During a recent trip to Turkey Run State Park for a meeting, I had some extra time to explore a bit. While you might think that's what led me to Shades State Park, to be honest I landed here because I got lost. So, I figured "What the heck?" and decided to snag a second Indiana state park in one day. Located about 17 miles southwest of Crawfordsville off SR 47, Shades State Park is an ideal location for camping, hiking, and canoeing. As Katy E. notes in her review, Shades is less popular than the pretty close by Turkey Run. With sandstone clicks overlooking Sugar Creek, this is the place for those who want more nature and less activity. You can also check out the Pine Hills Nature Preserve while here. Shades is definitely not built necessarily for someone like me (a wheelchair user) precisely because it's not "built." It's a pretty natural setting, though it does have a picnic area with shelters, a 6-ravine hiking challenge, 10 trails (plus a backpacking trail), fishing, interpretive naturalist services (seasonal), and it's a favorite spot for a number of astronomy groups due to its dark skies. While I found the entrance to Turkey Run (which I love) a little too developed, such is not really the case here. There are 105 non-electric camping sites, 7 backpack camping sites, 10 sites for canoe camping, youth tent areas, and a dumping station. For hikers, the trails range from about .5 miles to about 2.5 miles. A couple of these trails are genuinely rugged, and probably not best for beginners. There are a couple shorter trails that are considered easy, though obviously "easy" means different things - especially for wheelchair users. Trail #7 is currently closed due to recent rains/floods. A few fun facts: Shades State Park opened in 1947. It was the state's 15th state park. This area was originally known as "Shades of Death" due to its darkness and deep forest. In the 19th century, there was a mineral springs resort here. Joseph Frisz, the owner, actually sold the land to the state for a park to preserve the area. Shades does not have a hotel or inn, however, you're close to Crawfordsville. Turkey Run Inn is about eight miles away for those not into primitive camping. I'm a big fan of this park. While there are certainly trails here I can't really do in the wheelchair, there's enough places to go that I can easily still spend the day here. Including Pine Hills, Shades covers about 3,000 acres. read more

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What a serene and beautiful state park! Went during memorial weekend which was the perfect time/weather. We brought 2 dogs (small and medium size) with us. Recommend bringing plenty of water, bug spray, a packed lunch/snacks, a bag for trash because you must pack in and pack out - leave no trace behind. Wear hiking boots for ample ankle support and when you cross creeks/streams of water. For hiking - we hit up trail 2, then 1 and ended with 9. I'm glad we did it in that order because we did the most challenging trails in the beginning and ended with a nice walk. Easily hiked ~6 miles. We went when it wasn't crowded so we were fully immersed into nature without big groups. This park doesn't have much foot traffic compared to Turkey Run, which is what we enjoyed the most here. We went around noon and left before it got dark. PROS: $7 for Indiana residents, modern restrooms, playground for kids and benches for lunch. CONS: No trash cans read more

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It had been 40 years since I last visited, and it's still gorgeous. I'm glad I decided to run by Shades with my wife for a quick walk on our drive from Indy to Lafayette: it wasn't peak leaves, but the place is just lovely - a side of Indiana that's not often viewed by folks from elsewhere, and that's a shame. It's worth your time. Be aware that it's not as large or feature-driven as the larger Turkey Run State Park a few miles west of Shades, but it's a lot quieter and it more than holds its own as a place to visit. (In fact, the more serious outdoors people I know seem to prefer visiting Shades to TR.) read more

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This is a beautiful area. It features neat sandstone gorges cut by glaciers and water, which are fun to explore. Trails offer opportunities to walk around the rims or to venture down onto the floor of the gorges. We also went out to Prospect Point, which provided a great overlook area. Shelterhouses with picnic tables and a small playground are also available. Signage provides information on the nature and structure of the area, as well as the history of the area. This park is located not too far from Turkey Run State Park and is well worth a stop too! read more

Shades State Park - Shelter with picnic tables - Parks Near Me - Waveland, Indiana

