Potato Creek State Park a great place to camp

We all have our favorite outdoor places. One of mine is Potato Creek State Park.

Located 15 miles south of South Bend, this is where my parents took me camping as a kid. I caught my first bass standing on the boat ramp casting a River Runt with a little spin cast combo. My outdoor roots are traceable to this park.

First of all, Indiana’s State Park system doesn’t have a bad park. Hoosiers are extremely fortunate to live in a state that takes such pride in state parks. From Clifty Falls on the Ohio River to the Dunes on Lake Michigan, and at all the parks in between, you’ll find diverse opportunities to enjoy nature in safe and scenic settings.

I believe Potato Creek is special because it doesn’t really have a specialty. What it has is a little bit of everything. To begin with, the campgrounds are impeccable. There are 287 electric sites, 70 more electric sites in the specially designated Horseman’s campground, a youth tent area and cabins. The sites are all nice. Most are in the open with manicured grass and scattered trees.

Without a reservation, you are not likely to find an available spot on any weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you want to camp here on a weekend, I highly suggest you make a reservation. To do so, visit www.camp.IN.gov.

Aside from the camp sites, Potato Creek offers an array of outdoor opportunities. The trail system is one of the best I’ve ever seen at a state park. There is a paved bicycle trail that weaves 3.3 miles through wooded hills, wetlands and flat fields, and also across the creek. We used to park our bikes at one of the bridges that span the creek and then slip down the bank to a large swimming hole. My brother, friends and I might as well have been in the Yukon. To us, at that age, we were in wild and remote wilderness.

Worster Lake is a 327-acre fishing and paddling paradise. There are no outboard motors allowed on the lake, so it remains a tranquil escape. Standing timber, deep coves, fields of lily pads and more create a great fishing environment. Bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish are all in the lake in good numbers and there is potential for catching a trophy-sized fish, too. You can bring your own fishing boat, as long as it has oars or an electric trolling motor, or you can rent a boat on site from the boat rental. Canoes and kayaks are popular on the Worster Lake.

Other activates at Potato Creek include wildlife watching, swimming at the beach, visiting the nature center and participating in the many activities planned and hosted by the park staff.

If you’d like to take a trip to the northern Indiana, I suggest Potato Creek State Park. The diversity of activities available at the park makes it a destination suitable for just about anyone who enjoys camping.

See you down the trail …