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GoogleContinued growth and use of the state-owned nearly 1,000 acre off-road riding area that is gaining a nation reputation has promoted these changes which are being termed by organizers as a "win-win" for anybody who frequents the park.
Starting Jan. 1, the day-to-day operation of the park -- the first state-regulated riding area in Indiana -- will be taken over by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) State Parks Division.
DNR personnel will work out of the Shakamak State Park office near Jasonville.
Formerly the park was operated for the DNR by volunteers from the Redbird Management Group. Redbird has been owned by the DNR since 2003.
Redbird is located about one mile north of State Road 54 just northeast of Dugger and about five miles from Linton.
After the first of the year, the Redbird Management Group will become the Redbird Foundation and will focus on fundraising and securing grants to provide money to put back into park, according to Tim Garrett, of Sullivan, who serves as president of the new foundation board of directors.
Garrett says the paperwork has been filed with federal and state officials to designate the Redbird Foundation as 401-3(c) not for profit group -- giving it tax deducible status.
"These are exciting changes," Garrett said in pointing out that the park will be open longer hours and more days, more special use events will be planned and maintenance will improve.
"What this means to the user groups, is that now when you check in at the gatehouse, you will be greeted by a friendly DNR employee. What else you can expect to see is grounds that are mowed and maintained weekly, restrooms that are cleaned daily and a overall upgraded look to the park," he said.
"This is a great thing for Redbird and the Redbird Management Group, it will relieve the management group of operation of the gatehouse and free us up to do more trail maintenance and building, event planning and in general let us focus on improving the park."
DNR spokesman Phil Bloom agrees this change will provide new opportunities to more efficiently operate the facility and have it maintained.
He explained that the management of Redbird will move from the DNR's Outdoor Recreation Division -- that normally doesn't manage properties to Parks and Reservoirs Division.
The change will mean the hiring of two full-time employees and five seasonal workers that will be assigned to the Redbird property.
Shakamak State Park will assume management responsibilities of the facility.
Bloom said Redbird will open a minimum of five days a week -- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The days of operation will include Saturdays and Sundays.
He views this change as a good thing for the Greene-Sullivan county area.
"Obviously (the change) provides management by the DNR of the property by a division that is accustomed to providing management and still provide the public who operate the off-road vehicles an opportunity to enjoy it," Bloom commented.
Garrett said the change has been in the discussion stage with DNR officials for several years.
"This has been a cooperative effort with the management group and the DNR," Garrett said, "As the park has continued to grow, we knew there would be have to be a cooperative effort with the DNR."
The benefits of the change are evident in Garrett's view.
"Now 100 percent of all the money raised will be put back into improving the riding area and not for things like insurance, forms, armbands, utilities, etc., things that the management group had to purchase in the past," he said.
The park will also have more and extended hours. There will be more special events -- even night rides. Also, expect to see more manufacture-hosted events.
In the coming weeks, Redbird will be open to the public Dec. 28 and we will also have a New Year's Day Hangover Run on Jan. 1.
"After that Redbird will be open by appointment only till the last weekend in March, contact a member of the foundation to set up your rides during this time Jan. 2 through Mar. 27. Then, Redbird will open five days a week, Thursday through Monday. Look for more extended hours in the summer as the days grow longer and the attendance warrant the area staying open longer," Garrett announced.
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
Was still a better place before the state took it. Then you could come and go as you pleased and just plain out more fun.
I strongly agree Dtown.
Was nice I'll agree, I've heard it's not very good now................
It has been a long time since I rode the area but I am sure that the state control means more regulation.
The thing is, I believe all riding back then was actually trespassing unless you had written permission to do so. The fact that the State was able to step up and take over the property to give everyone a place to enjoy themselves is great.
In a day where everyone wants to take things like this away from Joe Public, areas like this are very valuable. Complaining about it only gives reason for those in charge to decide to eliminate it altogether.
Remember when you were a kid and you told your mother that you didn't like a certain "toy" anymore?
It went into the Yardsale!!
I agree totally with Dtown. That place was a challenge for young and old riders. They have blocked off all the good places and the BIG hills. The infamous "TROUGH" is gone. The state has catered more towards Jeeps. Everyone knew it was a risk to ride out there, but they also knew it was their own risk. All of the challenges are now gone. That place is Iconic. Once again the government stepped in and ruined a good thing. I have not been since the state took it and I dont plan to go back. It isnt the same. It isnt better!!
