Fox Island closed for another year, officials say

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - For everyone who loves to hike the trails at Fox Island County Park, you are going to be disappointed.

Officials with the park say the park might not be open for at least another year.

Due to the derecho that swept through the Fort Wayne area in 2022, they say there is still a lot of work to do around the park before reopening.

Park management says that one of the worst-hit areas of the park was hit by last year’s derecho, including a large section of trail on the north side of the island.

They also say that area of the park still needs to be logged and equipment could not be out there until late summer, due to this year’s wet winter.

Management says volunteers will plant about 7,000 trees from the Indiana State Nursery. They ask for patience until the trees mature, given trees can take a long time to grow.

Currently, park caretakers jokingly call the park “Toothpick Island” because of all the bare trees and sticks poking out of the ground from the derecho last year.

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