More than 2,000 acres of nature adventures await you at Prophetstown State Park in Battle Ground, Indiana. Hiking, bird-watching camping and biking are just a few of the popular fun activities at the Indiana park. This Hoosier State Park is located just north of Lafayette, Indiana, where tons of other Indiana attractions can be found, so it’s a great destination for your next day trip from Indianapolis.
Preserving and emphasizing Indiana history is the main purpose at Prophetstown State Park. Western Indiana was once the home of countless Native American villages and acres of prairie grass. Where the Tippecanoe River meets the Wabash River was the first site where white frontiersmen began exploring. According to the Prophetstown State Park brochure, the frontiersmen were greeted by “a vast sea of tall grass stretching as far as your eyes could see.”
Restoring the prairie is a high priority for the parks department, and each season the wild flowers and grass areas are expanded. Eventually, two-thirds of the park will resemble its original grassy state witnessed by the first pioneers.
The wetlands at Prophetstown State Park attract a wide variety of waterfowl and seasonal birds, making this a fun day trip for bird watchers. The campgrounds at this park feature 110 campsites, picnic areas, electrical hookups, running water and a playground. The park also has extensive hiking and biking trails for visitors to enjoy.
Historic Prophetstown is located within Prophetstown State Park. This 300-acre area has two exciting attractions, the Wabash Valley farmstead and the Woodland Native American Village. The farm is a 1920s living-history display that features animals, a farmhouse and more. Milking short-horn cattle, Belgian mares, Berkshire pigs, chickens and Romney Sheep live on the farm, and they are often visited by Indianapolis kids. The Gibson farmhouse is the centerpiece of the antique farm re-creation. It offers a historical depiction of farm life in the 1920s, and it’s available to rent for parties and other events.
The Woodland Native American Village is a re-created tribute to Indiana’s history. A cooking shelter, wigwams, a medicine lodge and other Shawnee artifacts can be seen here.
Prophetstown State Park has a huge playground with several slides and treehouses. Picnic areas are available at the playground, so mom and dad have a place to relax or cookout.
A day trip to Prophetstown State Park is incomplete without a stop by the Tippecanoe Battlefield Park. The history lessons to be learned here are endless. Tippecanoe Battlefield Park is the site of the famous 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe, where a group of Native Americans and U.S. troops squared off. After the U.S. Victory, commander William Henry Harrison burned the nearby Native American village of Prophetstown. A memorial now stands at Tippecanoe Battlefield Park to honor the lives lost in the battle.
While you’re in Battle Ground, Indiana, be sure to check out Wolf Park, where the whole family can safely interact with a pack of wolves. Western Indiana is scenic, relaxing and unique, making it a cool destination for your next day trip from Indy.
Lafayette, Indiana is only a short drive from Prophetstown State Park, and many more day trip destinations can be discovered there. The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Columbian Park Zoo and the beautiful Purdue University are a few of the hot spots nearby.
Prophetstown State Park
5079 Fisher Road
Battle Ground, Indiana 47920
765.567.4919
website
{ 0 comments… add one now }