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Dog-Friendly Camping near Brownstown, IN
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Jackson Washington State Forest offers primitive campsites welcoming pets throughout its 16,500 acres. Sites feature picnic tables and fire rings for $13 per night, with potable water available seasonally. The campground consists of 62 self-registration sites, many positioned along the small lake with relaxing water views. Spacious sites spread across two loops - one in a pine forest below the lake and another at the lake level. The forest permits dogs on all hiking trails and at campsites but requires they remain on leash. Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, located minutes away, provides both electric lakeside sites and full hookup options with shade trees where pets are welcome. The campground spans 280 acres with 43 lakeside sites offering scenic water views.
Hiking trails throughout the region provide excellent pet exercise opportunities, with Jackson-Washington featuring several rugged routes with elevation changes. The trails offer panoramic vistas of Indiana's countryside along Skyline Drive. Most campgrounds maintain clean facilities with regular maintenance of restrooms and shower buildings. Both primitive and developed campgrounds provide good spacing between sites, allowing comfortable camping with pets without crowding neighbors. The town of Brownstown is just 2.5 miles from Jackson-Washington State Forest, offering grocery stores, restaurants and supplies for campers and their pets. Campers should note that the lake at Starve Hollow experiences seasonal algae issues which may affect swimming options for dogs. Despite limited amenities at the primitive sites, the quiet atmosphere and natural setting make these locations ideal for pet owners seeking a peaceful outdoor experience.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Brownstown (92)
1. Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground
"My husband and I had a nice visit to Starve Hollow recently...we stayed 4 nights in our camper with our 3 dogs. We hiked 10 miles throughout the park, which was clean and pretty."
"There are lakeside camping lots. Also there are larger full hookup lots away from the lake"
from $33 - $52 / night
Check Availability2. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping
"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."
"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"
3. Jackson Washington State Forest
"There are some awesome hiking trails here, they are very rugged for Indiana lots of hills. J-W offers some real pretty views."
"The campsite was right near the lake which provided a perfect view. There was a picnic table and fire ring for only 13 dollars."
from $13 / night
Check Availability4. Taylor Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
"We have visited Nashville Indiana several times but this is our first time camping nearby. My wife loves to visit Nashville and all the little shops they offer."
"It was backed up to the edge of the woods which made for a lovely view. Driving through the campground it looks like there are some sites pretty close together but ours wasn’t too bad."
from $20 - $43 / night
Check Availability5. Delaney Creek Park
"Every one was very friendly and I think almost every camper had a dog with them. I would come back and stay."
"There is a dump station at the exit. The only negative comment about this park is, every lot slopes down towards the lake."
6. Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest
"The ground is level and all grass with less bugs than sites directly off trail. We just have a simple backpacking tent set-up and we had a great campfire."
"Site is a wide open and well-groomed, with trails just a short walk (or ride) away. Toilets and covered picnic tables nearby."
7. Buffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
"This is a beautiful State Park situated in the rolling hills of southern Indiana."
"I make multiple visits here every year, mainly for the mountain bike trails. There are almost 30 miles of trails inside the park with new trails every year for the past 3+ years."
from $43 / night
Check Availability8. Hardin Ridge
"This campground is nestled on a ridge above Indiana's Lake Monroe."
"Hardin Ridge is a fantastic place to camp, and is very close to lake Monroe. But it's also quite a ways away from any stores in case you forget anything."
from $24 - $64 / night
Check Availability9. Spring Mill State Park Campground
"There are trails, caves, and a “village” to be explored. The campsite has water and electric hookups (30a) and primitive sites as well."
"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."
from $20 - $50 / night
Check Availability10. Shale Bluff Campground — Hardy Lake State Recreation Area
"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."
"Boats are a big part of this lake. There are 4 boat launches on the lake! Lots of people were water skiing, tubing& playing in the water. There's also a beach, which looked clean."
from $33 / night
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Drive Time
- 37 min from Columbus, IN
- 52 min from Bloomington, IN
- 1 hr from Louisville, KY
- 1 hr 8 min from Indianapolis, IN
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Brownstown, IN
100 Photos of 92 Brownstown Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Jackson Washington State Forest
Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground
Delaney Creek Park
Hickory Ridge Campground — Hoosier National ForestA
Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping
Shale Bluff Campground — Hardy Lake State Recreation Area
Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest
Taylor Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
Raccoon Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
eXplore Brown CountyG
Peninsula TrailA
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Brownstown, IN
790 Reviews of 92 Brownstown Campgrounds
LDS Sister H.