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Fantastic time tent camping with 2 people and 3 dogs. Park was clean and quiet. Trees were beautiful. PET FRIENDLY! Love... Campsites include 1 parking spot, a fire pit with a cooking rack, and a picnic table Leashed pets welcome(clean up after yourself!) Water pumps throughout park Trails challenging for a 29 year old in moderate decent athletic shape, but did not ruin me Park was immaculately clean and quiet. Others were by us but people were respectful DNR did safety checks in the evening and morning Missing one star... Because initially it was difficult to locate. They are short staffed which means no one checked us in and we had to drive a few laps around to find out spot. As a newbie camper, would have appreciated a little more help initially Will absolutely be back to camp and hike! read more

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This park is super cute and in the middle of nowhere. Like we're driving through soy and corn fields and then SUDDENLY there's a forest? Okay cool. There wasn't anyone at the gatehouse when we got there which was weird to me. But I got out and got a map and went on our way. Took the loop trail around devils punch bowl which was fun and interesting. Everything seems well kept up and we actually came upon a DNR guy fixing a stair. So it's nice seeing upkeep. Then we went towards trail 10. (Here's my 1 star deduction.) Vault toilets by the really cute little playground. And they smelled like bad vault toilets. Blergh. After that slight unpleasantness we continued on and went to the nature preserve. About halfway down the stairs at the nature preserve we realize that's not part of trail 10 anymore and out 1.5 mile there and 1.5 mile back suddenly got a lot longer. Whoops. But we made it through two cool trails at the nature preserve too! Lots of mosquitos. Don't forget the repellant! But that's what you get with nature, you know? read more

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A beautiful state park that hides in the shadow of its larger neighbor, Turkey Run. Shades is not a recreation park, like TR, so do not look for a nature center, visitor center, pool or inn. There are a couple of playgrounds, picnic areas and camping sites. You will also find gorgeous ravines and forest, something that still amazes me when I think of the scenery on my drive from Indy. I come here for the more rugged trails vs wanting to get distance in. I always do trails 4 and 5 in both directions then trail 7 to 8 and connect to the backpack trail to return to the Hickory Shelter for a nice 5k. If I'm in reasonable shape, I'll add trail 2 or visit Pine Hills nature preserve via trail 10. Be prepared to get wet and muddy and make sure your shoes have some grip. There are usually fallen trees and ladders to get down from high areas on the rugged trails, so you may want to leave your dog at home if you're visiting Shades. read more

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Great place. Highly recommend. The trails are not busy and some of them are a good workout.

If you want more of a challenge when hiking, I would highly recommend this location. Trail 2 was so rugged, we weren't even sure we were on a trail. Some of the trails are really challenging, but really rewarding at the same time. There is also a lot of uphill, downhill, and steps, so watch out for that. read more

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Shades has always been a top park for us. I like to camp however, some of my camping buddies need electricity. So, we would always camp at nearby Turkey Run. However, when it comes to Cub Scout camping, we don't need electricity so we headed to Shades and reserved the entire Youth Tent area. The youth area is secluded but has easy access to hiking the park. The trails are fun, clean and well groomed. Check out my pictures to see some of the views from our hike. This place is well worth the trip to get in touch with your outdoorsy self. I will say that the youth sites are not intended for a group to reserve them all. If you look at a map, there are 5 sites. Sites 1 & 2 can be together. Sites 3, 4, 5 can be together, but those two groups of sites do not have easy access to get to each other. We ended up not using sites 1 & 2. read more

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Shades has interesting history and impressive nature. Some of the hiking trails are rather rugged and require shoes to walk in water and climb up ladders. One of my favorite areas was Devil's Punchbowl which showcases layers of rounded rock (like a giant punchbowl) carved by water erosion. Currently, the dripping water supports moss growth and leaves mineral deposits in the bowl. At the beginning of October, a plethora of mushrooms are popping up. Several parking lots are available as seen on the park maps which makes your visit easy with plenty of access points to park features. The park ranger was very friendly and gave us information about camping both in-person and over the phone. The toilet facilities are often pit toilets with no sinks or overhead lighting, so be prepared! read more

