Friends of Brown County State Park

06/11/2026

Brown County State Park is home to all seven species of woodpeckers native to Indiana. This Northern Flicker is on the ground, which is typical for them. Unlike most other woodpeckers, flickers search for food on the forest floor, using their beaks and tongues to find insects. They eat berries and seeds as well.

A special thank you to the Friends of Brown County State Park for making this trail camera project possible!

Photo: a speckled bird sits on the ground on the shore of a woodland pond

on.IN.gov/BrownCountySP

06/09/2026

Turtle Crossing! 🐢

The Eastern box turtle is a species of special concern in Indiana, in part because of the high numbers being hit on roads. Be on the lookout for these slow-moving critters crossing the road. If you see a box turtle trying to cross a busy road, you can pick it up and move it to the other side of the road in the direction it was facing. The turtle cannot be kept or moved to any other location.

You can learn more about Eastern box turtles at: https://ow.ly/16aT50VLUVp

06/08/2026

A friendly reminder here of the monthly work day on Wednesday the 10th from 9:00 to noon at the Nature Center. The plan is to do general garden maintenance and to spread fresh mulch in amongst all the thriving plants. Please remember to bring plenty of water, bug spray, and your favorite gardening tools

06/05/2026

June is here, and we're kicking off summer with Rockfest! Come to the Nature Center this Saturday, June 6th between 11am and 4pm. Join The Brown County Rock and Mineral Club and Brown County State Park for a day of geology: displays, demonstrations, arts and crafts, and more!

Photo: a park naturalist pans for gold at a past Rockfest

on.IN.gov/browncountysp

05/22/2026

🚵 Upcoming Brown County MTB Events 🚵

We’ve got a busy couple weeks ahead with trail work, racing, and opportunities to help restore one of the area’s favorite trail systems. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for additional details on each event!

🛠 Saturday, May 30
Trail Work Session
Brown County State Park

Join us from 10AM–2PM for trail work, followed by food, social time, and no-drop group rides (weather dependent). We’ll meet at Hesitation Point and be ready to begin work at 10AM. Tools provided, just bring gloves and water!

🦖 Sunday, May 31
DINO MTB Series Race
Brown County State Park

The DINO MTB Series returns to Brown County! Expect a fun day of racing and great trail community energy throughout the park. Whether you’re racing or cheering riders on, it’s always an awesome event weekend.

🌲 Saturday, June 6 & Sunday, June 7
Crooked Creek Trail Work Days
Yellowwood State Forest

Help us restore Crooked Creek Trail following tornado damage from 2025. Trail Steward Josh Thurston will be leading volunteer work sessions both days beginning at 9AM.

We’ll meet at 8:30AM at the Crooked Creek Dam Parking Lot. 📍Parking Pin Location in the comments👇

Tools provided, bring water, bug spray, sunscreen, and gloves if you have them.

Every helping hand makes a difference as we work to get this trail system back open and riding again. 💪

More details coming soon on each event. Thanks for continuing to support the trails and community that make Brown County special. ❤️🚵

05/22/2026

Come and support good causes!

Brown County IGA parking lot under tent
Friday, May 22 | 8a-6р
Saturday, May 23 | 8a-12N (or until SOLD OUT)
Please choose The Friends of Brown County State Park to support!

05/18/2026

Congratulations to Scott Crossley!Property Manager of the Year!So well deserved! Thank you for caring,dedication and all your hard work at Brown County State Park.Its a pleasure to work with you and the park staff!A lot has happened in one year.

Congratulations, Scott Crossley, who was awarded Property Manager of the Year at the State Parks division meeting.

Scott was recognized for his exceptional leadership through significant, unpredictable challenges, including a major EF2 tornado that severely impacted Brown County State Park. Leveraging diverse experience from eight different properties, Scott managed this adversity with resilience, leading rapid cleanup efforts to quickly reopen trails and camping facilities. Beyond emergency management, Scott worked closely with the Abe Martin Lodge and Aynes House leadership to maintain critical infrastructure. Scott further distinguished himself by fostering strong partnerships with groups like the Friends of Brown County State Park, the Indiana Trail Riders Association, and local mountain bikers. His profound passion for the park and dedication to the division make him a truly deserving recipient of this award.

Pictured left to right: Scott Crossley, property manager Brown County State Park; Brandt Baughman, State Park Director
on.IN.gov/browncounty

05/13/2026

We want to thank you Indiana Parks Alliance for presenting us with this grant.The Friends is working on a mission to restore the park's historic W**d Patch Fire Tower by the 100th anniversary of the park in 2029.We so appreciate your support in this journey!

05/13/2026

Hello Friends, This year's mushroom sale pre-orders will be accepted until May 18th. Please submit your order via email to [email protected] or contact Kim via phone or text at 812-345-5047. The designated pick-up times are Friday, May 22, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 23, 8:00 a.m. to noon, or until sold out, at the Brown County IGA parking lot. Upon pick-up, kindly ensure 'Friends of Brown County State Park' is designated to receive the funds.

05/12/2026

Work Day Wed 9:00 -12:00 at the Nature Center.We will be planting new plants that just arrived, spreading mulch, pulling weeds and general maintenance of all the gardens