Best Equestrian Camping near Paris, IL

Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons.

It is definitely designed to accommodate RVs, as the majority of the sites are situated in an open field. There are a few dozen sites that are in “loops” that are situated in shaded areas. Some camp sites have zero privacy while others have a little. Either way, if you’re here on a weekend, you’ll definitely have neighbors close by. You can see the entire campground via google maps street view, just FYI

This is a very family friendly campground and you will see lots of kids on bicycles flying around. I’ve stayed here a few times, and no matter the day of the week or the time of year, there are always lots of kids.

This campground has a raccoon “problem” due to campers having poor camp etiquette and feeding them. They come out of the woods towards dusk looking for food. They will come right up to you without hesitation, so don’t be alarmed if there’s one next to you while you cook s’mores over your fire (ask me how I know, hah). They will take any food that is left out. Do not turn your back to your dinner table at any time if there’s food out.

On my last visit to turkey run (I’ve camped here 3 or 4 times) I arrived to my campsite and someone had left dog food out for the raccoons in little piles all over the place which was super disappointing. Additionally, my neighbors didn’t put their campfire out when they packed up and left.

Perhaps I’m just used to camping in other areas where you have to worry about bears and burning the forests down…But campers here just aren’t as mindful or respectful of the campground.

The restrooms and showers (at least the one I use at this campground) is modernized and cleaned daily but there’s no dish pit/wash room available if you cook. Just be prepared to clean up accordingly and put trash in trash receptacles. There are a few vault toilets in the campground as well.

You can hike from the CG into the state park (highly recommend. It’s gorgeous!) just wear shoes that youre willing to get wet.

Overall, it’s a beautiful state park with a conveniently located campground. It’s not the best campground ever but for Indiana standards, it’s great. Even with my complaints, I always return because I enjoy visiting and hiking through the state park.

Turkey Run is a fabulous state park with a nice campground. My only complaint about the campground is that many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them. You don’t have a lot of privacy. Two sections of the campground, with the higher numbered sites, are much more wooded. If I go again, I will try to be there!

But the campground has two large modern bathrooms that are cleaned regularly. It also has clean well maintained vault toilets throughout the campground. Best of all, from the back of the campground you can access Trail 7, a moderate level trail that leads unexpectedly to a small stream running past a recessed cave. It’s a peaceful spot.

Be advised that a “moderate” hike at Turkey Run can be challenging, with plenty of steps up and down the hillsides. Many of the trails go along stream beds, so you often need to make your way across the rocks to avoid wet feet. Be prepared with hiking boots and sticks.

There are two covered bridges on the edges of the park. Be sure to check them out!

Short drive from Chicago (3 hours?) and you are in lush forest. You have to pick the right campsite or you will have no cover and big campers on either side of you. We had two campsites right next to each other and backing into the woods.  Went on a fun canoe trip right down the road, which was fun.  There is an odd (but fun!) Key West themed bar/resturant very close to the park entrance.  The hiking is great in the area near the lodge.  I'd go back to the area and maybe try a different loop as we were near the entrance which had a lot of traffic.  Well maintained park with very clean bathhouse.

Some sites can be small and it fills quickly. So get there early to get the best sites or make a reservation

This is one of my favorites for hiking. All the obstacles and little creeks that dub the trail "very rugged" get me excited just thinking about it. Not to mention the beautiful views, from being so high and seeing over the top of the park, to being down in the raviens and coming across the Punch Bowl. If you're a hiker and haven't been here yet. Go. As mentioned in my review of Shades, it's only a short drive between the two. And you can do some fishing at the nearby Raccoon Lake. Enjoy!

We were able to reserve our spot online weeks in advance. Check-in & check-out times are 2pm every day. Each camp spot has a nice metal ringed firepit with a grill grate for cooking on the fire. Camp store is filled with stuff you'd need on case you forgot it, and they have plenty of firewood for sale too! My wife and I will definitely be going back every summer now that we know how gorgeous Turkey Run State Park is!! There have over 10 miles of hiking trails ranging from novice to expert. There is also a kayak rental company right down the road called Sugar Creek Valley where you can rent kayaks, canoes, and even tubes to float down the river on.

This is one of our favorite camping destinations! The park and facilities are clean, and the trails and scenery are out of this world. It is very beautiful there in the fall! We had terrible cell reception, but I enjoyed that “issue”!

We were here this past July the campsite was perfect! It was in loop plenty of room for us. The showers and restroom were very clean considering as busy as it was. Hiking were beautiful trails. We enjoyed it so much going again next year!!

Turkey Run is one of my top 2 campgrounds in Indiana! We camped here during the Covered Bridge Festival, which is really hard to get a site, book early if you're wanting to do that. We went during the week so it was easier to get a campsite.

Our site, 226 was on a small loop that was nice and wooded. The campground staff was really good at keeping the noise down, we've had problems with noisy campers before so that was nice to see.

My absolute favorite part though, is the trails. You completely forget you're in Indiana. We went on trail 5 I believe which ran through a creek bed for awhile and that made it even more fun. We normally have our kids (4 and 1.5) but were kid free this time. We wouldn't have been able to take them on this trail at this age.

If you're into kayaking or canoeing, there are several canoe liveries that service the area and a trip down Sugar Creek is always a good time.

Put this one on your must see list!

Campers should know that camping here will provide you with wonderful, shady camping and several hungry raccoons!

