Backyard Adventures

BACKYARD ADVENTURES 2017 PIKE PUBLISHING 3C sponsored by the River City Blues Society partnered with the Vanderburgh County Special Olympics," Grannan said. "Numerous other fundraising events include St. Jude's Give Hope Run, Mended Little Hearts Big Hopes Walk and Mad Max Ride for Riley's Hospital. We partner with community organizations for the betterment of all." If you want to visit the park as part of a smaller group, or even a party of one, there's also shelter houses, chalets, and a campgrounds at Burdette. "Burdette Park has a variety of attractive shelter houses throughout the wooded areas of the park. The rental houses range in size and will accommodate anywhere from twenty-five people up to two hundred fifty. Most buildings have central heat and air with cozy fireplaces and are available year-round," the website says. "Burdette offers beautiful chalets for overnight (or week-long) sleeping accommodations which will accommodate as many as eight guests per unit. Each chalet has a breakfast bar, a fireplace, and most furnishings. The chalets also have digital satellite television, linens, dishes, and a microwave. Some units offer a whirlpool bathtub. All chalets may be rented year-round. "The camping area has accommodations including shower and restroom facilities. The RV camping area offers 28 sites; 18 offer water, sewer, and electric. There is also a wooded area for primitive tent camp- ing." Once you've decided on how to stay at the park, the next question is what to do? There are, of course, 180 acres of forest to explore, but that's not all. The park also houses a BMX track that often hosts races, a stocked fishing lake open at no charge year-round (an Indiana fishing license is required and all local and state fishing laws apply), two baseball fields avail- able by request, and four lighted tennis courts open free without reservations. However, one of the biggest features of the park, geographically speaking, is its bike and walking trail network, which features six different routes ranging from 1.1 to 17.7 miles. All routes converge at the park and can be ridden as a single, continuous loop for a 32.35 -mile excursion (not counting overlap). "Enjoy the incredible three-mile walk/bike trail that joins the expansive campus of USI and Burdette through its adjoining rustic timberland," Grannan said. Burdette Park hours are 7 a.m. to midnight all year round. The main park office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Burdette Park is located at 5301 Nurrenbern Rd. Evansville, 47712. To contact the park, call 812-435 -5602 or email burdettepark@ vanderburghgov.org. "I invite you to join us and nurture your mind, spirit and body with natures' best medicine! " Gran- nan said. ASSUMPTION OF RISK / RELEASE OF BURDETTE PARK By using these routes, you understand there is a risk and danger of injury to yourself and your property, and you nonetheless do so assuming all risk of loss, damage or injury to your person and/or your property. When you use these routes, you also do so with the understanding, agreement and release that Burdette Park and Vanderburgh County and any of their employees and agents are not liable for any such loss, damage or injury. These bicycle routes are shared with motor vehicles: bicyclists need to be alert and ready for high-speed traffic at all times. Several miles of these routes have no shoulders. Riding single file on the right side of the right-hand lane when possible will be appreciated by approaching motorists and will in most cases be the safest alignment for cyclists. Never ride against traffic. Please wear a safety helmet and use hand signals to indicate turns and stops. Bicyclists are required by Indiana law to obey traffic signs and signals. Dress for high visibility, day or night. Use lights in front and back when it's dark. Take water, as none is available along these routes. Take a tire pump, bike tools, and a spare inner-tube in case of breakdown. A cellular phone may be handy too. And please leave no trace of your passing. Bike route signs have been posted along these routes for your convenience and safety. The routes have numbered signs in only one direction per route: counterclockwise on routes 1-3, clockwise on route 4; in the opposite direction only standard bike route signs and some warning signs have been posted. You may ride in either direction, but users unfamiliar to the routes will benefit from riding in the direction of the numbered signs. DISCOVERY TRAILS Map provided by Burdette Park

• Cover