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Best Tent Camping near Alamo, IN

356 Reviews

Tent camping options near Alamo, Indiana include several established campgrounds within a short driving distance. Lake Waveland Park in Waveland offers both primitive tent sites and modern campgrounds with basic amenities. Rattlesnake Campground in Owen Putnam State Forest provides a more rustic experience approximately 40 miles south of Alamo. Both locations cater to tent campers seeking natural settings with varying levels of facilities.

The primitive tent campsites at Lake Waveland Park feature picnic tables and fire rings, though fire rings are not always present at every site. Campers should note that primitive sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations required. Most tent areas are reasonably well-mowed with ample space between sites. Lake Waveland's primitive tent camping area is located past the shower house where the road bends left and downhill. The campground is open seasonally from May 15 to October 15, making it unavailable during winter months.

Sites at Lake Waveland Park offer generous spacing compared to many state parks in the region. The grounds feature extensive green space with numerous secluded areas for tent camping. "The primitive sites are very secluded and quiet but get there fast because spots are first come first serve," one camper noted. Rattlesnake Campground in Owen Putnam State Forest provides a more minimalist experience with no drinking water available at the campground. This location is suitable only for self-sufficient tent campers prepared for off-grid camping. Both areas provide access to regional outdoor attractions including Turkey Run and Shades State Parks. Lake Waveland also features fishing opportunities and seasonal events including July fireworks and October Halloween activities suitable for tent campers.

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Best Tent Sites Near Alamo, Indiana (4)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Alamo, IN

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Tent Camping Reviews near Alamo, IN

356 Reviews of 4 Alamo Campgrounds

  • E
    Jul. 14, 2022

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    Great pool; rough sites and campers

    Pros: Very nice large-size pool with slide, attached playground, green space, and sand-filled soccer pitch all included on the pool grounds. These amenities are great as the pool takes a 15 minute clear-out break about once per hour. There is a concession stand with limited selection, but the benefit is that it takes credit card (and cash). 

    The camp store is not the best we've visited. Very limited supply, but they did keep a stock of bacon in their refrigerator and that made my wife happy. 

    Cons: Typical Indiana State campground. We visited for a weekend and landed in a terrible spot. The grade was severe and despite using all the travel trailer tricks to level my site, I could not get level. We dealt with it, but I noticed 4 or 5 quality spots that sat vacant through the weekend, however, were allegedly reserved. I had terrible anxiety for the entire weekend that we would roll backward into a ravine. 

    We were on an electric side of the park, and the pull-through site across from us was occupied by a tent with a minivan. No judgment here, but they were watching highly taboo movies on a wide screen projector with loud speakers around midnight, well after quiet hours had expired. 

    Verizon and AT&T cell phone service were nil, even with a booster and WiFi pack. Our site was littered with cellophane wrappers and cigarette butts. Clearly the previous campers did not adhere to the "leave no trace" doctrine. 

    DNR was very, very present at the campground, but at many sightings it seemed like they were watching for rule infractions as opposed to upholding the integrity of the park. I know that seems conflicting, but if you visit this park you will understand. 

    Bathrooms were mostly clean. Vault toilets were disgusting, but that's expected for concrete topped port-a-potties.

  • Jennifer T.
    Jul. 31, 2018

    Fowler County Park

    Wonderful Family Campgrounds

    Shaded campground sites at lake's edge on east side of park, 53 electrical hookups including 1 pull-thru, 14 primitive/tent sites. Fire ring and picnic table at each site. Water hydrants nearby. Modern shower houses with rest rooms. Handicapped accessible. Dump station. Pets are welcome but must be kept on leash. Must provide own firewood. Firewood must be purchased from within state. Fishing from campsite. In park, swimming beach (Memorial Day-weekend before school opens in fall), boat ramp, trails, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, pioneer village.

    Campground open May 1 - October 15. Park open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. No reservations. Must check-in between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Night guard on duty. Electrical sites - $20 a night, weekly rate - $120, 2 weeks rate - $200. Primitive sites - $12 a night, weekly rate - $60, 2 weeks rate - $100. Price includes Indiana Sales Tax.

    From I-70, go south on U.S. 41 for 7.2 miles. Turn left onto Oregon Church Road and go .8 mile east to park entrance on left. After entering park, turn right to go to campground.

    Personal Thoughts and Experience: We had a wonderful time. We absolutely loved the pioneer village. it is a must go especially when they are having pioneer days in the fall. There is a mountain bike park close to the campground that is a premier facility. Beginner to advance trails with a practice course. Amazing! My husband competes in the Dyno series and loves to train at the facility then camp at Fowler Park!

  • T
    Aug. 6, 2021

    Shades State Park Campground

    Wooded Sandstone canyon with primitive camping.

