his teaching at the Bob Ross Experience in Muncie, learned from Bob Ross as his mentor and the two painted together often. Not only will Chris share personal stories about television's favorite artist, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to get creative and learn the process of painting in Bob Ross’ signature style. Just bring yourself, and we will provide everything you need to have a great time. Just like Bob said, “Let’s get crazy!”
As an Indiana resident, Chris believes in our state parks and is donating a portion of the class proceeds to help reforestation, tree planting and tree health.
Join us on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 from 3:00-5:00pm at the Fort Harrison State Park visitor center for a step-by-step painting class. Cost is $70 per person, with all supplies provided. This workshop is best suited for participants 13 years old and up. SPACE IS LIMITED. Participants will paint the Double Take (Summer Scene) which comes from the Bob Ross television show Season 20, Episode 13. To register and make payment, go to the link below:

https://friends-of-fort-harrison-state-park-inc.springly.org/collect/description/411885-a-bob-ross-painting-workshop

Paint with Certified Bob Ross Instructor Chris Taylor as part of Indiana's Happy Little Trees 5K. Chris, who does the majority of his teaching at the Bob Ross Experience in Muncie, learned from Bob Ross as his mentor and the two painted together often. Not only will Chris share personal stories about television's favorite artist, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to get creative and learn the process of painting in Bob Ross’ signature style. Just bring yourself, and we will provide everything you need to have a great time. Just like Bob said, “Let’s get crazy!”
As an Indiana resident, Chris believes in our state parks and is donating a portion of the class proceeds to help reforestation, tree planting and tree health.
Join us on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 from 3:00-5:00pm at the Fort Harrison State Park visitor center for a step-by-step painting class. Cost is $70 per person, with all supplies provided. This workshop is best suited for participants 13 years old and up. SPACE IS LIMITED. Participants will paint the Double Take (Summer Scene) which comes from the Bob Ross television show Season 20, Episode 13. To register and make payment, go to https://friends-of-fort-harrison-state-park-inc.springly.org/collect/description/411885-a-bob-ross-painting-workshop

Join us at the Garrison, in the park, for a delicious Mother's Day Brunch!

Wow! What a spectacular thing to see! To those of you that watched the total solar eclipse from our park, whether you traveled minutes or hours, thank you for making this such a wonderful experience!

Tomorrow is the day! If you have questions regarding restrooms, food, and information, here is a map of where everything will be located. We will have food trucks (MJ's Backyard BBQ and J&J's A Taste of Home Catering) located at the Sledding Hill and in the Camp Glenn area near the Visitor Center. There will be drop in activities at Reddick Shelter and the Visitor Center.
Park gate opens at 7 am! Bring your picnic supplies and make a day of it!

It is almost time! Park gate will open at 7 am. Please follow all guidelines and directions from park staff. Eclipse glasses and t-shirts are still available for purchase today until 4:00 pm. We are so excited to have you for this incredible astronomical event!

Join us this weekend for some eclipse programs!
Saturday, April 6th:
1:00 pm Eclipse Chalk Art – Join our naturalist to learn about the upcoming total solar eclipse! We will discuss what an eclipse is as well as how to safely view and enjoy one. A craft to create your own eclipse artwork using chalk will be available. Meet in the program room of the Visitor Center for a 30-minute presentation and activity.

Sunday, April 7th:
All Day, 8:30 am-4:00 pm: Stop by the Visitor Center to pick up your eclipse memory worksheet! This is suitable for children.
11:00 am Eclipse 101– Join the Naturalist at the Visitor Center for a short presentation about the total solar eclipse. Bring your questions!
1:00 pm Sensational Sunshine – Join our naturalist to have some fun in the sun as we create special nature art prints using sunshine! We will use this craft to discuss the upcoming solar eclipse as well as the important relationship between nature and sunshine. Meet near the entrance to Millennium Grove picnic area for a 30-minute program.

Snow Trillium on Fall Creek Trail

What is blooming at the park right now? Our spring ephemerals have been popping up the last few weeks! In order:
Harbinger of Spring, Spicebush, and Bloodroot.

Photos by Will Landau

Join us at the Garrison Conference Center in the park for a delicious Easter Buffet!

Spring is in the air! Soon we will see bird migration, spring ephemerals, hear frog calls, and see a spectacular astronomical event, a total solar eclipse! Check out our programs this month to learn all about it!

Are you a nature lover wanting to learn more, and connect with others who share your interests? Fort Harrison State Park is offering an Indiana Master Naturalist course starting April 19th through June 21st on Friday afternoons from noon to 3 pm.

The Indiana Master Naturalist Program is an educational/volunteer program developed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and Purdue Extension Service to provide citizens with hands-on opportunities to learn about Indiana’s natural features and resources.

There is a cost and volunteer hours required for this class. For questions and more information regarding registration, please contact Emilie Sweet at [email protected]
For more information regarding the IMN program, please visit https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/programs/indiana-master-naturalist-program/

We love our volunteers!

Join us on Valentine's Day!

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is soliciting business proposals from individuals, corporations, and partnerships interested in operating the Saddle Barn Concession at Fort Harrison State Park for the 2024-2027 recreation seasons. If you are interested, please visit https://www.in.gov/.../about-us/concessions-and-leases/ for more information

Happy Saturday! ❄️ This snowy morning is perfect for a hike, sledding, or checking out the Battle of the Bulge reenactment happening in the Camp Glenn area of the park near the Visitor Center until 4 pm.

We had a cold but wonderful hike this afternoon with about 200 people for the First Day Hike! Big thank you to the Friends of Fort Harrison State Park for providing cookies and hot chocolate and for volunteering their time to help out. Happy New Year to all!!