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Pretty nice change of scenery and elevation for Indiana (although many of the trails seem to just wind downward into creeks ). If it has rained recently, I definitely recommend wearing boots or waterproof shoes!!! read more

Shades is my go to local camping destination. Less popular than Turkey Run, but lovely sites with lots of privacy and green between each site. There is one modern bathroom with several pit toilets around. Many of the neighboring sites on the inside of each loop are great for group camping and the ones on the outside of the loops are better for one group/unit camping Shades connects to Indiana's first nature preserve, Pine Hills. Trail 10 is a wide, beautiful trail that takes you into the heart of Pine Hills. From the campgrounds, you can take a short drive to connect to most of the trails or the Backpackers trail. There's one set of steps but it's mostly a flat, cleared path. Trail 1 had many groups scratching their heads on which way to go at intersections. It could be marked better. But, the Devils Punch Bowl was worth the confusion (and all the stairs). read more

The Greatest! Did my first hike-in backpack camping trip with DNK and it was a real adventure.

This was a great day trip from Indy. We came on a beautiful weekend day. We didn't realize how crowded it could have been until we did a pit stop at Turkey Run afterwards and there SO many people there. This parked offered a variety of trails at all different kinds of difficulty level. We came here to do the 6 ravine challenge. We had a lot of difficulties with intersections of trails. There seemed to be more tails than the map had or it would look like we were going in the right direction and end up at a different part on the map when we came upon the next sign. That was kind of frustrating. I don't think it was user error as we never had this much trouble at other state parks. If we were specifically anting to hit the points Id interest for the challenge, this park would be a great one to just wonder through and experience all it has to offer. It was definitely beautiful and so green! read more

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Shades is one of my favorite places to visit for a few hours of hiking. It is beautiful and well-maintained. All of their staircases and railings are in good condition, which makes it easy to walk along the trails. Trail 2 + Lover's Leap are my favorite trails, and it's easy to do them both at one time since they have the same trailhead. Lover's Leap has the best view in the whole park, in my opinion! Trail 2 takes you all the way down to Sugar Creek, then you follow a rocky gorge back up and out. It is definitely challenging, especially when it's icy or muddy, but that makes it fun. There are so many more trails that I'm excited to explore the next time I'm there! read more

Shades State Park - Sugar Creek, at the bottom part of Trail 2. Partially covered over with ice from the previous day being ~15 degrees! - Parks Near Me - Waveland, Indiana

The lesser and more refined Turkey Run, ideal for the more casual hiking company, and definitely an older clientele - makes sense with mostly straight and smooth trails here and well done roads. There's still plenty to enjoy for the adventurous dipping through the rills and creek carved paths. Our trip through was quickly bored on the basic paths but upon discovering the proper spots where phone signals die all was fixed! read more

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This is a 'hidden' gem! I can't believe I've lived in Indiana my whole life and never been here before. I went on a Sunday afternoon and there was barely anybody there. So beautiful! I wouldn't say any trails were super challenging but it can be difficult to navigate the map so just make sure which parking lot you were at. Pictures do not do this place justice. read more

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Our family booked 2 campsites for the weekend, to host all our kids, kid-in-laws and grandchildren. Altho seasoned campers and hikers, this was our first time camping at Shades. My favorite thing about the campgrounds is the amount of trees and greenery between the campsites. It not only lends to the feeling of camping out in the woods, but provides privacy and helps muffle sound a bit. We brought along our netted canopy, just in case. But really would have been just fine without it, because our site had plenty of shade available. Our least favorite thing would be the bathrooms. While it appears they do a decent job trying to keep them clean, they are extremely outdated and not really set up the best for anyone wanting to shower or get cleaned up. The shower stalls often had several inches of water standing, and that was enough to deter us from using the showers. Who wants to wade in the filth of strangers? The sink area also has no sort of ledge or any other system in place to help hold your belongings while you get cleaned up. They also seem to close the bathhouse down frequently, for who knows what, leaving only the vault toilets for use. No thanks. DNR also seemed to maybe be a bit bored and looking for something to do. While we understand the one car per campsite policy, people also need time to unload things. We had 2 cars parked on one of the sites for about 30 minutes while we unloaded things and managed a set of toddlers. Both cars were in the drive of our campsite, not in anyone's way, and it was clear we were unloading. DNR still continuously made loops thru the campground, and about every 10 minutes hollered out the truck to us, "Are you still unloading?" It was a bit excessive and annoying. The play equipment in the playgrounds is also very outdated and dangerous for toddlers. I'm 40 years old and I remember all of the same playground equipment from when I was a little girl. The raccoons are VERY heavy in this area...figuratively and literally. These guys are eating well and it shows. We saw many of them, as many of our neighbors didn't seem to understand the concept of putting all their food away before leaving the campsite for even a few minutes. Watching a fat raccoon race thru our campsite with a stolen Slim Fast was quite amusing. Then you listen to them fight each other for whatever stolen goods they've made off with. All in all, we had a really great weekend. Better bathrooms and playgrounds would have made it so much more enjoyable. But we were able to make do with what we had and enjoyed everything else. I would definitely camp here again. read more