    Located north of turkey run state park shades offers all the hiking and scenic terrain with less amenities and less crowds. Sugar creek cuts through the ancient sandstone floor creating canyon walls. The park is connected to a nature preserve that dose allow backpacking but has designated camping within the park separate from the car camping sites, so you can’t set up camp on the trail. The car camping sites, labeled as family camping, are primitive only with vault toilets. There is a shower located in the campsite with flushing toilets. Campsites are close but most have trees separating them for privacy. Avoid sites next to toilets or dumpsters their practically in your site. There’s no cellular signal in the park so heads up. Ice and wood are located for sale at the entrance. If you have little ones there are a few playgrounds located in the park including one in the campsite which is located a short hike in the woods. This park is quite, shaded, rugged at times and the canyon/creek can be breathtaking. Although I would go early or late in the season to avoid Indiana’s humid muggy summer heat.

  • Randy M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 13, 2023

    Happy Campers Campground

    Off the beaten path by a lake

    See all 3

    Approx $35 / day

    Happy Campers Campground

    5.0 (1 reviews)

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    Roam with care

    Remember to enjoy these campgrounds in a sustainable, respectful way. Clean up after yourself, be friendly with others, and don't overstay your welcome :)

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    Got it

    Details

    Call 812-239-6263 for reservation. Plan to arrive before dark.

    5 full hook-up sites, 1 primitive site, and one primitive cabin. On a lake stocked with fish. Port-a-potty and shower house available.

    Location

    Contact

    39.4931, -87.0188

    https://happycamperscampgroundinc.com

    Cell signal

    Verizon LTE

    AT&T LTE

    T-Mobile LTE

    Sprint LTE

    Weather

    Averages

    Forecast

    Jan

    2.57"

    34.6°

    16.8°

    Feb

    2.48"

    39.6°

    20°

    Mar

    3.39"

    50.5°

    28.6°

    Apr

    3.99"

    62.9°

    39.4°

    May

    5.41"

    72.4°

    49.3°

    Jun

    4.67"

    81.1°

    58.7°

    Jul

    5.19"

    84.2°

    61.7°

    Aug

    3.37"

    83.2°

    60.2°

    Sep

    3.73"

    77.3°

    52.3°

    Oct

    3.49"

    65°

    41.2°

    Nov

    3.98"

    52°

    31.8°

    Dec

    3.26"

    38.3°

    20.7°

    Seasonal scales

    Spring

    Summer

    Fall

    Winter

    Crowdedness

    Others between 10 and 50 feet away

    Fullness

    Almost full

    Noise

    Occasional man-made noise (trains, cars, etc...)

    Shade

    Mostly shaded, but still some spots with sunlight

    Cleanliness

    Pristine, no trash at all

    Safety

    Very safe

    Road difficulty

    No problems with any vehicle

    Features and amenities

    Water hookup

    Sewer hookup

    50A Electric

    Showers

    Picnic tables

    Toilets

    Pets allowed

    Wifi

    Fire pits

    randyorsusan

    Great place to stop overnight or for a few days. Can hear the highway; but it's not very loud or intrusive. Camp host/owner is very friendly. Plenty of room for kids or pets to roam and play. Very clean and safe.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2017

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    In the woods

    Lieber State Recreation Area, Cloverdale, IN is west down I70 from Indianapolis, 2 miles down RT243. Cagles Mill Lake borders the southwestern side of the area.

    We arrived to a very quiet campground with few campers. Our site was next to the showerhouse, in the trees and had an attached grass trail out the back. All of the campsites boasted two picnic tables and some were very spacious. The sites were electric only and there were water sites positioned strategically throughout the campground.

    The showerhouse was older but maintained. There were also pit toilets throughout the campground( not much to say about typical pit toilets....)

    There were primitive sites in the adjacent campground that did not have much tree cover but appeared to be good size sites to set up in.

  • Mike V.
    Jul. 23, 2016

    Lake Waveland Park

    Waveland Lake and Park, near Waveland, Indiana

    Nice clean park in west-central Indiana that has a lake and a large number of camping sites along with restrooms and showers. The primitive tent camping sites don't require reservations, and each have a picnic table. There are modern campsites that have water and electrical hook-ups, and there are some small cabins that can be rented. The bath house was clean, and the grounds crew does a great job keeping the grass cut. Camp sites seem more spread out here compared to most state parks. Location is fairly close to Sugar Creek and other parks such as Turkey Run and Shades State Park. The lake is popular for fishing.

  • Sarah S.
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Lieber State Recreation Area Campground

    Large tent sites - no cell service

    Nice big campsite for our tents. Flush toilets; bathrooms could use some repairs. Fishing dock and area were clean with portable toilets. Walking trail. Safe area, well lit, and patrolled often. Pool & beach. We rented a pontoon boat which was very nice. Camp store for basic supplies. No cell service at all in camp area. Just a short driving distance to Cataract Falls - which is beautiful with a nice walking trail and covered bridge.

