State of Indiana

11/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/27/2024 23:04

5th (and Final!) Holiday Hiking Challenge (Monroe Lake)

5th (and Final!) Monroe Lake Holiday Hiking Challenge

We challenge you to forget about shopping and holiday stress… spend your time outside instead, exploring the beauty of the outdoors along our Monroe Lake trails!

The Holiday Hiking Challenge consists of hiking ALL of Monroe Lake's trails and completing the challenge activities! Each of our trails will have at least one challenge station where you will need to complete the posted activity and take a photo to document it. Everyone who completes the challenge and submits their photo set by the deadline will be entered into the prize drawing!

Prizes include 2025 Indiana State Parks Annual Entrance Passes and a guided kayak trip on the lake in summer 2025 for up to 8 people (kayaks included).

Download the Holiday Hiking Challenge Guide to see where the challenge stations are located along each trail. Upload and submit your complete set of challenge activity photos before midnight on Sunday, December 1!

The Holiday Hiking Challenge Guide (and photo submission link!) will be posted on the Facebook Event page the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 27 at https://tinyurl.com/monroe-hhc2024

Total hiking distance is between 10 and 14 miles (depending on how you choose to hike it) and you have 4 days to complete the challenge, so feel free to split up the trails over multiple days (as long as you finish by Dec. 1!).

  • Paynetown State Recreation Area: Tree Trek Trail 0.5 miles, Blue Bird Trail 1.25 miles, and Whitetail Trail 1 mile out-and-back (2 miles total).
  • Allens Creek State Recreation Area: Turkey Trot Trail 1.75 miles out-and-back (3.5 miles total)
  • Fairfax State Recreation Area: Big Oak Trail 1.75 miles, Evergreen Loop 0.25 miles, Homestead Loop 1.84 miles, Quarry Extension 0.41 miles out-and-back (0.82 miles total), and Osprey Overlook Trail 0.09 miles

Not sure where each SRA is located? Download the Monroe Lake property map at in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/monroe_trail.pdf. Entry to all our SRAs is free during the winter months.