Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
Reviewed Oct. 17, 2024

Can be crowded, but a good park overall

We were a bit surprised that despite having a paid reservation , we still had to pay a $20 Day usage fee to enter the park, but no matter. This is a sprawling and sometimes confusing campground to find your way in. But the sites are generally shady if a bit close together. There are five facilities with showers and running water and six pit toilets. drinking water is accessible throughout the park.
The majority of sites have six person tables, though some, especially in the new 385-416 loop have little four person tables. These are also the least shaded.
Campground and facilities are clean and well maintained.
The General Store is one of the most impressively well stocked I have ever seen. Equipment, toys, tools, food souvenirs, you name it. Good dry firewood is $6.50 a bundle in the store, $7 on the honor system after hours. It burns fast, so you might want to buy more than you think. The store is open until 9:00 Friday & Saturday, but only 2;PM on Sunday and never on Monday. Keep that in mind if you're doing a 3-day weekend as we did. When checking out, look up to see the beautiful wooden canoe with wildlife inlaid wood.
Fire pits are mostly round iron with non-adjustable swing-away grills. Booking is through Indiana DNR/ Reserve America so you can see photos of the site you pick.
This was our second experience with an Indiana state park, and like our first (Pokagon, in the winter) we were impressed with the clear marking of the hiking trails (and canoe trail for that matter) there was a map and guidepost at every junction.
There's a beach, concession stand and boat rentals on Sand lake, the Park's largest. Lastly, there's a fish cleaning shed with running water outside the campground entrance that anyone in the park can use, something I wish more parks would provide.

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Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024
  • Review photo of Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground by Brian O., October 17, 2024