GuideFriends O' Mine Campground & Cabins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Our First RV Home Has Been Such a Blessing!
My husband and I absolutely loved our first few months here at Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins as first-time RV owners with our Class A RV.
We downsized from our 5-bedroom home in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. We sold our home and I followed my Husband back here to Indiana after he received a wonderful career opportunity. My Husband is a Veteran, 🇺🇸 and after moving to Nashville, Indiana, we had immediately fallen in love with this small town - where we respected and admired the way Nashville reminds us of where we had just moved from in Missouri.
We stayed at Grand Wood Suites for six months, after paying for a hotel, all while continuously paying for our two large storage units, as well as our mortgage payment and then rent for most of the beginning of this year; so, we decided to downsize to save money to buy land sooner, instead of continuing to rent. 🏕️ We already loved camping - we started with a pop-up camper on the 🔝 of our Jeep and camped dozens of times, then traded up to a pop-up camper. So we used what we had in savings, bought our Class A RV, donated our pop-up camper, and came to Friends O' Mine - and it was the best decision!
From day one, the other campers have been so friendly, as are the nice employees and amazing owners. They truly make you feel like family. They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding it. It's incredibly cozy and just inviting you to join in.
We've enjoyed live musical singers entertaining us around the campfire all evening, and we were invited to watch a documentary about a local racecar driver in their indoor recreational room, right next to the indoor laundry facilities.
There is also a subterranean pool that my Husband and I enjoyed swimming in almost every day during our first month here - it was very relaxing and refreshing!
One of our favorite parts has been our peaceful, nighttime walks around the large, well-stocked catch-and-release pond. My Husband and I hold hands together and walk around it at sunset almost every evening. It's so serene and calming to hear the sounds of the water and feel the beautiful Autumn breeze.
This has been a very relaxing, enjoyable, and heartwarming experience for us. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, peaceful, and welcoming place to stay - whether for a weekend or for a season - we cannot recommend Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins enough. We are so grateful we found it!
Kaley A.GuideBuffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
We absolutely LOVED this park! It was hands down our favorite of this year. We camped at site 100 and it has a neighbor on one side and behind while the other side was a huge open space. It is in the center of a loop. It was mostly level. There was some minor doming to the site but not bad at all. It was a busy camp ground but not as crowded (sites not on top of each other) as some I’ve been in. The outsides of the loops did have more space between and privacy but could be smaller or more sloped, it just really depended. The bathrooms and showers were cleaner than some of the other state parks we have been to, so much so my 11 year old son mentioned it. The park itself is absolutely gorgeous. The hiking trails (which is what we usually go for) were nice but I believe that the biking trails were actually more scenic than the hiking trails and a lot more rugged. We liked trail 8 starting from the west lookout tower and stopping at Hesitation Point for lunch/break/bathroom. Trail 6 was also a pretty, rugged, shorter trail. The Nature Center was also nicer than a lot of the others we have been to in the state. We did choose to do horseback riding at the stables. We showed up about 5 minutes after opening and were able to pay and told to come back in an hour and 45 minutes. That didn’t bother us since we had the time but if you are on a tighter schedule, the earlier the better. We also went into Nashville and it was a very cute town to visit. Well decorated for Halloween, very walkable, and a little something for almost everyone. Prices were about what I would expect for a tourist town but not terrible. I also have T-Mobile and had pretty good service almost everywhere in the park.
- JJacob S.Scout
Ogala Horse Camp
Little loop pull off with a stone fire pit in the middle. Walking trail goes down to a swampy pond.
Mark T.ScoutIrwin City Park
Nice little city park/campgound
Clean paved sites, rigs under 35 feet will fit. Water and electricity 50/30 (water is in the ground.
SkywaystoHighways.com Y.
LegendBill Monroe Memorial Music Park & Campground
Fun Event Location
We stayed for the weekend during a Campout event. Lots of fun seeing all of our camping buddies. I don’t think we would camp here otherwise as it isn’t really our type of camping. Sites are close together, so don’t expect privacy. Porta potties had not been serviced from their previous event… needless to say, it was foul. The country music museum was pretty cool. The guide was very knowledgeable!
