Best Camping in Indiana

[mike4sigs]

camping

Mounds is a nice state rec. area it is just north of Anderson, there is an airport real close but after about an hour i didnt even know it was there ! they have some nice entry leval trails

 

[pistol pete]

It is hard to beat Turkey Run , Cliffty Falls or Brown County . Dog friendly and remote enough to be fun .

 

[cooldadg]

yellow wood state forest is also very nice only primitive though

 

[Zoub]

Martin State Forest, an Indiana State Park near Bedford

Hoosier National Forest, an Indiana National Park

My top two right there. Martin for "fancy" and German Ridge horse camp for a bit more off the beaten path, but both are car camping and easy places to get to quick for an "excape" from the city. From German Ridge you just jump off into the HNF and walk about.

In Indiana, the farther south the better. If nothing else be inside what I call the "triangle" Loogootee to Lost River to Jasper.

Get a Delorme Gazetteer of Indiana to help you explore.

 

[Aaronhome27]

Alot have mentioned Chain O Lakes. It really depends what you like. Chain o Lakes is pretty cramped for my taste though. BUT, there is alot to do there. We camp alot and occasionaly camp there. If you do decide to camp there I would highly suggest you reserve early and try to get a spot at the canoe camp sites, they are away from the BIG mass camp site. If you have friends going with you, you can rent the whole site (4 camp sites if I remember right) and you will have one heck of a lake side camp site. Other then that I would suggest Tippecanoe or Potatoe Creek. Potato creek has Huge spotsfor camping. Tippecanoe also has a great camping area for canoers right on the river. Catch is you have to have a canoe with you to camp there. It is one of the best canoe and fishing rivers around if you are into that. For the best experience outside of these areas you would have to consider anywhere in Brown County also.

One last spot to mention would be the state grounds in Mongo. I think primitive sites run $5 or so. We klondike camp there in the winter and hike all over the place. The camp ground is behind the Wildlife check in area right on the lake also. Alot of ground to explore up there. More then you could ever cover in a whole season by far.

Just my .02

 

[Jack Ryan]

My top two right there. Martin for "fancy" and German Ridge horse camp for a bit more off the beaten path, but both are car camping and easy places to get to quick for an "excape" from the city. From German Ridge you just jump off into the HNF and walk about.

In Indiana, the farther south the better. If nothing else be inside what I call the "triangle" Loogootee to Lost River to Jasper.

Get a Delorme Gazetteer of Indiana to help you explore.

Both high on my list as well but I wouldn't send a guy there for his first camping trip. That's what made me recomend a weekend trip to SMP. They have primitive, no water, no electric, it's probably pretty much deserted this time of year unless there's an event. Then there's modern sites, with electric, flat for a vehicl, and probably about half full of campers this time of year.

It's got a little bit of just about everything all the other parks have combined except horses.

A weekend there and a list of we did this and that and it was a blast or a dud and I could give a lot of suggestions more directed to exactly what the OP is interested in. They may or may not like the same stuff I like. I can have a good time just walking through a railroad tunnel or climbing a fire tower. That's not for just everone.

 

[RedDot]

I really like Charles Deam Wilderness in Monroe. Lots of good day hike loops BUT plenty of relaxing and beautiful "pack some stuff in and stay a few nights" loops. Pattons cave on one of the loops, a very small basic cave- might take 15 min to go through the first time(if you plan to go through u may regret not having 1 nice headlamp 2 lightweight shorts <-will get muddy 3 chacos or tevas. And a LEGIT campsite (try to get there early) right above the opening of the cave. Earlier this year we found dinners worth of morels right by our campsite & plenty of places to throw a line in the water- though I'd still suggest bringing that can of pork and beans just incase you don't reel in a lunker.

It's kind of sneaky to find where the trails start PM me if you want to know more.

 

[Zoub]

Both high on my list as well but I wouldn't send a guy there for his first camping trip.

And there is the Proof that Jack really is a nice guy. Because I saw his post and understood what he was getting at and yet I still tossed out German Ridge. Sure, if you tend to drink and walk around in the dark at German Ridge, you WILL walk off a cliff.

Did I care? No. Did Jack? Yes. Yes he did. You are busted Jack, you are a nice guy and now everyone knows it. HA!

I also agree with what he posted above.

 

[Jack Ryan]

And there is the Proof that Jack really is a nice guy. Because I saw his post and understood what he was getting at and yet I still tossed out German Ridge. Sure, if you tend to drink and walk around in the dark at German Ridge, you WILL walk off a cliff.

Did I care? No. Did Jack? Yes. Yes he did. You are busted Jack, you are a nice guy and now everyone knows it. HA!

I also agree with what he posted above.

LOL, I must be slipping!