Tippecanoe River State Park

10/19/2026

Here’s What’s Happening at the Park!!!!

Halloween is here!!!
Thursday, Oct. 22
1:00pm Halloween Mask Creation: Creat your own mask!!! Choose an animal that the Naturalist has a kit for or let your imagination run where the wild things are!!! NC, 1 hour

Friday, October 23
4:30pm Halloween Scavenger Hunt: Get the list! Explore Electric Camp! Take only pictures, Leave only footprints!! Return for a prize! Community Fire Ring in Electric Camp! 1 hour.
8:00pm Halloween Site Decoration Contest: We appreciate all your hard work! Look for the Naturalist and other park staff to come around to be delighted or scared. Winners of the Scariest, Cutest, and Most Original sites will receive a prize and a laminated place card for their memory box or book! Electric Camp, 2 hours.

Saturday, Oct. 24
11:00am Dog Costume Contest: Welcome to our Annual Dog Costume Contest! Bring your furry friends in their best Halloween Costumes, and Leash to show off their stuff!!! Good behavior counts and the winners will get dog treats and a laminated place card for your memory book!!! Open Play Field, 30 minutes.

1:00pm Horse and Rider Costume Contest: Welcome to our Annual Horse and Rider Costume Contest!!! Bring your horses and riders over and strut your stuff! Winners will receive a prize and a laminated card for your memory box or book!!! Playground in the middle of Horseman’s Campground, 30 minutes.
1:30 Horseman’s Camp Site Decoration Contest: We appreciate your hard work! Look for the Naturalist and Friends Group members to come around to be delight or scared. Winners of the Sacriest, Cutest, and Most Original sites will receive a prize and a Laminated card to put into you memory box or book! Horseman’s Campground, 30 minutes.

4:30-5:30pm Halloween games and crafts: Come the the Nature Center to play Halloween Games and make some Halloween Crafts before the Monster Egg Hunt! NC
5:45pm Halloween Monster Egg Hunt: Join the fun! There will be 4 distinct hunting areas. 0-3-years, 4-7-years, 8-11-years, & 12-106-years! Please return the eggs so we Can hunt them again next year! The Friends Group of Tippecanoe River State Park would like to tank you for coming out and giving our season such a nice ending!!! NC
6:15 Costume Contest Line up: Judging starts promptly at 6:15pm Easter Time. Prizes will be awarded in these age groups - 0-3yrs, 4-7yrs, 8-11yrs Family/Group. Winners will receive a prize and a laminated card for their memory box or book! NC
6:30pm Halloween Campsite Self Tour: Please be careful, enjoy the decorations, have a wonderful Time!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

10/12/2026

Here’s What’s Happening in the Park!!!
Tuesday, Oct. 13
6:30pm Friends Group of Tippecanoe River State Park Meeting: Everyone is welcome!!! The Friends Group is a non-profit volunteer organization that supports this park. We do conservation activities, education, recreation, historic preservation and promote the activities of the park. For more information, see the page at www. Facebook.com/friendsoftippecanoeriverstatepark or email [email protected] or join us at this meeting! We meet at the Pulaski County Historical Society & Museum, 110 Monticello St., Winamac, IN 46996

Friday, Oct. 16
3:00pm Dutch Oven Cooking: There will be tips and tricks, recipes to take and try, and a demonstration. Bring your Dutch oven questions and your own bowl and spoon to taste with. NC Patio, 1 hour.

Sat., Oct 17
10:00am Trail 8 Guided Hike: This Trail visits several habitats and has one of the most peaceful places in the park. Join the Naturalist for this informative visit to the Sand Hill Nature Preserve, White Pine Plantation, and a Prairie Restoration Area. This is an easy hike but may require boots in some places, bug spray and a water bottle. It’s a mile and 2 tenths hike. Tepicon Hall Parking Area, 1 1/2 hours.
3:00pm Sand Hill Cranes: Meet Shelly Werner from Pulaski Soil and Water! She will share all she knows about this wondrous bird and its local flight patches. NC, 30 minutes.

Sun., Oct. 18
1:00pm Leather Stamping Program: The Naturalist will provide directions and tips for you to create your own Leather Stamping Project for a $5 donation to our Friends Group. NC Patio, 1 hour.

10/11/2026

Making your own walking stick to help keep you safe on the trails, is one of the many activities you can do at the Nature Center!!!

10/05/2026

Here’s What’s Happening at the Park!!!
Friday, Oct. 9
1:00pm Camp Craft - Caper Charts: Do you like to camp? Do you like all the Chores? Well here’s is a fun way to share the chores so everyone can share in the fun!!! NC Patio, 1 hour.
5:30pm Star Charts: Join the Naturalist to build your own Star Chart so we can find some constellations before the Draconids Meteor Shower. Open Play Field, 30 minutes.
6:00pm Ursa Major Map to the Constellations: Join Roger Miller to learn how Ursa Major, “The Big Dipper””The Big Bear”, is a map to the constellations in the night sky and how the Indian’s, settlers, and slaves all used the stars to guide their travels. Open Play Field, 45 minutes.
8:00pm Draconids Meteor Shower: For this viewing opportunity, leave your white flashlights turned off till you get back to camp so we can all maintain our night vision. Bring a blanket to lay out on the grass to watch the shower, and bug spray to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Open Play Field, 2 hours.

