Hiking is the most popular activity at Indiana State Parks and Indiana’s Nature Preserves. The Indiana Parks Alliance is working to fund structures, signage, and sustainability practices to ensure that Hoosiers have safe, accessible, and enjoyable trail experiences now and in the future.
The Trail Experience
Hikers can explore sand dunes, wetlands, glacial lakes, big rivers, forests, and prairies. Opportunities abound to see wildlife and wildflowers and discover Hoosier history. Time outdoors strengthens physical and mental health and provides social opportunities that build community.
The Challenges
- Agency Funding: Operating costs are 90% funded by fees. This includes personnel, utilities, services and supplies. Preventive maintenance budgets fund critical repairs to HVAC, electricity and other expenses, including materials and supplies for trail rerouting, structures, and signage. Funding for trails frequently takes a back seat to high er priority maintenance issues.
- Trail Mileage and Structures: Indiana State Parks has 850 miles of trails across 37 properties. Those trails include 1105 trail structures.
- Cost of Structure Repairs and Replacements: Providing safe access with stairs in rugged terrain, bridges across streams, and boardwalks through wetlands and other sensitive areas is costly. Estimates for repair or replacement of only eight high priority trail structures provided to IPA by Indiana State Parks is $650,000. There are many lower priority projects waiting in the wings.
- Maps and Signs: Wayfinding trail maps help hikers navigate trail intersections and in locations with limited cell signal or where printed maps may not be available. The installation of these maps at Clifty Falls reduced rescues of lost or injured hikers by 75%. The cost of a single wayfinding map is $225.
- Labor Costs: Basic trail maintenance to restore footpaths and correct sustainability issues is costly. A single employee working for a seven-month season, either at one property or as a part of a traveling trail crew, costs approximately $20,400. ($18/hour plus FICA.)
How IPA is Responding
IPA developed the Trails for Tomorrow Campaign to generate funding support for this critical need. IPA has:
- Evaluated trails at eight sites to assist in planning for trail structures, erosion management, and sustainability.
- Funded wayfinding trail maps for six properties ($21,000). Installation is complete or in progress at all locations. The response has been enthusiastic appreciation from visitors.
- Contributed $5000 towards a new trail bridge destroyed in the 2023 McCormick’s Creek tornado.
- Advocated for increases in preventive maintenance funding to provide dollars for trail work.
- Joined with other advocates to secure $150 million in deferred maintenance at state parks and nature preserves.
- Continued to advocate for a well-funded Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
We Invite YOU to Respond
During our spring 2026 campaign, two donors provided a total of up to $10,000 in matching funds for your contributions. A donation of any amount can help us achieve a full match.
- $300-$350 funds a wayside trail map
- $1500 provides an interpretive sign
- $2500 provides a trailhead sign
- $10,000 funds a summer trail worker
- $20,000 funds a trail worker April-October
- $30,000-$50,000 replaces a small footbridge or trail structure
Donors, both individual and corporate, are recognized on the Indiana Parks Alliance website and in e-newsletters. We invite you to join us in ensuring that the trails we value are available to all to enjoy for years to come. Thank you for considering a gift to Trails for Tomorrow.
Donation levels for the Trails for Tomorrow Campaign are:
$1,000+ Trail Champion
$500+ Trail Partner
$250+ Trail Explorer
$100+ Trail Trekker
$50+ Trail Hiker
The budget of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is stretched thin. While significant funds have been made available in the last several years for deferred maintenance, most of those funds have been spent on much needed repairs and upgrades to buildings, utilities, and other major infrastructure. There is still a tremendous need for improvements to this most used and basic state park facility. Please support the Indiana Parks Alliance, Trails for Tomorrow campaign by making a donation today. Donations can be made via the link below or by mailing a check to: Indiana Parks Alliance, P.O. Box 1591, Indianapolis, IN 46206 (please put Trails for Tomorrow in the memo).
Click here to make your donation to the Trails for Tomorrow campaign.
Read about our 2026 March Challenge and its Success
See the list of Trail Donors