Get off-road, free, at Hoosier Outdoor Experience, Sept. 18-19

Indiana DNR Release:

However you like to get off-road—and especially if you don’t know enough to have a preference—you’ll find options to try at the free Hoosier Outdoor Experience.

The event is Sept. 18-19, at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis.

During last year’s inaugural Experience, 13,300 children and adults got hands-on opportunities to try more than 50 outdoor activities. Many took participants “off-road” for the first time.

Off-roading this year includes a mountain bike skills trail, UTV riding, rock climbing, hiking, Jeep/ORV rides, even mini dirt bike rides for tots, plus information and staff from the DNR’s Redbird State Recreation Area, an off-roader’s playground.

“Off-roading is a year-round recreational activity that can be done as an individual and/or family depending on the skill level of the operator and type of off-road machine used,” said Nila Armstrong of the DNR Division of Outdoor Recreation. “People return from these rides with smiles on their face.”

Eastgate Chrysler Jeep is the presenting sponsor of the OHV riding area.

The Experience has old-school off-roading, too. On horseback. Free, of course.

Rides of a mile-and-half will be offered, first-come, first-served starting at 9 a.m. each day with the last ride leaving at 5 p.m. Horses suitable for beginners will be available to suit ages 6 to adult.

“These horses need to be calm to be in a state park,” said Tim Hollars, saddle barn owner, manager and operator at the park, explaining why even people with no prior experience can ride.

Hollars said riders should go to the saddle barn early to reserve a spot because they will fill up fast.

Then there’s hiking. Of course you can walk just about anywhere, anytime, but at this event you can learn about backcountry hiking and caving, complete with an inflatable cave. A climbing wall will be available for the vertically minded.

Other activities at this family-friendly event include target shooting, archery, kayaking, fishing and much more. Activities will be organized in six areas—aquatics, cultural, equestrian, outdoors, shooting sports and wildlife. Shuttles will transport participants.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Parking, admission, activities, demonstrations and seminars are free to the public, but advance registration at hoosieroutdoorexperience.IN.gov (click on the orange registration icon) helps assure proper staffing. Watch for event updates at the registration website or at Facebook.com/HoosierOutdoorExperience.

The Hoosier Outdoor Experience is presented by the DNR and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation. The goal is to introduce people to outdoor activities they may have never tried.

If you already enjoy outdoor sports and recreation and want to help others learn to enjoy them as much as you do, sign up to volunteer at http://www.in.gov/dnr/5412.htm or call (317) 233-1002.