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Best Tent Camping near Aurora, IN

572 Reviews

Tent campers near Aurora, Indiana can access several established campgrounds within a short drive. Morgan's Outdoor Adventures offers tent sites with basic amenities along the riverfront, while the Quakertown State Recreation Area provides a more developed tent camping experience. Both locations accommodate traditional tent setups with varying levels of privacy and natural surroundings.

Most tent campsites in the Aurora region feature fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Quakertown offers clean restroom facilities and fire rings at each site, with some picnic tables described as smaller than standard. Morgan's Outdoor Adventures provides waterfront tent sites with drinking water, showers, and toilets available. Sites are generally close together, particularly at Morgan's where the premium riverfront location means less privacy between campsites. Campers should check seasonal availability, as some locations like Boltz Lake operate only from early May through late September.

The riverside tent camping experience at Morgan's Outdoor Adventures offers distinctive waterfront views that differentiate it from other campgrounds in the region. Morning riverside views create memorable experiences for tent campers willing to accept the closer proximity to neighboring sites. As one visitor noted, "We loved the views of Morgan's. Steps away from gorgeous river views. There is nothing like waking up and making breakfast while watching the river roll by!" For campers seeking more spacious tent sites, Quakertown State Recreation Area provides larger campsites with good tree coverage for shade. Reviews from The Dyrt mention "clean and quiet" conditions with "a good amount of trees for shade coverage." Tent campers should note that several locations listed as campgrounds in the region are actually only boat ramps or day-use areas without overnight camping facilities.

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Best Tent Sites Near Aurora, Indiana (9)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Aurora, IN

6 Photos of 9 Aurora Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Aurora, IN

572 Reviews of 9 Aurora Campgrounds

  • John M.
    Jul. 29, 2018

    Governor Bebb MetroPark Campground

    Roughing it by a creek and a pioneer village

    Basic car tent camping at several spots along a creek wIth picnic tables and fire rings (no hookups, portolet toilets, no showers.) There is a rustic scout cabin/group lodge reservable for scout, etc. groups. The park features a pioneer village with log cabins, including a blacksmith forge, etc. that have been moved to the site.

  • E
    Jul. 15, 2019

    Kincaid Lake State Park Campground

    Hilly, beautiful and secluded

    My family stayed here because we were visiting the Ark Encounter.  I’m not sure if there are closer campgrounds, but we chose to primitive camp here for our visit.  We arrived with just enough time to set up up our tent and head back towards Alexandria for dinner and supplies at Walmart.  There is not much variety and choices very close.  The RV and tent area is very hilly.  Our tent ground sloped but it didn’t bother us very much.  The campsites are very close to each other but there was only two other tent campers and they were both over 4 sites over from us. The tent area has portable toilets.  I chose to drive to the shower house when I needed to use the restroom.  The shower house is typical of most campgrounds, a few cobwebs but generally clean with shower and toilet stalls.  There are two shower houses for the entire campground.  The lake is very pretty, a few camp grounds are right off the shore.  The only thing I didn’t like was that there was no water spigot in the main tent camp area.

  • Dave V.
    Nov. 1, 2019

    Hueston Woods State Park Campground

    A Relaxing Shoulder Season, Weekday stay

    Hueston Woods State Park, Oh.

    http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/huestonwoods 

    Campground Overview: Hueston Woods State Park is very close to Miami University...in the Southwest area of Ohio. The direction we traveled from the south took us on numerous winding country lanes through farm country that actually meandered in and out of Indiana and Ohio.

    (Disclaimer: I am a tent camper, preferring backcountry sites of solitude and privacy...so take my reviews of campgrounds with a grain of salt). 

    The campground area is separated not only by roadway, but a short walk, ride or drive from the reservoir, docks, boat rental beach area and tiny nature center. 

    The Campground Office sits at the campground entrance and does offer quite a bit of camping items for its tiny size should you have forgotten anything. The cabins and lodge are on the opposite bank of the reservoir. The tent site area was sparsely occupied and the particular area was empty that I chose. 

    All campground sites are line of sight, no barriers or buffer between neighbors(something I do not enjoy)...the trees are mature and tall so offer no privacy. Noise/sound travels so when full, you’ll likely hear your neighbors conversations. 

    Unknowingly, it appeared every weekend in October has a big Halloween emphasis, so the upper campground was sold out. I was advised the lower non electric loop would also be sold out...which reinforced my gratefulness for midweek camping. 

