State Parks are great places to visit.  As shown in this link, there is an almost endless array of trails for hikers, bikers, and horse riders to enjoy.  In addition to these hiking opportunities, State Parks also offer a host of other outdoor activities.  Whether you are interested in swimming, fishing, boating, kid’s activities, mountain biking, or geocaching, you are likely to find it in a nearby state park.  So take a hike and then relax with a cool dip in a lake or a few hours of lazy fishing.  Since most state parks also have lodging options, you can stay a while if you like.

To begin exploring your options, visit the State Parks Web site.  With 38 (and counting) parks spread out across the state, you will have lots of choices.  You can see a map of the parks here - select a park to get more information about it.   The parks brochure provides a summary of the amenities and lodging options in each park to help your narrow your selection.  You can fine tune your choice using an amenity search, which lets you filter the parks by a wide variety of factors.  For example, you could determine which parks in our region have fishing, cabins, and a pool.   Once you arrive at the park, be sure to visit the park office to get more ideas about things to do while in the park.

All state parks have entrance fees, usually charged on a per-vehicle basis.  There may be other fees for amenities such as boat rentals, lodging, swimming, and so on.  To get an idea of what your visit might cost, view the summary of park fees.  You can also reserve lodging and camp sites from that page.

Some parks also allow hunting at certain times of the year – you can see the current schedule here.  This may change from year to year, so always check with the park office if you plan to come outside of the summer months.  Note that hunting in state parks is usually restricted to certain areas of the park, and the park office can fill you in.