Versailles State Park

Versailles State Park is located just east of Versailles, Indiana off of US highway 50. It is a 5,988 acre park. Work on the park started in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corp. (CCC) but the project was handed over to the state before it's completion. The park offers a variety of outdoor activities for visitors.

On this page you can learn more about Versailles State Park and take a look at the area through some video and some photos that I took in mid-April when foliage was light.

Versailles has a 230 acre lake that provides fishing and boating for visitors. In addition it has a swimming pool, campground, and Nature Center. Laughery Creek runs through the park and you'll find hardwood forest and plenty of limestone as you hike through the park.

There are:

• hiking trails
• mountain biking trails
• bridle trails
• boat and paddle boat rentals
• group camp with sleeping cabins and a recreation hall
• campground with flush toilets, hot water, showers, electricity, and camp store
• swimming pool and waterslide

The 25 miles of bridle trails are available for day use only. No horses or bicycles are available to rent.

There are 6.5 miles of hiking trails within the park. The hiking is moderate. Trail 1 is 2 1/4 miles long and can be picked up at the gate house near the main entrance or near the Oak Grove Shelter. The trail takes hikers through the rolling terrain where hardwood trees proliferate. Some portions of the trail bed have a great deal of limestone and there are multiple small ravines to cross. Wildflowers are plentiful in spring, and with lighter foliage there are plenty of opportunities to view the surrounding countryside. A portion of trail 1 is pictured here.

Trail 2 is 2 3/4 miles long and can also be accessed from the Oak Grove shelter, near the Nature Center, or Campground B. It also intersects with trail 3 and can connect with Trail 1 via a short spur trail. Hiking is moderate, with some rolling terrain.

Trail 3 offers easy hiking. The terrain is more level and a portion of it will take hikers along Fallen Timber Creek. The creek is fairly small and quite rocky making crossings easy in general. Hikers can choose to connect with Trail 2 as well. You can find detailed trail map here.

Parking is available near the Nature Center and Camp Store off of Versailles Lake. Access to trail 3 is available across the road. The wildflower photos here and below were taken along Trail 3.

There are a total of nearly 17 miles of mountain bike trails.

Trail 5 (1 mile) and Trail 6 (4 miles) are easy while Trail 2 (2 miles) and 3 (1.4 miles) are considered moderate.

Difficult trails are Trail 1 (6 miles) and trail 4 (2.5 miles).

All of these trails can be picked up at the trail head across from the swimming pool and waterslide. Mountain bike trail maps are available there as well as at the front gate. You'll find a video below that shows some of the trails.

The Dam is located at the the lower end of Versailles Lake, not far from the Gate House.

The covered bridge is also near the entrance and it brings travelers in from a county road.