Chase fall colors (and wolves) in your costume or just for science. Here's how.

The wait is over for autumn’s peak. In fact, I was surprised how much the colors had ignited last Thursday at Potato Creek State Park in North Liberty. So, too, were the delighted crowds for the future park lodge’s groundbreaking — Indiana governor and all — by the richest colors along Worster Lake shores.

Sunshine and sharp, cool nights encourage leaves to shut down production of chlorophyll and instead make sugars for the brightest colors to emerge.

Where else can you seek fall foliage? Not far away. Look along any water, where they’re reflected. I snapped some nice photos by the lakes at the University of Notre Dame. Or watch your favorite grand trees in the neighborhood.

Any of these activities are gateways to fall color. The night events even glow.

Oct. 19, 2023: Ground broken: Gov. Holcomb calls Potato Creek inn site a 'perfect parcel of land.'

∎ Night climbs: The aerial adventure park at Rum Village Park in South Bend brings back its night climbs on Fridays Oct. 27 and Nov. 3. Guests will be given glow sticks and a headlamp as they navigate obstacles under glowing lights. Starting times for these climbs run from 4 to 7 p.m. Cost for the two-hour climb is $40 for all ages (7 and older). Other than that, the aerial park’s hours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in these final two weekends of the season. Call 800-280-2712 or visit rumvillageadventures.com.

∎ Veterans mountain bike ride: All military veterans are invited to join a group mountain bike ride at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 28 on the mountain bike trail at Bonneyville Mill County Park, 53373 County Road 131 in Bristol. It, in fact, will be the last veterans group ride of the season for FreedomSystem.org, a military veteran organization led by local mountain biker and veteran Kenny Holmes. The organization aims to foster a sense of purpose and unity among veterans and empower them to thrive in their transition from active duty to civilian life.

∎ Lydick Bog hike: Join a guided hike through fall colors from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Lydick Bog Nature Preserve, 25898 U.S. 20, South Bend, with the Shirley Heinze Land Trust. You have options of walking the entire 1.6-mile loop or just the accessible trail to the bog boardwalk, which is 0.2 miles one way.

∎ Berrien County hikes: A naturalist will lead a hike to look for migrating birds on the river boardwalk and atop the observation tower from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Oct. 28 at Galien River County Park, 17424 Red Arrow Highway, New Buffalo, just north of U.S. 12, and then visit the nearby Three Oaks treatment ponds to check for shorebirds and waterfowl on the lagoons. Later that day, from 2 to 3 p.m., a naturalist will lead a hike at Love Creek County Park, 9292 Huckleberry Road, Berrien Center.

Halloween in the parks

∎ McCoy’s Creek Trek-or-Treat: Kids can trick-or-treat on the McCoy’s Creek Trail, at 209 Schirmer Parkway in Buchanan, from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 28 as costumed characters pass out candy. This big, annual event typically goes through the wooded E.B. Clark Woods.

∎ Halloween Campfire & Hayrides: Elkhart County Parks will host two nights of this popular annual event: from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28 at Ox Bow County Park, 23033 County Road 45, Goshen. Along with the hayrides, there will be food trucks, pumpkin decorating, face painting, make-n-take crafts and Touch-A-Truck vehicles with candy. Cost is $5 per person, free for ages 2 and younger.

∎ Run in your costume: That’s right, put it on, if you dare, and join the Haunted Halloween Hustle as you run out and back Oct. 28 along the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail for one mile, 5K, 10K or a half marathon. This was formerly the Haunted Hilly until last year, when it moved to Goshen’s Pumpkinvine trailhead because they wouldn’t need as many volunteers. Cost is $45-$25, benefitting the Elkhart County Down Syndrome Support Group. Start will be at 8:30 a.m. at Abshire Park, 1302 E. Lincoln Ave., Goshen. Register via stonesouppromotions.wordpress.com.

∎ Bats and history at Potato Creek: Lots of seasonal activities continue at Potato Creek State Park in North Liberty this weekend. On Oct. 27, join naturalist historian Tim Kraegel for a tour of the Naragon Red Barn (the oldest man-made structure still standing at Potato Creek) at 10:30 a.m. at the West Boat Launch as you hear about early settlers and see a bat roost. Also on Oct. 27, make a painting of an Indiana bat as you learn about their winter migration at 1 p.m. in the nature center, and create a tie-dye bat at 6:30 p.m. in the family campground playground. On Oct. 28, do an origami bat craft from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the nature center. At 1 p.m. Oct. 29, paint a mystical scene of Worster Lake after taking a short hike (bring a chair or blanket to sit on); register by 5 p.m. Oct. 28 at Jfiler@dnr.in.gov.

∎ Howl-O-Ween at Wolf Park: You can howl with actual wolves in this festive event from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Wolf Park. It's an education, conservation and research facility where wolves are kept and studied at 4004 E. County Road 800 N., Battle Ground, Ind., just north of Lafayette and about 100 miles south of South Bend. You can also join a lantern-lit tour, see animal ambassadors, and learn about wolf mythology and local haunting stories. Bring some treats for the wolves (the park accepts packaged hot dogs or summer sausage.) Tickets, at $18-$15, can be purchased at wolfpark.org/events.

Good reminders

I told you about these last week, but they bear repeating. Besides, I have room for bears in this column.

∎ Night bike ride: If you've never tried night biking with a group, the folks at South Bend Bikes will make it safe and easy Oct. 28 as the group stays together on paved trails for about 15 miles. Gather at 6:45 p.m. at Howard Park in South Bend and depart at 7:15 p.m. It’s free and will include a food stop. Come with a bike that has lights. Helmets required. Spin Zone bike shop will do a basic check-over for bikes.

∎ Explore the Erie Lackawanna: If you’ve never tried the Erie Lackawanna Trail in Crown Point, Ind., the Hoosier Hikers offers a chance Oct. 28. Join them for either a Volksmarch (walk) of six or 11 kilometers or a Volksbike for a 12- or 21-kilometer bike ride. Register and start for the walk anytime between 8 and 11 a.m. CDT and for the bike ride between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. CDT. Once registered, you can walk or bike at your own pace. The start/finish point will be in the parking area of the Summit Street trailhead at 229 W. Summit St. (behind the Walgreens) in Crown Point. From U.S. 30 just west of I-65, you can drive south on Indiana 55, turn right on Summit and immediately look for the parking lot. It’s free, but there’s a $3 charge if you want credit through Volksporting. Bring your own water. For questions, contact Bob Buzolich at sonofbuzz@prodigy.net.

∎ Science Sunday: University of Notre Dame researchers team up with St. Patrick’s County Park to host this annual free, hands-on, kid-friendly event for all ages from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 29 at St. Pat’s ND-LEEF property, 50651 Laurel Road, South Bend. See experiments and critters up close and join tours of the park’s controlled ecosystems where researchers do their work.  

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Autumn foliage colors on park hikes hayrides and trick or treating