Get outside this weekend with these Indiana events

Karl Schneider, Indianapolis Star
·4 min read

April is coming to a close, but wildflowers and trees are opening blooms and leaves as spring peaks in Indiana. It’s a perfect time to get outside and watch the world come alive.

There are plenty of opportunities this weekend for Hoosiers to get out and learn about the state's flora and fauna as they explore Indiana's natural areas.

This weekend is forecast to be a bit rainy Friday and Saturday, but temperatures are expected to rise into the 80s.

Friday, April 26

Spring Wildflower Hike Trail 6, 10 a.m. at Charlestown State Park: Meet at the River Overlook for a rugged 2.5-0 mile hike along Trail 6 to search for wildflowers.

Shades Arbor Day Hike, 11:30 a.m. at Shades State Park: Join a park naturalist for an Arbor Day nature hike. Learn about the geology and ecology in our parks that allows for unique Indiana forests. Meet at the Hickory parking lot to hike Trail 7.

Garlic Mustard Pull, 2 p.m. at Potato Creek State Park: Volunteer to help combat invasive garlic mustard at Potato Creek. Join the group at Trail 1.

Millionth Tree Ceremonial Planting, 2 p.m. in Indianapolis: Meets at the Statehouse lawn on 200 W. Washington Street. Gov. Eric Holcomb will celebrate the historic milestone of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) planting one million trees throughout Indiana in five years by planting a cucumber magnolia on the Statehouse lawn.

Roving Naturalist, 5 p.m. at Hardy Lake: Meet DNR’s roving naturalist at Hardy Lake in Scottsburg.

Backyard birding: Protect migrating birds in Indiana with these steps

Saturday, April 27

Beginner Bird Watching, 9 a.m. at Patoka Lake: Learn the basics of bird watching starting with a discussion at the park’s nature center, then head out on a 40-minute walk along the paved biking trail to use your new skills.

Garlic Mustard Mowdown, 9 a.m. at Mounds State Park: Get a group together (no more than 5 people per group) and see how many invasives you can find and pull at Mounds State Park in 90 minutes. The winning team will receive prizes and bragging rights. There will be a short program to help you identify invasive plants and tell you why parks want them eradicated.

Weed Wrangle Indiana - Garlic Mustard Pull, 9 a.m. at Spring Mill State Park: Meet at Sycamore Shelter to learn about garlic mustard and pull as much as you can at the park. Meet back at the Sycamore Shelter to have your bag weighed and to enjoy some free lunch. Heaviest bag by an individual, not group, wins a 2024 Indiana State Park Pass.

Wildflower Wander, 9 a.m. at Indiana Dunes State Park: Start this easy discovery walk at the park’s nature center to see which of our woodland spring wildflowers are blooming.

Guided hike, 10 a.m. at Asherwood Nature Preserve: Join DNR and ACRES Land Trust for a free guided hike. Registration is required. This preserve straddles Asher Creek and includes deep, moist ravines and narrow ridge tops. There are good examples of mesic upland forest, dominated by beech and sugar maple, and dry-mesic upland forest, dominated by several species of oak and hickory. A small amount of floodplain forest is also present, with several small seep springs along the stream.

Wildflower Walk, 1 p.m. at Fort Harrison State Park: Join the park’s naturalist to search for the current ephemerals in bloom. Meet at the Schoen Creek Trailhead parking lot for a 2-mile hike along Schoen Creek Trail.

Cotton Tails and Bunny Trails, 2 p.m. at Clifty Falls State Park: Discover fun facts about the eastern cottontail rabbit and make a craft to take home during this 45-minute program at Poplar Grove Shelter.

A prothonotary warbler perches on a branch during an Eagle Creek Ornithology Center Sunday morning bird hike on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, at Eagle Creek Park In Indianapolis.
A prothonotary warbler perches on a branch during an Eagle Creek Ornithology Center Sunday morning bird hike on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, at Eagle Creek Park In Indianapolis.

Sunday, April 28

Sunday Morning Bird Walk, 8 a.m. at Fort Harrison State Park: Sunday Morning Bird Walks are back for spring migration. Bring binoculars, water and appropriate footwear for a two-hour walk. Meet at the northeast corner of Delaware Lake parking lot. Walk starts promptly at 8 a.m.

The Bird Hike, 8:30 a.m. at Pokagon State Park: Join us for a morning birding hike. All ages and experience levels welcome. Meet inside the Potawatomi Inn by the fish tank.

Bluebird Walk, 10 a.m. at Clifty Falls State Park: Join the naturalist at Clifty Shelter to check bluebird boxes for nests, eggs and babies on this 45-minute easy walk.

Feed The Birds B-I-N-G-O, 10 a.m. at Indiana Dunes State Park: Join the naturalist at the nature center to help fill all of the bird feeders and play this fun game.

Spring Wild Edible Hike, 2 p.m. at Potato Creek State Park: Explore some early spring edibles with a park naturalist on this 1-mile hike. Learn to ID some early spring edibles that are non-native and safe to harvest for food. Meet at trail 3 to begin.

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Warm weather beckons this weekend with these outdoor events