This is a beautiful place to hike and frolic in the woods. It's also a little creepy because it feels so isolated -- or maybe that's just me and the time that we visited. We got here early in the morning on a weekend, before the people at the booths were in their booths, so we were all alone in the woods. Some people like this, I'm sure. Around noon, though, it started to get crowded, so if you like being around other people, maybe wait until lunch time to hike. We visited during early spring, and it was so beautiful. Moss, budding leaves, etcetera. It was very picturesque. This is a great place to take young kids to hike because there are so many spots to explore, and it's not too difficult to traverse. Bring your boots! read more

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This was a nice break from the crowds that inevitably throng to Turkey Run which is nearby. We didn't see any other hikers during the hour and a half or so that we went hiking here so it was very peaceful. The fall color was also pretty spectacular here on a November hike. The part of the park that is across the road from the section where you start your hike was much smaller than we expected. Make sure your game for a lot of stairs if you head that way. read more

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Pretty park with nice visitor center & accommodations. Easy parking and trail access. Well marked trails.

Way less packed than Turkey Run right down the road! Very similar scenery with a quarter of the crowds. We took a day trip there mid-July and had a blast. There's a good mix of rugged and easy trails, so all levels of hikers would be very pleased. There are plenty of beautiful overlooks to stop and take in the view. I really enjoyed our visit here and am looking forward to coming back in the fall when it is cooler. If you're looking for beautiful views in Indiana and a little bit of quiet, this is the perfect place for you. Make sure to pack plenty of water as there weren't places to fill up bottles. read more

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As someone who likes to hike through creeks, Shades is the place for me. I appreciate the trails that have an "off the beaten path" feel to them, making me forget that I'm a couple of miles from corn fields. Don't believe me? Let my photos of this adventurers' delight speak for themselves. read more

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This is probably my favorite Indiana state park. While Turkey Run is rightfully seen as the most spectacular Indiana State Park, Shades has a few qualities that make it my personal favorite. 1. It is less developed. You can find yourself wandering alone in the canyons, forests, and streams. That almost never happens in Turkey Run. 2. The hikes are more challenging. I like dropping into the canyons/ravines via the staircases closest to Sugar Creek on each trail then hiking back up the streams. (SO. MANY. STAIRS.) There are about 13 miles of trail between the park and the adjacent Pine Hills Nature Preserve. 3. There is a quality to the forests in Shades and Pine Hills Nature Preserve that I don't feel anywhere else in Indiana. The combination of the depth of the shadows, the openness of the understory, and the unique mix of tree species both calm and energize me at the same time. A few tips: If the main gate isn't staffed, there are maps for both the park and nature preserve located in a box on the side of the gate entrance building. Be sure to hike both Trails 1 & 2! They are the most spectacular of the numbered trails and the other trails seem almost tame by comparison. Be sure to hike down into the Pine Hills Nature Preserve on the other end of the Park too. (Again, SO. MANY. STAIRS.) The backbones (land feature in the Preserve) are incredible. read more

