UPLAND, Ind. (WANE) – An Upland couple is on the verge of completing their mission of visiting every Indiana State Park unit this year.
“With COVID you’re inside a lot and inactive a lot, and want to find something to do,” said Dane Davenport. “So, January 1 we got our first state park out of the way down in Mounds State Park in Anderson and from there its just been a lot of fun.”
Dane and his wife Laurie only have three parks left to go: Potato Creek, Indiana Dunes and Pokagon. They plan on visiting all three next weekend.
The Davenports say the experience has been a real “eye opener.”
“I didn’t imagine all the beauty that Indiana has,” said Laurie Davenport. “The terrain that we have – rock formations and caves, I never knew about the caves here or waterfalls… It was just beautiful to see all the creation, plus what Indiana has to offer and it was, it was wonderful.”
The Davenports aren’t the only ones on this mission. Indiana State Parks posted the challenge on its Facebook page.
The Davenports recommend that anyone interested in attempting this feat prepare by getting the proper equipment and a yearly pass.
“Start with good shoes,” said Dane. “Then prepare for the weather. Dress so that you can take heat or cold. Dress in layers, but dress comfortably… Laurie and I, we love to walk with hiking sticks. So, start with your feet and guard your feet and then just be careful for the weather.”
Laurie added that the more treads you have on your shoes, the better.
To see the AW Media promotional video shown in this story for Chain O’ Lakes state park, click here.
