How many lakes are in Chain 'O Lakes State Park? All of them
By Marty Benson
How many lakes are at Chain O'Lakes State Park?
The answer's not easy. That's part of the place's allure.
"It depends," may be the only safe response about this geological wonder the prehistoric glaciers carved near Albion.
If the question means how many lakes are connected, you might be tempted to take the easy way out, a la "how many people are buried in that cemetery?" and say, "all of them." But that's wrong. Most are connected.
Property manager Sam Boggs, who has an aerial map on his office wall to prove it, asserts the "connected" answer is nine. Overall, he says, there are 13. Earlier literature's account differs.
No matter how many there are, they provide ample room and a welcoming environment for paddling, fishing, ice fishing, hiking, swimming, and ogling the wildlife and flora.
Photographer Brian Young, who grew up on Chain's doorstep and whose family once owned some of the eventual park land, said the park's two Finster lakes, which are not connected to the others, are the most scenic, especially during fall.
"If you get there on a nice calm day with no wind, the reflections off the lake are just absolutely beautiful," Young said. "There's also a good chance you'll see otters.
"The variety of wildlife in the park is interesting for anyone into wildlife. You can go just about anywhere in the park and you're going to see something that's photo worthy."
If you own your own vessel and have a Lake Permit, the tariff for paddling the lakes is $5 per state resident's vehicle, $7 for out-of-state vehicle. Boat rental costs $5 an hour or $20 for a day.
The park rents 60 canoes, eight double kayaks, 20 single kayaks, 15 rowboats, and 12 paddleboats from the boathouse on Sand Lake. With those and other privately owned nonmotorized (except for electric motors) watercraft dotting the various lakes, as many as 150 vessels can be on the water on a busy weekend. It's tough to estimate the number because the only way to count is from the air, and you'd still miss the boats in the heavily wooded areas of the canals.
You can enjoy paddling just about any time of year but to cover the entire chain without having to carry your craft, mid-April through June is best. High water can complicate getting under some of the canal bridges but there is space to portage around them.
As the park evolves, it stays true to the character the locals love.
"The park has been consistent over time," said neighbor Dean Leatherman, an engineer who visited often as a kid and has posted videos of the park's seasonal changes on YouTube. "It's changed a little bit but it's the '70s for me all over again. There's continuity there."
So, how many lakes are at Chain? That's easy. Enough to do just about anything you want.
This is an excerpt from the current Outdoor Indiana magazine. For the other 1,500 words and all 48 full-color pages about Indiana's outdoors, subscribe for $12 a year at OutdoorIndiana.org or (317) 233-3046.