    With the vast old growth forests, dried/dead branches for firewood was plentiful for a chilly night(38) fire. We evaded the impending rain for once and pressed on. Weekend campers experienced heavy storms as we left. 

    There are several hiking trails and biking trails. Streams were dried up at our visit. A cool restoration covered bridge was a short hop from the campground. The lodge has a restaurant, a gift shop, an outside pool and a nicely equipped activity room for older kids complete with numerous arcade games, pool table, and ping-pong table. There is also a token tiny exercise center-Key card entrance for lodge stayers. The A-frame lodge, though nostalgic, needs some TLC and updating(especially the exterior). 

    Traffic noise is noticeable, especially during quiet hours. While not excessive, it’s disruptive. 

    Deer sighting were plentiful as were chattering tree rats...ahem, squirrels, sorry. Woodpeckers stayed busy overhead. At dusk an overly friendly“masked trash panda” encroached seeking to share my delectable and perfectly toasted s’more...having to be chased off(unfortunately, it appeared he has been fed by campers to be that bold). Other small birds were plentiful as were migrating Canadian honkers. 

    Housekeeping notes: In the larger non-electric loop newer restrooms existed...modern bathrooms and showers were clean and stocked with TP. No paper towels offered, only electric hand dryers. Bathroom stalls, like the showers, utilized shower curtains rather than lockable doors. In my tent area...antiquated wood shed pit latrines...that truly needed razed. 

    I did not have time to walk any trails, but talked with mountain bikers that spoke favorably. There were several marked trails near the reservoir area. 

    Final Thoughts: It was a nice choice for a stop-over as I drifted north. However, I would not want to stay when it’s busy or on the weekends. The reservoir beach and watercraft fishing appears a big draw...and I wish I had brought both my bicycle and canoe.

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 13, 2021

    Hartig Park & Wildlife Reserve - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Hidden Getaway

    This is an awesome quiet campground tucked away in northern KY along the Ohio River. There are 10-12 dispersed campsites with fire rings and picnic tables. No electric, no water, porti potti at park entrance. Would need to drive if camping at the top of the hill or bring a camp toilet. Great views and semi secluded.

  • S
    Jun. 1, 2023

    Hueston Woods State Park Campground

    Nice but hard to get good sites on weekends !

    Limited level campground with full and electric hookups (does have WiFi). Best areas are A (full hookups and B (electric hookups) with concrete pads, some with slight slopes. First sites #s on A side do have larger slopes! C through E are electric only but are hilly grass pads. Other areas are back in the woods with no WiFi connections and primitive bathrooms/ outhouses (no showers) But park has great recreational activities. Book early for weekends which are almost non existent during the summer for A and B areas! Also only one dump station in B area.

  • T
    Nov. 9, 2023

    Hartig Park & Wildlife Reserve - TEMPORARILY CLOSED

    Great Secluded Spot

    Stayed here two nights. The first night at campsite #10, which didn't really have level ground, so we moved to #8 for night two. Each spot has a picnic table and fire ring. The main road was nice to drive on, but the others were pretty rough. Had spots for hammocks, and the portopotty was well maintained. The spots were all pretty secluded. Great remote location!

  • Melissa W.
    Jun. 22, 2020

    Clifty Falls State Park Campground

    Standard SP Campground

    All sites have a picnic table and fire ring. However, many of the picnic tables are very short which is fine as long as you have a small group or family. The fire rings are very nice and have a good grill grate. Bathrooms/showers were typical: moderately clean with luke cold water. Tent sites were decent (we were pleased with site 117). Some offer a little more privacy than others with brush growth and trees. RV sites offered less privacy but I was pleased with the separation between the tent and RV sections of the campground. The wood they sold was great and they also have ice for sale. The trails were crazy packed the second weekend in June so we didn't do much hiking (however, we've hiked the entire park trail system in the past and really enjoy it). The park is relatively flat so biking is a fun activity. They charge you to enter the park an additional 7-9$ even if you already reserved camping. A huge bonus is Madison, Indiana nearby (4.5 miles away) which has a couple of wineries (and restaurants) and you can also walk along the Ohio River. Overall, I would tent camp here again.

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    Jun. 30, 2020

    Shale Bluff Campground — Hardy Lake State Recreation Area

    Just a really nice place to camp and enjoy the lake.