I very much disagree with all your comments.
Sure it was fun back when and alot of people came and rode.
The state does have some rules to follow, but this is an everyday thing we all have to do. Over the past year most of the closed off trails were reopen to ride.
So if you haven't been there since the state took over, how the hell do you know how it is now? I go whenever I get the chance and still have a very good time.
So maybe you just need to stay at home and think about riding.
It is just like everything else. The state has money problems and we have to fix them. Liek I said, that place has been a local icon for years. The "TROUGH" is still gone. Have they reopened Carbody? Bertha? Powerline? Do you know of these places? I said earlier and I will say it again. Back then there wasn't any rules. You rode at your own risk!! The state has taken away something and ruined it.
Since you haven't been there in 5 years how would you know how it is or what is open now.
Just stay at home on the porch.
I figured as much. You prolly dont know about those areas. I choose not to go because I am not gonna pay for something that has been free for years. It is ignorent and a waste of money!!! And you dont know when the last time was I was there.
If that's what you think. lol
Them trails is a heritage almost to all the elders around here that created the trails. I have heard many stories from years past, even when the temple was still there, and the state couldn't ticket people there because they couldn't make it through the trails like they can now, and yes now its costing tax payers money to pay employees out there. Its just sad.
Ok..i was gonna bite my toungue..but i give up. I've been riding redbird since i was 12. Now 30 years later, i still go there and volunteer there. While some may think it was better back then, the simple truth was it was not your property and it was against the law. Getting caught or getting a ticket, you still took your chances on being on somebody elses property. Sherwood Templeton got sued by some of these people who came and went riding out there. It was inevitable that at some point something was going to change.
Also having been out there since the DNR came involved, it boggles my mind that people from all over the state come down, buy fuel, camp, stay at hotel, buy food and etc. and rave about the area and the towns...and us local people can only complain that it's tax money and it was better when we tresspassed.
As for being a jeep place...there are jeep trails..there are also areas dedicated to motorcycles only, as well as four wheelers only..so i don't see your argument there.
I'd encourage anyone who hasn't been there in awhile to go. Theres lots of the old mixed with new, which includes a new rock garden for the rockcrawler types.
In case you didn't know, Redbird was given national attention when BF Goodrich named trail 4 as one of the 5 outstanding trails in the nation in 2007 (along with the Rubicon Trail in California...)
After you drive that trail, the "trough" will remind you of a Wal-Mart parking lot.
Have fun, be safe, and don't let something in your own backyard pass you by.
Gdawg, do you remember the trough? Yearround it had usually 2 feet of water and about 3-4 feet of mud. Not very many 4x4's got thru it without breaking something. I wasnt talking about 4 wheeler's/eople that have the big 4x4 pickups dont have a place to go muddin anymore. What is bad is that they are rutting up the sides of the county roads. Park Road is a good example. And if people were trespassing why was there always alot of vehicles parked out there every weekend? If the cops wanted to enforce the trespass they would have!
do i remember the trough?...yes, as well as the flat track, bertha, carbody, killer, the lake hills,the washout, stairstep and etc...
as i stated i've been there for a couple decades...so i know what it was like "back then." It's true, you could find lots of people out there, but does that make it right? Could it be possibly the reason was back then the owners never really pursued tresspassing charges, until a couple people who rode out there got hurt and decided they were gonna sue and ruined it for everyone? Call Sherwood Templeton and ask them why you can't ride out there after all these years when they and the cops "didn't care" about you being on their property before....
as far as blaming somone for rutting up someplace because now it costs a lil money to go to redbird is crazy. 1200 acres and u think u can't go mudding there? maybe not in the "trough" as it used to be, but theres plenty of other places to get muddy. although i'm not sure a rig that breaks in the trough would be something to take off the easy to moderate area.
my point is...if you rode there, got money in stuff to ride off road, don't cry when now you have to pay 10 bucks a day to wheel locally an dcome and go as you please. go to attica (badlands)and ride for free...oh wait..they charge more than redbird.
anyhow..i guess if i see some big truck driving thru somebody's yard or along the road, i'll try to stop them and give them a 10 spot. apparently they are doing it because they don't wanna pay a gate fee.