3 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Youngs Creek Horse Camp provides equestrian camping facilities within the Hoosier National Forest near Bedford, Indiana. Situated in a scenic woodland area near Paoli, the campground accommodates tent camping, RV camping, and glamping options for riders. Access to drinking water and toilet facilities supports basic camping needs, while the grounds allow campfires and are pet-friendly. The sites permit alcohol consumption, making evening relaxation possible after long trail rides. Sites remain accessible year-round and maintain a 4.25-star rating among visitors. Horse trailers can be parked nearby, allowing easy access to trails.
The Hoosier National Forest offers multiple equestrian-focused camping areas including Horse Camp Road dispersed camping. These primitive sites provide free camping with access to bridle trails throughout the forest system. At Brown County State Park's Horsemen's Campground, riders find electric hookups with both 30-amp and 50-amp service, water hookups, sewer connections, and showers—amenities particularly valuable for extended stays. The campground includes drinking water, firewood availability, and sanitary dump facilities. The campground is reservable, making it easier to secure spots during peak riding seasons. Trail systems throughout the region connect to various natural features, providing diverse terrain for riders of different experience levels.
"Spring Mill State park is a little piece of history that is in the heart of southern Indiana. Here you will find a working frontier village."
"Open space, close to facilities and water pump, Ground was mostly flat, slightly shady in the afternoon, and very peaceful."
Available next weekend
from $20 - $60 / night
"Close to town but also right off some amazing trails! Sometimes the horse trailers get loud with generators but it is a horse camp ground!"
"We arrived near dusk on a Friday. The entrance is clearly marked and road is gravel but well maintained. The site is open space with soft, well maintained grass and no muddy areas."
"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."
"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."
"If you are into boondocking at all defiantly check out berry ridge it’s just south of brown county Indiana beautiful country mostly hills tons of camp spots sometimes half mile or more apart haven’t seen"
"Trails, plenty of dry wood, away from the roads, no running water or electricity, decent amount of spaces we came in at night and counted about 9 very far spread out camp sights."
"Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing.
Lots of fun activities to do, and great hiking trails. Their mess hall is top notch.""Our Boy Scout troop enjoyed visiting this location. It was well maintained and the staff was helpful."
"Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope. Bring exact change(cash). Current prices are listed on the Indiana DNR website."
"Peaceful little place but unfortunately it rained but we made the best of it, there’s some secluded spots where you can stay away from others or stay in the more general areas, nice lake to fish and we"
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $225 / night
"YC horse camp is well laid out and fairly spacious, apparently only for the random hikers and hunters. I stayed at here for a couple of days, planning on a longer visit, and wasn't dissatisfied."
"Site accommodates both horse, drive in and walk-in camping. There’s a privy and water on site. Campsites have fire rings and picnic tables."
"Brown County has always been the jewel of Indiana State Parks for Trail Riders. The campground is large, with spaces to accommodate larger rigs."
"We often take our horses trail riding there for a week every couple of summers of just go down for weekend trips to go hiking."
from $17 - $36 / night
ScoutCampground seemed like a tight fit coming in near dark fall. Lots of shaded sites. Storm ran through that night and lots of dead limbs came down all over. Got a hole in my roof. Overall decent stay and had a cool neighbor
TravelerThe good: Hosts are very nice. Bath/shower house clean. Close to the city of Franklin, but rural. Not so good: next to an Indiana National Guard site. Was mostly quiet during the week, but louder on weekend. Revelry playing at 6 am, helicopters, etc. Also, be aware, website does not say, but they do not allow tent camping, car camping, makeshift tent trailers, box truck campers etc. But currently allow pop up campers. I have a Sylvan Sport Go and was told I'd have to leave. Eventually allowed me to stay for my reserved time and decided it was a legit enough camper.
ScoutWe was put in a spot because we have a big dog and a special needs daughter and after being here 2 days the host came rudely knocking on my door to tell me check out was 5 minutes ago when I have 2 days left and then said all of a sudden my dog wasn’t allowed
GuideGreat for car camping or tent camping. 2.2 miles of gravel dirt road. Very set off the road and private. Very leveled. Shaded by the trees. Clean. Cell service was great.
TravelerWe love these campsites! So much space, existing fire rings, there was wood left behind from previous campers so that was nice! We have a reactive pup and she is able to live her best life there! We enjoyed all the trails around our site as well.
ScoutWe just stopped overnight. It was just fine
RangerPit toilets clean and well stocked. Area is open with lots of room to choose your spot. Have visited before and will again..
