Dubois County Park grows into versatile recreation hub

Dubois County Park is the kind of place that can anchor an entire day, or an entire weekend, without sending families far from home. At 4157 State Road 162 in Huntingburg, the 141.16-acre park sits about five miles south of Jasper and one mile north of the State Road 64 junction at Bretzville, right next to the Dubois County 4-H Fairgrounds. That location, plus its mix of camping, sports, water access, and group space, makes it one of the county’s most practical public recreation assets.

A county base camp with room to spread out

The park’s growth tells part of the story. The Dubois County Park and Recreation Board was established on October 28, 1969, and the park opened to the public on May 30, 1973 as a 44-acre site. It has since expanded to 141.16 acres, a jump that reflects both local generosity and grant-backed development over time. That expansion matters for everyday use because the park no longer functions as a simple picnic spot. It now gives Dubois County families a single place to camp, play, gather, walk, fish, and watch youth sports without paying for multiple outings across the region.

The county’s own objectives show that the park is meant to serve more than one purpose. The board says it exists to provide accessible, safe, attractive recreation, protect the natural environment, and support park and recreation development across Dubois County by funding and preparing the Dubois County Park Plan every five years. It also coordinates with the Dubois County 4-H Council to support the annual Dubois County Fair, which helps explain why the park feels especially tied to county life rather than functioning as an isolated green space.

What a full visit can include

The strongest draw at Dubois County Park is how much it fits into one trip. The county lists 48 campsites with parking pads, electricity, water, picnic tables, and grills, which makes the park useful for overnight stays, youth trips, and family weekends. It also has five shelter houses, restroom facilities that include a family restroom and one with showers, and a dump station for campers who need to empty tanks before heading home.

The park’s recreation options go well beyond camping. Visitors can use an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking trails that include some handicapped-accessible sections, two playground areas, and a splash pad. For people who want a more active visit, the park also has baseball and softball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and three horseshoe pits. That range is what makes the park work for different age groups at once: younger children can use the playgrounds and splash pad, teens and adults can split between disc golf and courts, and grandparents or other caregivers can settle into shelter-house space and still stay close to the action.

Water and quiet space round out the experience. The park has two lakes, one two acres and one three acres, with fishing available. Near the three-acre lake sits the Precious Angel’s Monument, a small but meaningful feature that gives the park a reflective corner alongside its sports and camping amenities. For a county park, that combination is unusual: one stop can hold a ballgame, a picnic, a walk, a fishing break, and a moment of remembrance.

Who uses it most

Dubois County Park is especially well suited to families who want a low-cost day close to Jasper, Huntingburg, Bretzville, or the fairgrounds. It also serves campers who want a manageable campground without giving up access to courts, trails, and picnic space. Shelter-house gatherings make it useful for reunions, church groups, and birthday outings, while the disc golf course and fishing lakes give solo visitors and small groups a reason to return often.

Its place next to the Dubois County 4-H Fairgrounds makes it a natural companion to fair week and youth events. The county’s stated coordination with the Dubois County 4-H Council means the park is not only nearby, but built into the broader civic rhythm of the county. That connection helps explain why the park is more than a destination for one type of visitor. It is a shared public base that can absorb fair crowds, family reunions, weekend campers, and after-school recreation with the same layout.

What it costs and how to plan ahead

Dubois County Park is open to the general public from April 1 to November 1. Most use is free, but the county does set specific fees for camping and certain services. RV camping is $25 per night, tent camping is $15 per night, and the dump station is $10 per use if you are not camping. Shelter houses #1, #3, and #4 are listed as first-come, first-served at $50, $35, and $50 respectively.

The county also says camping sites and shelter houses are first come, first served, with payment due when the site is first occupied. There are no refunds, so timing matters, especially for peak weekends and fair-related traffic. Starting in 2027, online registrations will be mandatory, which should make planning easier for some users but also means families who are used to showing up and sorting it out on site will need to adjust.

A park still being built out

The modern park is also a work in progress. On February 21, 2022, the Dubois County Park Board broke ground on improvements that were set to add 14 RV campsites, upgrade the trail system, and add a bathroom and information area. That project fits the pattern of steady, phased investment that has shaped the park since the late 1960s. The park’s growth has not come from one dramatic overhaul; it has come from repeated additions that answer specific local needs.

Current board leadership, listed on a 2025 park board agenda, shows the people stewarding that work: Christine Prior serves as president, Tony Hasenour as vice-president, Jane Betz as secretary, and Mark Denu, Roy Main, and Ken Betz are members. Their names matter because this is not an abstract county amenity. It is a public facility overseen by local residents who decide how the land is used, improved, and tied to the county fair and the broader recreation plan.

Dubois County Park has become one of those rare places that can justify the drive for almost any kind of outing. A family can come for the splash pad and stay through dinner at a shelter house. Campers can base themselves here and spend a weekend fishing, hiking, or playing disc golf. Fairgoers can treat it as an extension of the 4-H grounds. That flexibility is exactly what gives the park its value in Dubois County.