One of Southern Indiana’s popular outdoor attractions is getting help from the state for some much-needed improvements.
The Great American Outdoors Act chose to fund three projects at the Hoosier National Forest for the fiscal 2021 year.
These projects will be the first round of improvements to address deferred maintenance on the Forest while improving visitors’ experience.
This year’s selected projects are:
- Trail improvements at German Ridge Recreation Area – 3.6 miles of trail in Perry County will be improved to reduce erosion, increase sustainability, and improve safety for visitors who hike bike, or ride horses.
- Repair concrete boat launches– Five lakes in Perry and Orange counties, popular for fishing and paddling, will be improved for safety and repaired for sustainability.
- Road improvements at Tipsaw Lake Recreation Area in Perry County– The road accessing the five campground loops will have the base layer replaced and will be paved with asphalt to improve visitor access.
These projects are part of the $285 million investment made possible by the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. The fund was established in 2020 by the Great American Outdoors Act.
These funds will allow the USDA Forest Service to implement more than 500 infrastructure improvement projects essential to the continued use and enjoyment of national forests and grasslands across the nation.
Each year, visitors to the national forests contribute almost $11 billion to the U.S. economy, which sustains more than 148,000 jobs.
