Camping options near Bloomington, Indiana range from established campgrounds to free primitive sites in the Charles C. Deam Wilderness. The region sits within the rolling hills of southern Indiana, with Lake Monroe serving as a 10,750-acre centerpiece for water recreation. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions with occasional rain.
What to do
Swimming and water access: Yogi Bears at Lake Monroe provides a large splash park with a separate wading pool for toddlers. A camper noted, "They have a huge splash park, wading pool for toddlers, and a 4 foot pool besides tons of interactive activities for kids."
Mountain biking: Buffalo Ridge Campground features purpose-built mountain bike trails ranging from beginner to expert level. A visitor mentioned, "The mountain biking is excellent, with purpose built trails for beginner to expert (flow, berms, rollers, jumps...)."
Fishing opportunities: Lake access points around the region provide good fishing. At Hardin Ridge, a camper shared their experience: "We went fishing down by the ramp and caught a mess of bluegill which we fried up back at the campsite."
Collecting natural specimens: Several areas offer opportunities to find geodes. At Charles C. Deam Wilderness, a camper reported, "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."
What campers like
Private, wooded sites: Taylor Ridge Campground in Brown County State Park features secluded camping areas. One camper advised, "There are 3 separate campgrounds in the park Buffalo Ridge, Raccoon, and Taylor Ridge. We stayed in Taylor which was dubbed 'wooded' and the one I would most suggest. The others were pretty cleared out and too close together."
Quiet weekday camping: Blackwell Campground offers free camping away from crowds. A reviewer shared, "We were there for 7 days and while they have room for probably 50 or 60 rigs there was only 3 or 4 of us there most of the time."
Accessible backcountry sites: The Peninsula Trail provides lakefront camping with established fire rings. A camper advised, "Campsites 10,11,12,13 are very accessible with a short hike and are fantastic spots."
Flat terrain for easy setup: At Blackwell Campground, a reviewer mentioned, "Plenty of flat land making leveling easy. Wide open so solar charging was easy."
What you should know
Limited facilities at primitive sites: At Yellowwood State Forest, facilities are minimal. One camper explained, "Yellowwood state forest campground does not accept reservations. 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. Bring exact change(cash)."
Low clearance at Brown County entrances: A reviewer at Buffalo Ridge warned, "The north entrance is through a covered bridge with a 9 foot clearance and 3 ton limit! Otherwise, use the easily accessible west entrance, just a few miles 'around the corner.'"
Seasonal site availability: Availability varies throughout the year. At Peninsula Trail, one visitor noted, "Lakeside spots are great also if you hike farther, but as others have said, drunk boaters tend to stop along the shore even though they are not supposed to."
Noise considerations: At primitive sites, sound carries from nearby areas. A Peninsula Trail camper mentioned, "Very remote feeling (except you CAN hear any loud cars/motorcycles at night from the main road over the lake)."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Paynetown Campground offers organized programming. One parent mentioned, "The activity center has programs all the time and there is always something going on there."
Beach access: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas. A camper at Paynetown shared, "My family and sister in laws family camp here every year. Our kids love it and we all have a great time. They always have something to do even if it's just going down to swim at the beach."
Nature programs: Some campgrounds offer educational activities. At Taylor Ridge, a visitor noted, "We also went to a Raptor show that was put on at the nature center where we got to look at some interesting raptors."
Digital disconnection: Many sites lack cell service or Wi-Fi. A Paynetown camper observed, "Your kids have no reason to be on electronics here."
Tips for RVers
Site leveling challenges: At Morgan-Monroe State Forest, RV sites can be difficult to level. One camper explained, "We are RV campers and there are only about 5 sites we could get in to. Our camper is about 25' and it was tight get in and out of the campground."
Sewer connection placement: At Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, a camper noted an issue: "Whereas power and water were reasonably placed, the sewer was setup in a manner that waste water had to flow uphill."
Site selection strategies: At Taylor Ridge Campground, careful site selection is advised. A reviewer suggested, "Pay particular attention to the size of the site you're booking as some were pretty small. Also, some sites were fairly sloped as well."
Limited dump station access: Some campgrounds have restricted dump station access. At Morgan-Monroe, a camper reported, "There is a dump station, but I barely got in to dump. So not real RV friendly."