We love Turkey Run. The campgrounds are clean and fun for all ages. The outer edge campsites provide beautiful views of the woods and are pretty secluded from other sites. The hiking trails are incredible...one of a kind for Indiana. The trails are more like adventures, leading in and out of the creek, up stairs carved into rock, up and down ladders, and across a cable bridge. It’s just beautiful. The facilities are clean, the staff is as nice as can be. You won’t regret staying at Turkey Run.

Nice state park with access to the river for water activities. Books up way in advance so make reservations early

It's a very popular park all the time, not just for the Covered Bridge Festival. Over 200 sites, all electric. Some sections are shady and wooded on winding roads that can make backing in a little challenging. Also lots of sunny pull-thrus. Showers and restrooms are well-maintained and clean. Hiking and climbing in valleys and canyons, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, fishing on Sugar Creek. A relaxing and rewarding trip - great place for Shinrin-yoku.

The best part of Turkey Run is sugar creek. You can choose 2 different canoe trips.

Although the sites ar fairly well spaced some are on top of one another, especially on a covid pcked Friday night. We only stayed as a night over and did not use any facilities. The place was packed and as with any large overcrowded park too many of them left their manners & common sense at home.

The park has a lot to off with trails, swimming and a beautiful lodge with good food. (Last time we were there as we did nod eat there this time.) Our site #123 was shaded and level

Can accomandate large rigs, but more so for tenters and smaller units. We would stay here again.

We stayed here this weekend and had a terrific time. The weather was very hot but there is a river to tube and canoe in to keep you cool. We stayed at site #35. It is in a very quiet, off the main road, in a circle, in full shade. It’s is very close to the restroom but a distance from the camp store and dumpster. The site was clean and well equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. The site is very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It’s was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end. The site was huge but given the unevenness it would be difficult for tents. The campground is family friendly and was quiet at night. There is a lot to do at this state park. We hiked the #3 and #5 trails and it took us about 2 hours. It was very busy but everyone was very polite. It was a great stay all around.

A nice site, close to hiking. The RV spots were a bit close together and “partially shaded” doesn’t actually mean partially shaded but the site is well maintained, beautiful, there are several dump stations and water fill ups. A gorgeous hiking loop links straight off the campground and from there you can access many of the other trails. The suspension bridge and ravines are not to be missed.

Quiet, heavily wooded campground.  We arrived well after dark and had a bit of a time finding our site, but once we were set up it was very quiet.  Parking spot was paved.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING ON THEIR WEBSITE TO SEE IF PART OF THE ROADS ARE CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION.  THEY HAVE ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS.  We missed that detail and ended up on a 30 minute long trek around 930pm...started on the interstate, then a state road, then a county road, then an unnamed road...if we had met oncoming traffic there would have been only room for one vehicle in a few places.

I have never been to a campground with so many children. At first it was a nice break from all the old folks at the RV parks, but then it got to be too much. There was constant noise and commotion and kids (and adults) constantly walking through my site. One boy was even riding his bike over my Starlink wire. A lot of the kids had electric scooters and bikes and were zooming through the campground endlessly.  I had a group from across the road come into my site and start playing frisbee golf because they did not have enough room in their own site but didn't say a word to me. Really? The surrounding area is very beautiful with rock outcroppings and small gorges unlike the rest of Indiana. However, the walking paths around this beautiful area were MOBBED.  The area around the suspension bridge was like being in Times Square.  The bathrooms were good….a solid B+.

The Turkey Run State Park Campground is great because of its location to the various creek tour spots.

The camp store is small, but has enough stuff to get you out of a basic bind: food items, household stuff, some clothing, souvenirs.

Campground had decent signal for Verizon and AT&T.

Camp spots were tight, uneven, and many had strong-to-severe grades.

The campsite has a wonky layout and for a lot of the bigger rigs, this is a tight camp ground to navigate.

We had a pull-through site so no complaints.

Septic dumps were almost a complete 90* angle turn from the main camp road into the lane for waste dumping. For a longer rig, the angle of the turn will give you some anxiety.

Pleasant experience. Only crowded on Friday and Saturday. Shady spot.

When I was younger this is the place the family would go. For fishing, hiking, and just being in nature . Has some really great trails, and if you stay at the campground itself , it has activities for the youguns ‘. When ever I am in the neighborhood, I will stop by for a weekend in a tent. Near a roaring campfire and widdle some thing out of a piece of wood. It’s peaceful, yet you’re not alone. It isn’t entirely off grid. I prefer BLM myself. But if you’re going to hit a “camp ground” this is one of my favorites.

While this is always listed among the top Indiana state parks because of its amazing beauty and historic sites, the campgrounds are not up to the same level. The shower houses are old. No sinks, no flush toilets, no solid doors for privacy. Just curtains. So yes, that means put/vault toilets only, and there is no light for a middle of the night visit except the flashlight you will hopefully remember. Other state parks in the area do have modern shower houses. If you are disabled or just prefer better hygiene amenities, camp at Raccoon Lake SRA and take day trips to Turkey Run. I’m not sure of the status of nearby Shades Stare Park comfort facilities since we haven’t camped there yet.

The campground here is nothing to get excited about, but holy moly this is the best park in Indiana. The sites are so unique and surprising. The trails are a fun challenge and not your average hike.

We stayed for a long weekend. Large group set up in sites 236-244. Great shaded area. Lots of play space for the kids.

We had spot 234, big, wooded, close to clean shower house, close to playground. State park is great hiking. Avoid the inner part of that loop if you want any shade, it is an open area.