    This is a great State Park offering hiking, swimming, boating, skiing, camping, interpretive naturalist program and the only DNR property in the state of Indiana with a raptor rehabilitation program. The reservoir is 741 acres with boating and fishing plus a huge beach area that is open for swimming. There are four boat launches, fishing piers, fish cleaning stations, archery range, basketball courts, shelter houses, playgrounds, raptor display and more. Hiking trails consist of 5 moderate to easy walks all under 2 miles through Indiana hardwoods, lake shoreline and even a 1700’s cemetery. Camping is in one of two areas; Wooster primitive that has a dozen sites close to the lake and Shale electric consisting of 142 gravel pad sites with 30 amp and 8 premium paved 50 amp sites. Sites are a mix of tree covered and open with most be relatively level providing a picnic table and fire pit. Potable water spigots dispersed throughout the campground and several bathhouse facilities and dump station for your convenience. The campground also has an amphitheater overlooking the lake that offers entertainment and naturalist programs. Convenient location just 15 minutes from the I-65 corridor 38.7766° N, 85.7056° W

  • Anne H.
    May. 22, 2018

    Winton Woods Campground

    Love this campground for a weekend rendezvous!

    Winton Woods campground has spacious paved RV spaces with full hook-ups, fire ring, and picnic table. They also have cabin and tent camping. The location is located on the lake with access to put in a kayak or canoe. The bathrooms are clean, with private combined shower/dressing stalls. There is a playground for children, and a camp store that sells firewood and supplies. I love the tall pines on the property. They made me feel like I was out west. The campground is also near paved and unpaved trails in the park that surround more of the lake which allows for walking/running/hiking and bicycling, fishing, small craft boating, with small craft boat rentals available at the marina. The park also allows for horseback riding, and a small water park for children in the summer.

Guide to Aurora

Tent camping near Aurora, Indiana offers multiple options within a 30-mile radius. The region features rolling hills and densely wooded terrain with elevation changes between 500-900 feet. Campgrounds in this tri-state area experience four distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping months.

What to do

Water activities along Twin Creek: Five Rivers Metroparks provides access to creeks where campers can cool off. "We also used the nearby river to filter some additional water for our return trip which was nice," reports one visitor to Dayton Metro Parks.

Hiking through varied terrain: The Twin Valley Trail system offers challenging routes with elevation changes. A camper notes, "There's a great backpacking trail that's challenging and an easy middle meeting place for friends/family from Columbus and Cincinnati that can meet in Dayton Metroparks/Five Rivers - Germantown and take on the TVT challenge, beautiful hike through hilly terrain."

Visit local historical sites: The Germantown area features historical points of interest near camping areas. "We drove into town and discovered a covered bridge that I had missed on an earlier camping trip. This town also has the Florentine which is one of the oldest inns in Ohio," shares a camper who stayed at Twin Creek Metro Park.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Some locations offer well-separated camping areas. At Twin Creek Metro Park, a camper reported, "The other two group camp sites were far enough away that you couldn't hear or see them. It was a camp site that was flat enough for tents and did have trees to hang your hammock."

Clean facilities: Campers frequently mention the upkeep of bathrooms. At Quakertown State Rec Area, visitors appreciate "nice clean bathrooms" according to reviews.

Firewood provisions: Some parks include firewood with your reservation. One camper at Five Rivers Metroparks noted, "The nice thing about the metro parks camp sites is that they provide a bundle of fire wood free each night and you can purchase additional bundles."

What you should know

Not all listed "campgrounds" permit overnight stays: Several locations marked as campgrounds are actually day-use areas. A visitor to Bullock Pen Lake Ramp warned, "This is just a boat ramp for a local fishing lake sitting near the local water departments pump station. There is no camping here at all."

Water availability varies significantly: Many sites require you to bring all drinking water. A Five Rivers Metropark camper advised, "No water on site so make sure you bring all the water that you will need."

Seasonal operation: Operating schedules differ between parks. Boltz Lake operates "early May-late September" while others remain open year-round.

Tips for camping with families

Look for parks with educational opportunities: Some parks offer farm visits or nature centers. "In addition to the lake, they also had a farm on the property that was enjoyable for the kids to see the animals," notes a camper at Five Rivers Possum Creek.

Multiple table sites help with organization: Families appreciate extra space for activities. One camper reported, "The nice thing about their site is the additional tables made it easy for us. We also were able to have kids do craft at one of the tables while we were preparing meals."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Aurora, IN is Mimsey's Mayhem with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 9 tent camping locations near Aurora, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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