Water Travel: Paddling at Chain O Lakes State Park

Alexandria Flores, a sophomore Business major from Goshen, Indiana, describes our time on the water: 

Before leaving Chain O’ Lakes State Park, we spent about an hour paddling around the lakes. Chain O’ Lakes has a total of eleven lakes, with eight of the lakes connecting to one another to form what looks like a chain, as the name suggests. Sand Lake is located at the center of Chain O’ Lakes. There you will find a boat rental service where you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, or fishing boats. Visitors are also welcome to launch their own boats at the park. During our short time on the water, we were able to explore around Sand lake and its surrounding channels on kayaks. As you adventure around the lake, you are surrounded by lush trees and wild plants that make up the beautiful scenery.

Chain O’ Lakes was home to central Algonquian Tribes when Europeans first arrived in North American in the mid 1600’s. The area was primarily occupied by Miami, Mascouten and Potawatomi tribes. Over the past week, we’ve learned that Native American groups inhabited areas close to water as a means for survival. The lakes provided food, water, and travel to these Native groups. Kayaking on the water was a fun-filled activity that allowed us to experience a similar mode of transportation used by Native Americans when traveling through lakes and rivers. Being out in nature and on the lake was a great way to connect and learn more about the Native people who once lived and inhabited the area of Chain O’ Lakes.