Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon State Recreation Area)

Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon State Recreation Area)

The fall forest colors are vivid in October when Parke County holds its nine-day Covered Bridge Festival. Cecil M. Harden Lake, formerly known as Mansfield Lake, is located in west central Indiana and is situated on Big Racoon Creek, just 33 miles upstream of the confluence with the Wabash River. The lake was completed by the Corps of Engineers in 1960 Cecil M. Harden Lake exists as a cooperative management effort between the Corps of Engineers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The lake, formerly “Mansfield Lake,” is also referred to as Raccoon Lake. The 2,110 acre lake provides flood reduction downstream from the dam, primarily in the Big Raccoon Creek and Lower Wabash River watersheds. Cecil M. Harden Lake also offers water-related recreation and the enhancement of fish and wildlife.