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Indiana breaks ground on first new state park lodge in 84 years

The Lodge at Potato Creek will be about a 25 minute drive southwest of the city of South Bend + join the growing list of Indiana State Parks Inns.

INDY_The Lodge at Potato Creek rendering_OCT2023

This location will join Pokagon State Park’s Potawatomi Inn as one of two northern State Park Inns locations.

Rendering via Indiana DNR

A little more than two hours from Indy, Gov. Holcomb and DNR officials broke ground on Indiana’s first new state park lodge since 1939.

The Lodge at Potato Creek will sit adjacent to Worster Lake + will be the eighth addition to the growing list of Indiana State Parks Inns.

The lodge will feature:

  • 120 guest rooms
  • Full-service dining room with seating for 150 guests
  • Conference center with a capacity of 350 people
  • Indoor aquatic center
  • Nature room for exhibits
  • Cafe
  • Gift shop

Potato Creek State Park, which opened in 1969, sits on 3,840 acres — so guests of the lodge can expect access to a variety of outdoor activities, including biking, hiking, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and camping.

INDY_The Lodge at Potato Creek_indoor aquatic rendering_OCT2023

The indoor aquatic center will help guest enjoy water activities, no matter the weather.

Rendering via Indiana DNR

Lodging prices are expected to be comparable to the state’s seven existing park inns.

“By building our second overnight lodging facility for Hoosiers in the northern part of the state, we’re both making history and making way for new opportunities to get out and explore our great outdoor Indiana,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner.

In May, Gov. Holcomb signed a budget that allocated $100 million to support the project.

There’s no exact completion date yet, but it’s expected to be in 2026 or 2027.

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