Anderson Lake State Park — Attraction in Indian Island

The entrance was a little difficult to find from the road, but once we turned in, it was a nice, clear drive with well-marked parking for horse trailers closer to the road and cars deeper in, on the north side of the lake.

A discover pass or day pass is required for parking. Unfortunately, there is a possibility of toxic algae right now, so there is no lake access.

The trails are clear, but not paved, so hiking up the hills and gaining elevation is not recommended for those with mobility issues. Near the entrance, however, there are flat trails that may be more accessible.

I was disappointed with the provided map that may need to be updated and trail markings that are so worn they were not useful. That said, it is a great park for some light-to-moderate hiking, even though we accidentally turned onto a different trail and ended up taking the higher route around the lake instead of meeting back up with the one we started on to just head back down the way we came 😂

As for wildlife, there were some red squirrels and a lot of small birds near the clearing of the grave site.

As for plants, if you take the elevated trail that goes along the east side of the lake, you will be surrounded by what feels like an infinite fern forest, which I personally loved.

The rock is also super cool to see. If you want to go to the rock sanctuary, it is not in the park, but there is a trail leading to it. I suggest you study a satellite image and get your bearings beforehand or go to the entrance for...

It’s a shame about the toxic algae in the lake. You definitely don’t want to bring your dogs here or children and definitely stay away from the water. There are signs posted everywhere. However it makes the park very nice to visit if you want to be away from people. Not many people come here. Definitely no dogs. All the trails are still open. And you can hike the trails even if the gate is closed. You can get up close to the lake just don’t step in any mud surrounding the lake or especially the lake water itself. I’d stay about 30 feet away from the shore. Dogs get sick and die if they get in the lake. It’s one of the highest toxic algae levels ever recorded in the world... but it’s really really nice because of the lack of...

This place is very easy to find, access, and exit. It has separate parking for horse trailers. Two old wooden outhouses are on site and are handicapped accessible, but not up to standard. The boat launch is closed because of the toxic algae. Waterside picnic tables and areas are not maintained and maybe flooded. There are miles of trails here - just don't expect them to be maintained. Many could be driven on, but others are barely a foot wide. As of 6/6/23 most trails and ditches are dry, but the mosquitos are still terrible. If you found this review to be helpful please consider adding a...