Lake County Parks and Recreation strives to create sites with open space while providing recreational, cultural and educational programs for the community. One park in the area that stays determined to achieve these goals is Oak Ridge Prairie.
“We have three trails that come into the park,” Craig Zandstra, superintendent at Oak Ridge Prairie said. “There’s a lot of activities to do such as sledding, walking, fishing and picnicking. It’s definitely one of the top parks in the area when it comes to biodiversity, so there’s a little bit of everything going on.”
The maintenance barn and the residence of park managers is located in Merrillville. However, the primary parking area of Oak Ridge Prairie is right on the line between Griffith and Merrillville. Zandstra believes this location is perfect to help visitors jump into the activities Oak Ridge Prairie has to offer.
“A lot of the events we have come from that central area,” Zandstra said. “If you look at the park from an aerial view, it’s located right in the middle of our trails.”
Emily Trisler, communications director at Oak Ridge Prairie, also appreciates the feeling she gets upon entering the main parking area.
“It’s a nice atmosphere because you’re able to see everything as soon as you pull into the parking lot,” Trisler said. “One side has the sledding hill, with the pond and trails in the front as well. It’s made to be pretty convenient for when people come to visit the park.”
As the prime of winter is approaching, there’s a variety of activities that visitors can expect at Oak Ridge Prairie this season.
“We have sledding and cross country skiing now that there’s snow on the ground,” Trisler said. “Nature hikes take place year round at the park. We like to have fun snow days and scavenger hunts as well.”
Oak Ridge Prairie is a fairly large park, consisting of more than 1,000 acres of land and 500 various native species. Being one of the most diverse parks in Lake County, there’s always something special to explore with every trip.
“This is the park I grew up going to the most,” Trisler said. “It’s pretty cool because once you’re at the central hub of the park, you can easily figure out what you want to do next. The secrets aren’t all revealed though. I’ve lived in Northwest Indiana and explored this park several times, but even I get lost at times before the trails lead me back to the parking lot. There’s a special sense of adventure and mystery to it.”
Moving forward, Oak Ridge Prairie has already arranged a few activities for 2024. Lake County Parks also plans to bring back some annual traditions for later seasons.
“We have two overnight camps set up this year,” Zandstra said. “This park is one of those sites that can accommodate larger groups that are interested in camping. The trails are a hotspot for people who like to ride bikes and we stay busy with the hay rides every fall season.”
With the numerous activities in store for the park, Zandstra is looking forward to a big year for filling the community with excitement.
For more information on Oak Ridge Prairie, you can visit its website.
