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Fresh year, fresh snow, fresh ideas

January 2012

Purchase a 2012 Outdoor Indiana calendar for $10. Call (317) 233-3046 today.

Wild about wildflowers?

The book “Wildflowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests,” by Michael A. Homoya of the DNR Division of Nature Preserves, is available for purchase at your local bookstore or by calling 800-842-6796. You also can buy the book online from Indiana University Press. The 464-page book identifies nearly 300 common plants and is beautifully illustrated.

Canyon Inn events

On Jan.14, the Brewmaster Getaway at McCormick’s Creek will offer participants an expansive beer tasting at the Canyon Inn. The evening includes a multi-course dinner, beer tasting, overnight accommodations and breakfast the next day. Packages start at $179 per couple. Call 877-922-6966 for reservations.

Bring your sweetheart to the Canyon Inn for dinner and dancing for Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14. This package includes a meal for two, overnight accommodations and breakfast the next morning. Packages start at $150 per couple. For reservations, call 877-922-6966.

Winter 2-for-1 rates at State Park Inns

Stay two nights and your second night is free at Indiana State Park Inns, through March 1. Learn more about State Park Inns winter rates. Use this special to maximize your fun if you bought or received a $99 DNR holiday gift pack.

Find special events you would like to attend at State Parks and Reservoirs.

Dream of summer and make your campsite reservations now.

If you love Indiana's state parks and reservoirs, make a donation to help make them even better.

Rush County Heritage earns Governor’s Award

Rush County Heritage, Inc. received the 2011 Governor’s Award for Preservation of Historic Places. This year’s award recognizes the achievements that resulted in the reconstruction of the Moscow Covered Bridge.

Ready your camera

The Preservation Month photo contest is on. Read the contest rules and enter before April 6.

Wintering at state parks and reservoirs

Have the winter blahs? Bah humbug. Winter is a great time to enjoy Indiana State Parks and Reservoirs. Ski, sled, toboggan, hike ... the possibilities are nearly endless. Here are just a few things you can do to make January the start of a happy new year.

Take a walk. Join McCormick’s Creek staff and people all across the country for a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day in a state park.
Take Brown County’s Annual Winter Hike on Jan. 14.
Go sledding at Fort Harrison’s sledding hill, which is open during park hours when snow cover and weather permit. Call (317) 591-0904 to check on the status.
Experience the Battle of the Bulge Re-enactment on Jan. 7 at Fort Harrison. A Battle of the Bulge exhibit is available on weekends through January.
Register in advance by Jan. 10 to build an Eastern screech owl nest box on Jan. 15 at Monroe Lake.
Check out the Indiana Dunes Geocache Adventure on Jan. 2. Get site-specific geocaching information here.
Cross-country ski at Pokagon. The ski rental is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends. When there’s a base of 5-6 inches of snow, a variety of trails for varying levels of expertise are available.
Become a “Road Scholar” (formerly Elderhostel) at Pokagon’s Potawatomi Inn, Jan. 29-Feb. 3. Road Scholar is a non-profit, educational organization that provides short-term, non-credit, residential learning opportunities for people 55 years of age and older.
Go tobogganing at Pokagon. Gift certificates are available for friends and family.
Cure the cabin fever blues with “Old-time Winter on the Farm” at the O'Bannon Woods nature center on Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Experience life on the farm, from the cross-cut saw to the open fire of the summer kitchen. Call ahead in case of inclement weather, (812) 738-8234.

Get out your eagle eyes

See Indiana’s winter bald eagles during these January events. View details about any of these events by visiting the interpretive services page and downloading brochures under property names.

Patoka Lake offers two chances to see eagles on Jan. 7, one from 8 -11 a.m., the other from noon-3 p.m.
Brown County offers a bald eagle program on Jan. 28. Participants will carpool to Monroe Lake from the Brown County nature center. A bald eagle program will follow at Brown County’s Abe Martin Lodge.
Turkey Run will offer its Eagles in Flight Weekend, Jan. 27-29, with live bird programs, trips to roosts and visits to active eagle nests.

Indiana Tree Project

You can donate a hardwood tree to one of Indiana’s forests for $10 each through the Indiana Tree Project. The program is a joint effort between the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation, the DNR Division of Forestry, and the citizens and businesses of Indiana. Donors can track the progress of their tree(s) on the Indiana Tree Project website. The primary objectives of the Indiana Tree Project are to: Reforest Indiana by planting new hardwood seedlings throughout the state; restore lands that have been deforested; and renew hardwoods through sustainable forestry practices.

Santa forget to give you Outdoor Indiana?

Don't get mopey. Give yourself a New Year’s gift by subscribing to Outdoor Indiana magazine for $12 a year for six issues. The January-February issue features a cover article on how falconry is practiced by a dedicated few in the Hoosier State. An eight-page collectible insert profiles Lincoln State Park. The March-April issue’s insert features Spring Mill State Park. Join Outdoor Indiana on Facebook at no cost to get updates on what’s coming up in future issues and see bonus photos.