By:
Submission
From the north: I-69 south to exit 154 (Lake James). Follow signs to park entrance. From the south: I-69 north to exit 154 (Lake James). Follow signs to park entrance. From the east: I-80/90 west to exit 144 (I-69 south). Go south to exit 154 (Lake James). Follow signs to park entrance. From the west I-89/90 east to exit 144 (I-69 south). Go south to exit 154 (Lake James). Follow signs to park entrance.
We have a lake house at a nearby lake and love coming to this beautiful state park. The lodge is very cool, they have a nice brunch. We also love the toboggan run which is really fast and a fun thing to do in the winter.
It was a beautiful day for a hike. It had rained the day before and the trails were not muddy. I wasn't sure how the path would lead to hell's point, but we ended up going up through the slopping trail instead of the stairs! I did check out the gift store in the lodge as well. A few items branded with the park were available; however, other Indiana state parks did have better selections.
Loved our visit. The campsite was a bit uneven but we managed. There were plenty of hiking trails to explore, and nothing was too difficult or too far. All the staff were super friendly and the walk on the beach was a bonus.
We stayed for a weekend and it was lovely. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The bed isn't the best and long term wouldn't have been great but it was fine for just a weekend. Our room was ground floor looking out over the lake and the view was beautiful. Though some of the patio rooms on the ground floor may be obscured by trees, ours was not.
My only real complaint is that we were told at check in there were several fireplaces around the inn where we could cozy up. Around 6:30 on a Sunday night we decided to venture out and hang out at one of the fireplaces but only the one in the lobby was lit. When we asked to have another fire lit in the library, we were told that only maintenance was able to light them and that they had already left for the evening. It was a little disappointing and I just wish we had been told there was a time cut off to request having a fireplace lit. Perhaps they keep more lit during the colder months when the toboggan is open. Our visit was the week before Thanksgiving.
The trails were well kept and easy hiking, one took you around the lake. It would be cool to see the park in the summer when everything is in bloom! Overall it was a very relaxing weekend.