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Nice state park not too far from Indianapolis. We headed there to check out some trails and the waterfall. Our bad luck as it has been dry this season. We did get rained on and some of the trails can get muddy or impassable in the rain. The map can be difficult to manage but the trails are pretty well marked. Beautiful scenery. Plenty of stairs so be prepared to do those! read more

Beautiful park to camp, hike, and get away from it all. Even the drive is lovely as you pass by lots of farms and fields. There are even a few places to stop along the way to purchase eggs and produce. Added bonus (at least for me) there isn't any cell phone coverage so it's the perfect spot to unplug and feel the tranquility of being out in the middle-of-where. If you do need supplies the nearest place is a Kroger & Walmart in Crawfordsville which is about 20 minutes away. We came here to hike & camp over Labor Day weekend. We didn't book a camp site in advance but came early in the morning to find 2 sites available. Each campsite was $22 for the day. They also had firewood & ice available for purchase. The campsite was clean and spacious. It had everything we needed - fire ring, trees to hang our hammocks, a picnic table and plenty of room for our tent. The comfort station was nearby and was extremely clean. Word of advice: Don't come here over Labor Day. This place was packed on this holiday weekend. We were hoping for some peace and quiet...nope. We felt extremely close, a little too close, to our campsite neighbors. Between the late night party until 1 am and the snoring from both sides we barely got any shut-eye or solitude. Quite hours weren't enforced which is the reason for the 4 star review. We figured given it was a holiday it would be busy but the noise late into the next morning was an issue. The trails were great! They were on the short side (less then in a mile) but we spent most of the time climbing ladders, walking in creek-beds, looking down waterfalls, and staring up the steep walls of the ravine which was awesome! I would highly recommend a good pair of hiking boots! Even though the campsite felt busy the trails themselves were practically empty. Looking forward to coming back on a not-so-busy weekend or even taking a day trip to go hiking for the afternoon! This is a great park to explore and take a breather from the hustle-and-bustle of life. read more

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Beautiful magical place! Pet friendly, kid friendly, there is a couple ladders on the rugged trail!

Trail 1: .75 Miles If you like seeing heavily wooded forests and creek hollowed ravines, Shades State Park is a place to consider for your next hiking trip. In this review, I will only be addressing the first trail of the park. Although I hiked the easiest trail, it features a ravine, a convex waterfall, a punchbowl, a creek, and numerous vantage points for seeing natural beauty. As I drove in the main gate, I stayed to the left, bypassing the Pine Shelter and pond areas. I headed on towards the Hickory Shelter parking area. Just a short walk across the lawn of the picnicking area, and you find a nice, wide trail that will let you head towards Trail 6, by the Devil's Punchbowl, or leads you along the ravine on Trail 1. For those of you who are unfamiliar with a punchbowl, it is a natural hollowing/eroding of the rock into a "punchbowl" shape by the water as it swirls around in the eroded area before finding an escape. From the stair vantage point, I could see the beginning of the ravine that leads eastward towards the creek's final destination of joining Sugar Creek. But, since water follows the path of least resistance, I couldn't fully appreciate the view until I got down into the ravine. There is an option to take a short series of stairways to loop around and down into the punchbowl, but I decided to retreat back to the main Trail 1 path. Walking along the path, I was aware that I was on the edge of the woods, not fully engulfed within it. I began a slow descent along the trail, just yards from the edge of the creek ravine. Instead of continuing along the path to some of the park's best viewing areas like Prospect Point and Inspiration Point, I chose to take a steep and slippery stairway (it was drizzling and was covered with wet leaves) down to the east end of the ravine. From this vantage point, I headed just a short distance to view the Silver Cascade Waterfalls. This waterfall is comparatively rare because it is convex instead of concave. Due to some differences in the rock and how it relates to the thawing/freezing process, this waterfall looks rounded, almost man made. The water slides over the edge and flows on its way, rounded like a roller coaster ride. I have never seen this waterfall after a heavy rain, so I am not sure if the water acts differently under those circumstances or not. (Someday?) Also from this same area, you can look beyond and above the waterfalls to see the "Lover's Leap" vantage point. After taking some photos, I decided to work my way back through the ravine to towards the punchbowl. This is a very easy hike if you don't mind getting your feet a little wet. I found it easiest to crisscross the creek as I walked and avoided getting into some muddy looking areas that might cause problems traversing. The water was dripping from the 20+ feet edges of the ravine and splashing, sometimes on rock, other times in the shallow creek. Small animals would scurry and frogs would jump into the water as I drew near. Birds of assorted types would cry out and fly in darting fashion over the ravine. And the wind would rustle the wet leaves with a fresh damp scent that was absolutely refreshing. As I walked, I couldn't help but wonder how such a small amount of water could carve into the rock and form these ravines. Large trees that could survive high winds where undercut by the erosion and toppled with just a few roots intact. The ravine was full of color as well as sound. Orange and reds were uncovered in the rock as the water had ground away. Mossy greens attached to any surface that was wet, but protected. Deep browns and blacks of fallen bark were scattered along the pathway. And shining silvery surfaces were everywhere as the rain continued to fall. After a few twists and turns in the ravine, I found myself back at the entrance to the punchbowl, but with a completely different view. Down inside the bowl, you become aware of how powerful the water must have flowed to carve out the enormous bowl shape. Surely, any unfortunate animal caught in this whirlpool would be pulled under. But that didn't discourage a gray ground squirrel from crossing the base towards his nest. I decided to come up the west end staircase that would return me to the stairway path where I started. All in all, it was an easy, if somewhat slippery hike. As I packed up and headed out of the park, I caught sight of a deer watching silently from the undergrowth along the roadway. A nice ending for a trip to the park. Review #118 read more

