Download the Passport Here
What’s a Park Hop? How does it work?
The Park Hop is a free, community-wide scavenger hunt through our parks and nature preserves. Ripley County, Indiana is full of places for you to explore in nature. The Park Hop is a fun way for families (and kids of all ages) to get outside and have fun. From waterfalls to forests, and city parks to lakes, there’s something for everyone, right here in our backyard. Visit as many parks as you can, and have fun exploring new parks. As you go, answer the clues on your Passport. Kids can claim prizes based on how many parks they visit at the Park Hop Finale on May 4th at Versailles State Park Shimmerhorn Shelter.
Where are the clues listed?
The “Passport” lists the parks and the scavenger hunt clues for each park and nature preserve. Passports will be released on March 1st, 2024.
When is the Park Hop?
March 1 – May 4, 2024 Perfect for a Spring Break adventure!
Where are the Parks?
All over Ripley County. Addresses for all of the parks are listed on the Passport and there’s an interactive map at RipleyCountyReads.org. Plus, we tried to get as many of the parks as possible recognized on Google Maps.
Someone said there are prizes…
Prizes are available for youth that complete all clues at 1, 10, or 15+ parks. We will have swag bags available to the first 100 participants. The more parks visited, the more tickets earned for entry in the prize drawings. This year’s drawings will have outdoor gear and more! There will also be a grand prize drawing for families for an Indiana State Park Pass and a family tent.
How do I turn in the clues and claim prizes?
Families can have fun and claim kids’ prizes at our Park Hop Finale on SATURDAY, May 4, 2024, from 11am-1pm at Versailles State Park at the Shimmerhorn Shelter. This is the only opportunity to claim prizes. Just bring along each child’s passport, with their answers to the clues (this is how they show which parks they visited). Come for the prizes – but also for hands-on nature activities and the McKay Family Farms Exotic Animal Petting Zoo!
This is neat – I want to invite my friends!
We’re grateful that you want to you help spread the word! Share this website, and post something to your Facebook (maybe you all “hopping” in the air at the park!) add #RipleyCoParkHop
Who’s Supporting the Park Hop?
Ripley County Reads is leading the Park Hop but this is truly a team effort.
Thanks to this years awesome sponsors:
Versailles State Park
Friendship State Bank
Batesville Tool & Die, Inc.
Schuerman Law
Ripley County Community Foundation
Versailles Lions
Main Street Versailles
The Reservation
McDonalds of Southeast Indiana
Napoleon State Bank
Southeastern Indiana YMCA
Thanks to this year’s awesome partners:
WRBI Radio 103.9
McKay Family Farms
Ripley Publishing Company
Pat’s Bulk Foods
South Ripley Community School Corporation
Batesville Community School Corporation
Milan Community
School Corporation
St. Louis Catholic School
Jac-Cen-Del Community School Corporation
St. Nicholas Catholic School
Sunman Elementary Schoo
I still have a few questions.
We’d love to hear from you! Contact us at ripleycountyreads@gmail.com.
Where did you get this idea?
The Park Hop isn’t a brand new idea. Ripley County Reads learned about it from Liz Brownlee with Oak Heritage Conservancy, who learned about a Park Hop in Greenville, South Carolina. Community organizations started their Park Hop in in 2013. That year, over 100 families participated. Their Park Hop has grown each year, and now includes a year-round scavenger hunt and events at the parks. Last year, over 1,100 children participated. We’ve been talking with them, and they’ve helped us adapt the idea for our community. Go outside and have a hopping good time in nature!
Where are the Parks?
Click on this map to find the 21 parks and nature preserves in the Ripley County Park Hop. We’ve provided the address with the description of each park. You will also be able to type each park name into Google maps. We hope this makes it easier to find the parks in 2024!