Charles C. Deam Wilderness, near Bloomington, Indiana, is a fantastic spot for those who crave a true wilderness experience. With beautiful lakeside sites and numerous spots tucked away in the forest, it’s a great escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

This area is perfect for tent camping and offers a variety of trails for hiking, making it a favorite among backpackers. Visitors have raved about the stunning scenery, with one camper noting, “The trails are well paved and marked, not too strenuous,” which makes it accessible for many. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to set up a hammock and relax among the trees.

If you’re into geology, you’ll love the abundance of geodes scattered along the creek trails. Just be prepared for a bit of a trek to get to some of the more remote spots, as one reviewer mentioned, “If you wanna have to hike to get to your destination, this is it.” Keep in mind that the area is primitive, so amenities are limited, but that’s part of the charm for those looking to rough it a bit. 

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a longer adventure, Charles C. Deam Wilderness offers a peaceful retreat where you can truly connect with nature. Just remember to pack out what you pack in and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you!

The Charles C. Deam Wilderness offers 36 miles of trails for hiking, backpacking, and horse riding through scenic hardwood forest and varied terrain with views of nearby Monroe Lake. The area was designated a wilderness in 1982 and encompasses nearly 12,953 acres of the Hoosier National Forest. Wilderness designation places this area in a special legal status (subject to the 1964 Wilderness Act). It is managed to preserve a natural condition and provide opportunities for solitude. Since its designation as a wilderness, visitor use in the area increased to a point that significant damage was occurring. Special restrictions are in place to protect the wilderness character. Visitors to this special place are asked to follow these restrictions to lessen your impact and share responsibility in preserving this unique natural resource.

Charles C. Deam Wilderness

Heltonville, IN is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Indiana camping has to offer. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Heltonville, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Heltonville

The Best Camping Near Heltonville, Indiana

If you wanna have to hike to get to your destination. This is it. Real wilderness.

Omg best camping for tent camping. Real hiking.

loved it hammock camped right at the water front.

hiked all the way to the beach

Wonderful place. Excellent trail following a nice little stream along the one side. Being in a national forest dispersed camping is allowed if you follow leave no trace principals, but I stayed in a couple of the official sites. The official sites all had rock fire rings and bushcraft furniture. 

The one negative was I did have to pack out previous campers trash along with my own. Being close to the college there was evidence that less than mature campers may frequent the area. That being said once on trail I didn’t see another soul past a couple hundred feet of the trail head and only heard a pair of hikers on the trail pass my camp site as I ate my breakfast the one morning. 

A wonderful backpacking area!

A couple nights on the sycamore trail

I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to do some light backpacking for an overnight/weekend trip! Wonderful trails, dog friendly and nice places to camp off the trail. Can’t wait to go back! 

Heads up! Refill your water when you come across it; the lake is harder to get to than you think. I would also bring bug spray and check for ticks! 

Beautiful Trails!

We love this area for roughing it.  We usually choose a site far back into the wilderness area.  The sites are primitive with no amenities. Tent camping only although there are both hike in and drive up sites in the wilderness area.  Great place to get away from it all.

Great for roughing it

This area is so beautiful! We visited during mid-April, perfect for finding morels. The trails are well paved and marked, not too strenuous. So many beautiful trees and plants to see, plus lots of creeks to walk through. There are an abundance of areas to set up a hammock. We enjoyed the sycamore loop, which was around 6 miles. Everyone is super kind in the area, except for the gravel road to park (which is limited). Come Friday you’ll be fighting for a spot or face an $80 fine for parking on the roadway. More parking is a necessity with the amount of dispersed campers. 

Great Hike & Campsites

I had the awesome experience to hammock camp on the Patton cave trail, along the creek that winds the length of that trail. It was a strenuous hike to pack in/out of, but was beautiful scenery. The cave is amazing, and if you’re interested in backwoods camping, there are an abundance of spaces to do so. I packed in at the trailhead by a horse camp, so there was a bathroom before and after the trip. But honestly, not worth it if you want a toilet. I walked the creek for hours just looking at all the rocks on the sandbars. I have never encountered so many geodes in my life. Truly magnificent to encounter. The only negative was that we came after a lot of rain. So everything is permanently wet and mosquitos/ticks abounded.

Geodes, geodes, geodes!

This place is the gift that keeps in giving being so close to the city. Beautiful sites on the lake, and dozens of other spots scattered throughout the forest as well. 

Favorite Spot in Indiana

A staple of our state here in Indiana. Unfortunately due to some storm damage, trails were rerouted or straight up inaccessible. 

Great places to find and set up camp. We even discovered a few extra hidden sites just by being forced off trails due to the damage. 

Every dispersed camper should add the hikes to the lake to their checklist. 

Photos of Charles C. Deam Wilderness

Real photos from real campers