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I spent the Labor Day weekend camping with some friends and their small children. I had been hiking at Shades before, but this was the first camping trip here. Given that it was a holiday weekend, the campground was completely full. This was not a good time to enjoy the solitude and sounds of nature that often greets visitors to this less-popular-than-Turkey-Run park. There were a lot of campers with their music cranked up to full volume early in the morning and late into the night (2AM). There were also some rather large parties who were consuming significant amounts of alcohol, and, as a result, became louder as the evening progressed. The kind of hilarious thing is that there didn't seem to be any enforcement of quiet hours, but we were asked to move a second vehicle at our campsite even though it was completely on the paved driveway of our campsite; they do note in printed materials, the website, and signs around the campground, that one vehicle per campsite is the rule...but seems weird that our two cars were not OK when massive RV's are OK...and, of course the rather wild parties into the wee hours were OK...as were the loose, large, unfriendly dogs some campers brought... So...after all of that why still 4 stars? I'm reviewing based on the belief that the bulk of the problems we encountered were unique to a holiday weekend. Everything else was great. The campsites were clean, and plenty large for our two tents. We had a nice area for our chairs around the fire ring, a picnic table and enough room for the kids to play. The comfort station was kept extremely clean; it literally smelled of bleach most of the time. The hiking trails at Shades are rather rugged (lots of stairs, ladders and trails that follow rocky stream beds), so since we had very young children, we stuck to the campground loop trail, and a few other easier trails in and out of the park. The kids loved finding butterflies and caterpillars. The naturalist was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and did a great job of leading some kid programs in the evening. She was very patient with the little ones! Shades is the darkest park in the state, and so is a great place for star-gazing. Sugar creek runs through the park, and there are a number of nearby options for tubing and canoeing. I really think this would be a great place to camp on a NON-HOLIDAY weekend when the bulk of campers are at Turkey Run. There is no wifi and no cell signal, so unplugging from the grid is mandatory. There are pay phones around the camp ground if an emergency were to arise. There are no stores or restaurants nearby, so plan to bring enough food for your stay unless you're planning on some longer drives. read more

