Camping opportunities surround Brownstown, Indiana, with options scattered throughout the area's rolling hills and mature forests. Located in southern Indiana, the region sits within a landscape of hardwood forests at elevations between 600-900 feet. Several campgrounds offer water access to small lakes that support fishing and non-motorized boating activities.
What to do
Hiking challenges: Jackson-Washington State Forest features demanding trails with significant elevation changes. "The park also has an amazing scenic drive, Skyline Drive, which lives up to its name with spectacular panoramic vistas showcasing Indiana's gorgeous farms," notes a reviewer at Jackson Washington State Forest.
Water activities: At Hardy Lake State Recreation Area, visitors can enjoy multiple water-based recreation options. "The Wooster Bay primitive area allows campers to moor their boats overnight. It has a very relaxed atmosphere. There is a pit toilet and water pump and overflow parking lot in the primitive area," according to one camper's experience at Wooster Campground.
Adventure attractions: Beyond traditional camping, activities like paintball, zip-lining and ATV riding are available. "Lots to do here. Fishing, kayaking and hiking. There are some awesome hiking trails here, they are very rugged for Indiana lots of hills," reports a visitor to Jackson-Washington State Forest.
What campers like
Lakefront access: Many sites at Starve Hollow State Recreation Area back up to the water. "We stayed in site 21 which was right on the lake. All the lake front spots seem to have a good amount lakefront footage. We probably had at least 40 feet," shares one camper at Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground.
Quiet atmosphere: Some areas maintain a peaceful environment even during busy periods. "The electric campground is separated so the Wooster stays nice and dark and generally quiet. It's a great place to take the dogs although they aren't allowed on the designated beach area," mentions a Hardy Lake visitor.
Multiple accommodation types: For luxury camping close to Brownstown, Indiana, several parks offer upscale options. "Delaney Park is a great family place, nice cabins good fishing and lots of boats to rent or bring your own. Camp how you like, from Primitive to Glam-ping," notes a reviewer at Delaney Creek Park.
What you should know
Tent site conditions: Not all tent sites in the region are perfectly level. "Sites for RVs are concrete and you will need to level some on all of them. They have electric and water. Reasonable prices," reports a Delaney Creek Park camper.
Seasonal considerations: Some facilities operate with limited hours or seasons. "The beach area was huge and there were a lot of playgrounds. Overall there was nothing bad to report. If you want to rent one of the kayaks, get to the office right at 8 or they will be gone for the day," advises a Starve Hollow camper.
Reservation requirements: Many popular sites require advance planning. At eXplore Brown County, one visitor noted: "The campground itself was decent but it was very noisy the holiday weekend I stayed. People were chopping wood at 4:30am one night. Late night partying and music followed up with early rising children riding bikes and talking loudly."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Multiple age-appropriate play areas are available at some parks. "The campground playground is small, not much to write home about. Nice flat paved loops and sites that are good for biking," shares a visitor at Charlestown State Park Campground.
Educational opportunities: Some locations feature interpretive elements for children. "Starve Hollow State Recreation Area is 280 acres that are adjacent to Jackson-Washington State Forest (18,000 acres). Starve Hollow offers a great camping experience with accommodations ranging from primitive to full hook-ups and the park is impeccably maintained," explains a Starve Hollow camper.
Budget-friendly options: Several campgrounds offer reasonable rates for families seeking affordable glamping near Brownstown, Indiana. "Spacious sites. Beautiful forest. Quiet, but only 5 minutes small town with gas stations, grocery, etc. Not many amenities. Only pit toilets and water spigots. Firewood was not available during our visit," reports a visitor to Jackson-Washington State Forest.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose carefully based on your rig size and requirements. "We were in the full hookup section (camping facilities: electric, sewer, and water hookup as well as fire ring, picnic table, and parking spur at each site). The bathhouse was clean. These sites are a good size and able to get any size Trailer or RV into these sites," notes a Starve Hollow camper.
Hookup variations: RV sites vary considerably between campgrounds. "Pull through sites are spacious. Trees are young, across the road from Brown County national forest so hiking galore. And a short drive to Downtown Nashville Indiana!" observes a visitor at Brown County-Nashville KOA.
Access considerations: Some campgrounds have challenging entry roads. "Owners are fantastic. They will get to a 5 as they continue their hard work making it an awesome place. New owners took over 4 months ago. They have many activities," reports a Camp Raintree Lake reviewer.