LegendNice big open field with plenty of places to park and pitch. A bit crowded for midweek, but not too bad.
GuideI’ve been coming here since I was a kid, the trees are beautiful, you can camp here and it feels like forest camping, most lots have spots for hammocks, electric but no water hook up, the bath house is ok, clean but concrete showers with a curtain and takes a while to get hot water. Lots of trails and a cute nature center. They only have two playgrounds, but a big pool for summer fun. I love it here, it’s usually not crowded and super peaceful. We prefer most lots on the outer edge of the campground. A lot of the picnic tables are old and require covers.
Hoosier National Forest surrounds the Bedford area with over 200,000 acres of oak-hickory forest terrain ranging in elevation from 400 to 900 feet. The forest contains numerous equestrian facilities within an hour's drive of Bedford. Summer temperatures typically reach 85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall camping seasons feature moderate 60-70°F temperatures with less precipitation.
Trail riding adventures: Located near Paoli, Youngs Creek Horse Camp provides direct access to multiple bridle trails. "The only time this camp is full is when a trail ride is going on, then it fills up fast. It is only five miles from Paoli, and there is a Walmart there if you need supplies," notes Susan A. The camp maintains dedicated hitching areas for horses near the primitive camping spaces.
Water activities: Lake Monroe offers boating opportunities at several access points. "Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing," reports Margo B. about Ransburg Scout Reservation, which allows visitors access to various watercraft.
Hiking forest trails: Multiple hiking paths cross through the hills surrounding Bedford. "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)," shares Hannah F. The trails feature creek crossings and diverse forest terrain with moderate elevation changes.
Free camping options: Several no-fee camping areas exist in Hoosier National Forest. "This is free camping and first come first serve. There are vault toilets. Plenty of space to spread out," writes Joe B. about Blackwell Campground, a popular location for self-contained camping.
Wildlife viewing: The forests harbor abundant wildlife in all seasons. "The chorus frogs do roar through the night. 100% worth it, make sure to bring bug spray, and travel carefully up the roads. Lots of wildlife, and kind people," Elizabeth W. explains about her camping experience in the region.
Stargazing opportunities: The area's limited light pollution creates excellent night sky viewing. "No light pollution! Close to town but also right off some amazing trails!" Emily H. mentions about the camping conditions. Many campsites offer open clearings with good sky visibility for astronomy enthusiasts.
Weather considerations: The region experiences frequent thunderstorms during summer months. "We unfortunately had poor weather during our stay and had to leave early because of the threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes/damaging winds," shares Jessie W. about her experience at Spring Mill State Park Campground.
Campsite availability: Most forest service campgrounds operate on first-come, first-served basis. "It is first come, first served. Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope," explains Daisy C. Weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day typically reach capacity by Friday afternoon.
Road conditions: Access roads to many primitive sites require careful navigation. "The road was gravel and steep at times," notes Amber R. about forest roads, though she adds, "I have a promaster conversion and had no trouble making it to this site."
Educational experiences: Several parks offer educational programs for children. "They had a Smokey the Bear program for the kids and some really fun activities at the nature center while we were there. We were able to rent a paddle boat for $8/hr and saw tons of turtles!" explains Jessie W.
Family-friendly hikes: Several moderate trails accommodate young hikers. "We did however pack a lot of fun into 1 day! We also went for a hike to see Donaldson cave and the kids absolutely loved it!" shares Jessie W. about cave explorations with children at Spring Mill.
Pioneer villages: Historical demonstrations appeal to all ages at Yellowwood State Forest. "The best site in Black Gum would be site 75. Large site at the end of the loop & right by the lake," advises Cynthia K., noting proximity to both amenities and natural features that appeal to families.
Site leveling: Many camping areas present leveling challenges for larger rigs. "Some of the sites are not real level," notes Ron H., adding that site selection is important for RV stability, especially in the state forest campgrounds.
Alternative arrangements: When horse campgrounds near Bedford, Indiana fill up, RV campers can find accommodations at Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping. "Beautiful secluded site that is pretty far off of the road, but not too far. There was no traffic or other people in site. I have a promaster conversion and had no trouble making it to this site," reports Amber R.
Electric hookup options: Full-service sites remain limited in the forest areas. "There is a few RV sites (9 or 10) mostly tent camping sites. There is water available and outhouses, there is a dump station for RVs," explains Ron H. describing the camping infrastructure available to motorhome travelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Bedford, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Bedford, IN is Spring Mill State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Bedford, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 equestrian camping locations near Bedford, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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