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I visited this lovely middle-of-nowhere state park yesterday for a spontaneous day hiking trip before it gets too chilly to be outside during winter. I might add that even getting to this park is just beautiful. The endless cornfields, the cute towns you drive thru, the vast amount of skies. As with most parks, you expect to drive up the the dark wooden gate at the front and pay for your car to enter. But (maybe cause it was November?) we didn't have to pay anything so that was a nice surprise for us thrifty Yelpers in the car! We were hoping for a map of the park and the hiking trails, but no one was at the gate / entrance so we just drove on thru and found the nearest "modern bathroom" and parked. Luckily, there was a big parking lot and most of the trails started there so it was a good decision. I'm not a hiker of Reese Witherspoon in "Wild" by any means, but I do like hiking. The reason for my 4 stars instead of 5 is because these trails are a bit too short. It seemed that we would walk for 20 min on some rigorous trails and then end up back at the modern bathroom again. Most of the trails were only about 1 mile long so if you want to add more trails, maybe spend a half day here and go to Turkey Run the other half? The trails were amazing though. You spend a lot of the time IN the creeks so be careful with what shoes you wear and if it recently rained. The trails were beautiful. And don't like the ladders on trails 4 and 5 scare you - they're not that big at all. I would suggest breaking (lunch or dinner) at the creek on trail 7. It's a beautiful creek with lots t flat rocks to sit on and enjoy the fresh air with the flowing water and the sounds of the breeze pushing passed the trees. Overall, an amazing state park, just wish the trails were a bit longer! read more

Shades State Park - Beautiful spot for a lunch break! - Parks Near Me - Waveland, Indiana

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I take my grandkids to Shades often to walk the trails. We love going down to the creek beach and look for fossils.

This park is a go-to for us. It is about an hour from Indianapolis and only about a 20 minute drive from Turkey Run if you want to hit up both parks. While I do love Turkey Run State Park, Shades is up there as well. Primarily, Shades offers similar landscapes as Turkey but is far less crowded! For example, on a warm day in April we saw only 3 other people the whole day. It really gives you the feeling of being in the backcountry. The sights make you feel as though you've stepped back in time. Trail 2 in particular is extra fun as you climb up the creek bed and crawl across rocks. Furthermore, if you go during the off-season or during the week, you may get lucky and gain free access. Because it is not as popular, they do not always staff someone at the front gate. The trails at Shades are also shorter. Families with children will appreciate this. Their kids can run, climb, and explore the trails. Meanwhile the car is only a half mile walk away. In other words, you can go hike and come back to the car or shelter frequently if you need to use the bathroom, snack, or take a nap. Finally, Shades has access to the Pine Hills Nature Preserve. Don't miss this! I made the mistake of brushing it off on my first visit. It is a hidden gem that can be easily overlooked on your visit. Shades may not be as developed or have as many amenities that Turkey Run does, but it certainly makes up for it in all other aspects. Can't wait to go back again! read more

In comparison to Turkey run - TR is better, in my opinion. Shades SP also has some nice trails with waterfalls and beautiful rugged terrain, but TR is like twice as impressive (and more crowded). I also recommend the Pine Hills Nature Preserve nearby! read more

I took my grandsons backpacking and camping at this remote park. They have a campground that is 2.5 miles from the parking lot. You hike in and back out. The campground consists of a few scattered sites with a picnic table and fire ring. They have a second campground about .5 miles farther that is close to sugar creek. Both have toilets and the primitive also has a faucet to wash hands and get water. This is awesome site for true backpacking camping. read more