Sat., Oct. 10
3:00pm Beavers: Have you ever seen the United States biggest rodent? Meet the beaver a display, and then wander the Nature Center area to find never sign! This will be a chat and a short hike, so wear closed toed shoes and bug spray as we venture around to find beaver sign. NC, 1 hour.
7:00pm Kim Hoover: Come see the birds Kim has rescued and mentored into education ambassadors. She can always use a hand with the feeding of these beautiful creatures, so donations are always welcome!!! Community Fire Ring in Electric Camp, 2 hours.

Sun., Oct. 11
1:00pm Walking Stick Program: Come for this short program followed by the opportunity to create your own Walking Stick for a $5 donation to our Friends Group. The Naturalist will provide directions and tips. NC Patio, 1hr

09/28/2026

Here’s What’s Happening at the Park!!!

Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
3:00pm Camp Craft - Meal Planning, Storage & Disposal

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
11:00am Hand Crafted Bird Houses - Norman Saul and Mick Perry have crafted bird houses for you to decorate and take home. All they ask is that you make a $10 donation to our Friends Group to help them continue what they do!!! Nature Center, 1 hour.

1:00pm Bat-poly - play a round of Bat-poly!!! Just about everything you ever wanted to know about bats all in 1 game!!! NC Doors, 2.5 hours.

3:00pm Fossil Rocks - Discover some of the ocean fossils that used to cover our part of the world. See how many you can find!!! Nature Center Patio, 1 hour.

Sunday, Oct. 4,2026
1:00pm Wood Burning Project: The Naturalist will provide directions and safety tips, followed by the opportunity to create your own wood burned project for a $5 donation to our Friends Group. Nature Center, 1 hour.

Upcoming events
Fri. Oct. 9 Ursa Major, Map to the Constellations with Guest Naturalist Roger Miller & the Draconids Meteor Shower!

Sat. Oct. 10 Hoots and Howls with Kim Hoover

Sat. Oct. 24 Halloween celebrations: Dog Costume Contest, horse and rider costume contest, site decoration contest the Monster Egg Hunt & individual and group costume contest!

09/19/2026

With the forecast calling for potentially severe weather, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Poker Paddle.
The safety of our employees and participants is our top priority, and we don’t want anyone put at risk.
We truly appreciate everyone’s understanding and support. Please stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you at future events.

Send a message to learn more

09/18/2026

Heads up, paddlers — the weather for Saturday’s Poker Paddle isn’t shaping up the way we hoped.
We’ll keep a close eye on conditions and make a final call in the morning.
Check this page for updates or call the Office for the most current information.

09/14/2026

Here’s What’s Happening at the Park!!!

It’s POKER PADDLE WEEKEND!!!
Sat. Sept. 19
9:00-10:30am Poker Paddle Registration: Report to the Park Office to register for our Annual Poker Paddle! The Fee is $15 per player! Cash Only Proceeds go to our Friends Group!!!
11:00am Poker Paddle Staggered Start: Get in line at the River Tent Boat Launch Area, when your turn comes up start your float to the Nature Center. Don’t forget to find our Staff and Volunteers on the River to help you pick out your poker hand!!!
12:00pm Bat-opoly: Play a round of Bat-opoly while you wait for everyone to come ashore and test your Bat knowledge!
2:00pm Poker paddle Hand Judging: Turn your hand in so we can figure out who has the best hand. Get a snack from our Friends Group, then the drawings for the DOOR PRIZES!!! Nature Center, 1 hour.

Upcoming Events
Sat. Sept. 26 National Public Lands Day this is the Biggest Volunteer Day of the year!!!

Sat. Sept. 26 Free Fishing Day

Sat. Oct. 24 Halloween Celebration

09/07/2026

Here’s What’s Happening at the Park!!!

Friday Sept. 11, 2026
3:00pm Camp Craft “Kaper Charts”: Do you like camping? Do you like all the chores? Here’s a way to get all the chores done and make sure everyone gets to have a good time too!!! NC Patio, 30 minutes.
6:09pm Bugs: Watch for the Naturalist as she moves through the campgrounds talking about Firewood insects, mosquitos,and Ticks, and how to avoid them! 1 hour.

Saturday, Sept, 12, 2026
9:00am Girl Scouts Love State Parks: Calling all Girl Scouts!!! This is a chance to to some Girl Scout Activities and some State Parks Activities, all in one trip! Wear close-toed shoes & bug Spray, bring a water bottle, sun screen or a hat, and a Brownie Smile!! Fire Tower Picnic Shelter, 2 hours.
1:00pm Monarch Migration Game: Have you ever watched a Monarch butterfly and wondered where they go? This game will answer that question and many more about Monarchs and their phenomenal journey! Nature Center front yard, 30 minutes.
3:00pm Beaks, Beaks, Beaks: For every bird there is a beak and not all beaks are built the same!! Meet the Naturalist for a chat about the pros and cons of the different beaks. Then test your knowledge with a game inside the NC!! 30 minutes

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026
1:00pm Wood Burning Project: The Naturalist will provide directions, safety tips, and an opportunity to create your own wood burned coaster for a $5 donation to our Friends Group! NC, 1 hour.

Upcoming Events
Sat. Sept. 19 Annual Poker Paddle
Sat. Sept. 26 National Public Lands Day! Biggest Volunteer Day of the year! Check with the Naturalist for projects across the park.

Sat. Sept. 26 Free Fishing Day

Oct. 24, 2026 Halloween Celebration!