Jasper-Dubois County library offers free Indiana State Park passes, adventure backpacks

Jasper-Dubois County Public Library is lending families a way to cut the cost of a state park trip before they ever leave Dubois County. Its Cultural Passes page includes a State Park Pass and Adventure Backpack program with Indiana State Parks, and the library says the included letter pass stays inside the backpack while it is checked out.

The pass covers gate admission for 1 family-sized vehicle or 2 motorcycles to any Indiana state park. JDCPL’s state park pass information sheet says each pass can be checked out for 7 days, with no renewals. The sheet also lists a $5-per-day fee and a $50 replacement cost, details that matter for anyone planning a weekend outing or borrowing the backpack for a full week.

Each library branch has a backpack that can be checked out, putting the program within reach for readers across Jasper, Ferdinand, Dubois and Birdseye as they move through the county’s library system. The setup makes the library more than a place for books and research. It functions as a lending point for outdoor access, giving families a chance to visit an Indiana state park without paying at the gate or buying gear for a one-time trip.

The backpack model fits into JDCPL’s broader Cultural Passes and Library of Things offerings, which extend borrowing beyond traditional materials. For parents trying to keep a day trip affordable, the biggest value is straightforward: the pass removes entrance costs, the backpack keeps the materials organized, and the 7-day checkout window leaves enough time to plan around school, work and weather.

Jasper-Dubois County Public Library is not alone in using that model. Kingman Library, Hamilton East Public Library, Warsaw Community Public Library, Goshen Public Library, New Carlisle Public Library and Tippecanoe County Public Library all offer similar state park pass or adventure backpack programs. Public Libraries Online noted that Indiana State Parks marked its 100th birthday in 2016 and that library park-pass lending gained attention during the Bicentennial era, showing that the idea has spread across the state as a practical way to make recreation cheaper and easier to reach.