I would NEVER go back here, and the whole group I was with agreed. We were a group of 10 people in their late 20s. We felt so disrespected at every turn. One rule they were really enforcing in spite of it being a rule that would hurt no one if broken was 1 car at each camping spot. Still, we were respectful of it except when we had to jump one of our cars' batteries. After telling them this when they stopped to tell us (they were always circling looking for 'law breakers'), the rangers (multiple rangers in multiple vehicles) just kept circling us, coming to the spot in less than 5 minute increments and yelling. This was a legitimate problem we were trying to fix and they didn't car. They offered no help, just yelled. If they had a solution for jumping a car without being next to it, I would've loved to of heard it! We were being too loud the first night, this we will admit. The first thing they did was ambush us, card us and look for drugs. We are not 15, the people they carded were 28! We didn't get treated as adults. You can get really far with an polite, nice mention of "Hey, could you guys cool it down a bit? I know you're on vacation but we'd appreciate you being respectful of others and you are being kinda loud." Instead they just came over and started yelling. What was EXTRA creepy about this was when they finally came over they said, "And you probably don't want to pee in the poison ivy." It's creepy enough that they watched one of the girls peeing...but that happened like 15 minutes earlier so they were just like watching in the dark from a distance for 15 minutes. The next evening - around 6pm, one of the rangers just parked his car across the road from us and watched us for well over an hour. Remember, at no point were we doing anything wrong. We were laughing, cooking out, just hanging out, we were loud the first night but quieted after they yelled - but for some reason we were such a threat to them being a group of 10 20-somethings, they just deployed someone to constantly monitor us before it was even dark out. At one point, he marched over saying "I heard you say the F word 7 times in the past 20 minutes, knock it off now!" Again, swearing isn't illegal and all you had to do was ask nice and not remind us that you're doing recon on us. Plus, the park was the farthest thing from nature - everything paved, campsites butted right up against one another, tons of rangers driving around in anything from an SUV on his own to 2 people in a huge 15 passenger van - and they had 1 recycling bin for the entire facility. If you actually appreciate nature at all, don't go here!!! Seriously avoid. If you are less than probably 45 or don't have kids with you, you will be given a permanent babysitter the whole time. These rangers wholeheartedly ruined the camping. read more

Just returned from a weekend at Shades State Park, and I'm feeling good! Just a little over a 3 hour drive from Chicago, Shades provided the escape from the city I needed. The park wasn't too crowded, the campers were quiet, and they allow alcohol. Winning combo for me! Our group agreed that we got a really great site in the camp. You can reserve site number 87 online. It's a quiet spot, fairly secluded for car camping, and has a water spigot next door. The bathrooms were pretty rough--my biggest problem with them were the swarms of flies frantically buzzing about. There are plenty of pit toilet-type bathrooms, but there is also a comfort station with flush toilets and showers. For activities, we canoed and hiked. A few minutes away, you can rent canoes or tubes at Clements Canoes. For hiking, there's no need to leave the park. There is plenty of beautiful hiking in Shades. This is s great weekend getaway spot within a short-ish drive from Chicago. read more

I have no idea why Turkey Run is so popular. Shades is just down the road, bigger, and much more secluded. The trails were empty, and the park was very clean. The price wasn't bad either. The campsites were somewhat small. We had 9 people in 5 tents over 2 campsites and it was pretty packed. Some of the sites too I noticed seemed like they would be challenging to pitch a tent on level, non-rocky ground. For a state park in Indiana though, this is pretty damned good. The only issue we had was some faceless lady that came and yelled at us at 2am for being to loud. She wasn't a ranger and she didn't have a face, so we didn't think too much of it. We stayed in "Locust Grove" and those bugs were much louder than my drunk friends. read more

I've always been an avid promoter of Turkey Run and sort of forgotten about Shades. I decided to hit Shades instead of Turkey Run for a refresher. I am so happy I did! It was positively providential I stopped there instead. The trails are rugged for Indiana and really fun because you get to walk along creek beds and get all wet! When its hot out you can't ask for a more perfect hike. Water shoes or hiking sandals definitely need to be worn. I'd even recommend swimming suits if you want to really have fun. One of the greatest parts is the lack of the Turkey Run crowds. Turkey Run is only 9 miles further west so i think most people tend to go there and leave beautiful and adventurous Shades to the real park lovers! If you want a good and cheap adventure hit the Shades! read more

I am definitely a big fan of Indiana's state park system and this park is absolutely gorgeous. It has a lot of shorter trails that are very rugged with beautiful scenic views. Lots of cool places to camp, especially the backpack camp for those who are into that ruggedness. We came here with the dog (black lab) to get some exercise and outdoor time. The trails are well marked and the views are gorgeous. There were not a lot of people there. The people that were seemed like this was their little get-away from other top hiking spots such as Turkey Run or Brown County. This park has the beauty that Turkey Run has with so few people and more in touch with nature. We love to romp through the woods and this is a definite spot we will return to. I enjoyed it. The hubs enjoyed it. The dog loved it-woods + water with a black lab equals tired tired pooch...he's sleeping behind me on the couch right now!! read more