Whispering Winds Picnic Area will be the site of the lodge. This large area, not far from the park entrance but away from the main road, provides a beautiful view of Worster Lake, access to the paved bike trail and a small boat launch, room for parking and plenty of space to relax in the outdoors.

As with our other inns and lodges, this facility will be designed with a rustic feel tied to the natural and cultural features of the park while providing modern amenities and services.

Although some features may change as design and construction costs are finalized, the preliminary plan includes 120 sleeping rooms, a full-service dining room with seating for 150, a conference center with three breakout rooms and capacity for 350 guests, an indoor aquatic center, a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces for small gatherings, a mini-nature room for programs and exhibits, a café, a gift shop, and access to Worster Lake and other park features.

The lodge will be operated through the Indiana Inns Authority, a legislatively established, quasi-governmental entity that is a functional part of Indiana State Parks. Those who work in the lodge will be employed by the State of Indiana. Indiana Inns Authority currently operates seven locations at Indiana State Parks.

Potato Creek was established as a 3,840-acre park in 1969. Glaciers shaped the landscape, and the area was home to Indigenous people for thousands of years. Before settlement by Europeans, the Potawatomi lived in the region. The area was home to a free Black community called Huggart Settlement, and the Porter-Rea Cemetery in the park is where many of those residents are buried. At the time the park was dedicated, the area was primarily farmland. Active natural restoration has restored a diversity of habitats including prairies, wetlands, and forests. The 327-acre Worster Lake provides for low impact water recreation. Hiking, camping, biking, interpretive programming, wildlife watching, and horseback riding for those who can bring their own horse are just a few of the many activities available today.

The cost of design is approximately $5 million, and the current budget for construction is $100 million. Thank you to the Indiana General Assembly and Gov. Eric J. Holcomb for providing this funding.

We do not have a finite date at this point, but we anticipate that it will likely be in 2026 or 2027.