Ox Bow County Park

Located on the banks of the Elkhart River, Ox Bow Park is a reflection of Elkhart County’s natural beauty. Here you can discover the diversity of our natural environment and experience the renewal of spirit which nature provides. Ox Bow Park was established in 1969. The park was originally developed with matching funds by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Prior to that date, what is now Ox Bow Park, was a self supporting 113 acre farm for the Elkhart County Home. Residents of the County Home helped work the farm in return for room, board and medical care. Ox Bow Park gets its name from a natural feature found within the park, an oxbow of the Elkhart River. Oxbows are U-shaped lakes that form when rivers change their course. Their shape resembles the bow of oxen yokes used by pioneers. This ancient river channel is now a wetlands which support fish and a wide variety of plant and wildlife species. Ox Bow Park offers hundreds of acres set aside to provide space for outdoor activities and the preservation of plant and wildlife habitat. This multi use philosophy is at the heart of the Elkhart County Parks. The park is managed with the needs of our park visitors and the natural environment in mind. 20% of the park is developed for your recreational needs and 80 % is left in a natural state for the plants and animals that call Ox Bow home. Ox Bow provides four seasons of outdoor enjoyment with its well maintained picnic areas and seven open and one winterized shelter. Volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and playgrounds can be found throughout the park. Other features include paved bike trail, an archery range, observation tower, athletic fields, canoe launch, an open-air chapel and an 18 hole disc golf course. During the winter months, you can find groomed trails for cross country skiing as well as two sledding hills and a warming house for an afternoon of snow-filled fun.