  • Terri D.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 10, 2017

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Nice Big Sites

    I have to say it is always nice to stay at a state park in the off season. There are a couple hundred sites in this park and we were one of about 12 occupants. Even if this park had been full, the sites offer nice space. Sites vary from full shade to wide open out in the sun. Bathrooms are clean, but they are pretty spread out. Most sites offer electricity, but no water or sewer hook-up for RV. Water spigots are pretty spread out too. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. I didn't see any camp hosts that sold firewood when office is closed. Park is located right across the street from the local high school, I thought this was sort of odd.

    We were just passing through for a nights stay, but it looked like there were some nice trails for hiking. The children playgrounds looked nice as well.

  • H
    Jun. 23, 2023

    Shades State Park Campground

    Awesome Backpack Camp!

    Took my son on his first backpacking trip this week and felt like Shades would be a perfect trial run for us together. I don’t think this camp gets enough love as it’s a relatively short hike for most seasoned backpackers. Great for trial runs and gear testing. The trail was (recently) well maintained in sections, but there are spots that are a little weedy. That’s to be expected I think with a park that doesn’t see as much traffic as another well known park in the area (that doesn’t offer a backpack camp). The camp itself was fantastic. It doesn’t boast great views or any scenic points, but it is fabulously maintained and well thought out. Several awesome sites to choose from and we had our pick as the only campers there. Every site had a fire ring and picnic table, with paths heading to the bathroom and water. The bathrooms were pretty much immaculate and the water was great. We didn’t hike in early enough to take the path to play at Sugar Creek, but I won’t make that mistake again. Next time, because there will be a next time, we’ll go earlier for more downtime around camp. So glad we’re close enough we can make this trip again soon! Park entry: $7 Camping fee: $12 With tax our total was $19.84. If you have an IN state park card you can avoid the entry fee.

Guide to Alamo

Tent camping near Alamo, Indiana offers access to several established campgrounds within a 30-mile radius. West-central Indiana's campgrounds sit within a region characterized by rolling hills, deciduous forests, and small lakes. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F with moderate humidity, creating favorable conditions for outdoor recreation from late spring through early fall.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Lake Waveland Park features a popular fishing lake where anglers can catch several species of freshwater fish. "If fishing is your way of relaxing, you should have a good time here," notes Randy A. about Lake Waveland.

Bird watching: The natural areas around tent camping sites provide excellent bird watching opportunities. "This is a lovely space with lots of birds to observe," according to William David S. who visited Lake Waveland Park.

Visit nearby state parks: Tent campers staying near Alamo can take day trips to nearby natural areas. "The campground is located within close proximity of both Turkey Run and Shades State Park," shares Sydni T. about staying at Lake Waveland Park.

What campers like

Spacious campsites: The generous spacing between sites allows for more privacy than many other campgrounds. "Camp sites seem more spread out here compared to most state parks," mentions Mike V. about Lake Waveland Park.

Well-maintained grounds: Regular maintenance keeps the camping areas in good condition. "Really well maintained grounds," states Katie R. about her experience at Lake Waveland.

Peaceful atmosphere: The quieter environment appeals to many tent campers near Alamo. "Small but peaceful campground. Well worth the time spent here," explains Douglas W. regarding Lake Waveland Park.

What you should know

First-come, first-served sites: Many primitive tent sites can't be reserved in advance. "No need to pay because it is first come first serve," mentions Kevin T. about Lake Waveland's primitive sites.

Variable amenities: Facilities and amenities differ significantly between campgrounds. "Primitive only no drinking water at campgrounds," cautions Nicole B. about Rattlesnake Campground.

Site identification: At some campgrounds, primitive sites aren't clearly marked. "The sites aren't marked, but are indicated by picnic table and fire ring, though fire rings are not always present," notes William David S. about Lake Waveland.

Tips for camping with families

Seasonal events: Some campgrounds host family-friendly activities throughout the camping season. "Fireworks in July and Halloween for the whole family in October," shares Nicole B. about Lake Waveland Park's special events.

Beach access: For families wanting water activities beyond fishing, some local options exist. "They do have a beach," mentions Nicole B. regarding Lake Waveland, providing an alternative recreation option for children.

Family-friendly atmosphere: Some nearby camping areas specifically cater to families with children. "Family friendly!!! Love this place!!!!" enthusiastically states Tracy T. about camping experiences in the region.

Tips from RVers

Site limitations: RVers should note size constraints at some campgrounds near Alamo. "They need more spots for those long campers. Lots of pop up size sites," advises Nicole B. about Lake Waveland Park's modern camping area.

Trees and clearance: Vegetation management affects RV camping experiences. "Trees need cut or maintained," notes Nicole B., indicating potential clearance issues for larger recreational vehicles.

Utility connections: Some campgrounds provide better hookup options than others. "The best part is sites include water and electric," explains Nicole B. about the modern camping areas at Lake Waveland Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Alamo, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Alamo, IN is Lake Waveland Park with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Alamo, IN?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Alamo, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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