- BBob B.
RangerLoop C, Versailles State Park
Large But Relatively Private
Description of this site is that it's moderate sloping (from front down to back. Definitely true. Pretty muddy site, due to large amounts of rain, but most sites are level and less shaded.
- JasonGuide
Camp Atterbury Campground
Host is great, park is nice, MWR needs help
Great place to stay. Full hook ups, about 90 percent level sites. 33 RV sites and 3 or 4 primitive camp sites. The main bathhouse is pretty clean, included laundry, and a great host and hostess (Mark and Denise). The only bad is the price hikes here. One would think MWR would throw money towards some things...like a dog park, some leveling, lights at the kids playground, and MWR sponsored and paid for holiday parties/outings for vets, retirees, and all the active here on base. But nope, just collecting revenue without any beanies. Anyway, the host keeps it grounded.
Jeff C.ScoutO'Bannon Woods State Park Campground
Alright not my favorite park in the area
Campground 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
Guide to Brownstown
Brownstown, Indiana sits at the edge of Jackson-Washington State Forest in south-central Indiana, where the terrain transitions from flat farmland to rolling hills with elevations reaching 900 feet. The area's camping season runs strongest from April through October, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak months. Winter camping remains available at most locations with reduced services and significantly fewer campers.
What to do
Hiking trails: Jackson-Washington State Forest connects directly to several hiking options with significant elevation changes. "The property offers several stunning hiking trails and some are of the more challenging nature due to the elevation changes," notes a visitor to Jackson Washington State Forest. Trail difficulty varies with terrain that showcases native hardwood forests.
Water activities: Hardy Lake at Shale Bluff Campground provides multiple recreation options just 20 minutes from Brownstown. "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," explains a camper at Shale Bluff Campground.
Free camping options: Berry Ridge Road offers dispersed camping opportunities for those wanting to avoid fees. A camper reports, "Multiple campsites in the area, I've stayed at two both of which were away from others, clean, fairly flat and had plenty of dead wood around to burn. Some sites, at least one, could fit a pretty good sized camper." This provides budget-friendly alternatives to established campgrounds.
What campers like
Lake views: Lakeside sites at Starve Hollow State Recreation Area rank among campers' favorites. "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 a reviewer at Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground.
Spacious campsites: The campsites at many local campgrounds provide good separation between neighbors. One camper at Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping appreciates that "each site is fairly far apart. It's really quite only seen a handful of cars drive by and I've stayed here for 2 nights, would highly recommend."
Convenient location: The proximity to towns for supplies makes longer stays practical. Spring Mill State Park offers this advantage: "The campground is located inside the state park entrance so the gate fee applies to your first entry, but once you check into your site you can come and go as you wish. There is a little camp store with decent prices and lots for the kids to do."
What you should know
Pet policies: All dog friendly campgrounds near Brownstown have specific rules for pets. Hardin Ridge requires leashes at all times when outside your vehicle or tent. "I have camped at Hardin Ridge since the 70s. I have tent camped in regular primitive, hike-in, and in electic with a camper... They do expect every rule to be followed at all times and will tell you to pack up and leave if you are an asshole about noise, dogs, etc," advises a regular at Hardin Ridge.
Site selection: Many campgrounds in the area have sloped sites that require leveling equipment. At Delaney Creek Park, "every lot slopes down towards the lake. If you have levelers, should not be a problem, but be sure to bring extra, because it's a good 3" to 5"."
Seasonal water availability: Water sources at primitive sites might not function year-round. At Jackson-Washington State Forest, "potable water is available seasonally and firewood can be purchased at the forest office."
Tips for camping with families
Educational programs: State parks in the area often provide family-friendly activities through their naturalist programs. "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!" shares a family who visited Spring Mill State Park Campground.
Pet-friendly trails: Many camping areas near Brownstown welcome dogs on their trail systems. One camper notes, "My husband and I had a nice visit to Starve Hollow recently...we stayed 4 nights in our camper with our 3 dogs. We hiked 10 miles throughout the park, which was clean and pretty."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature playground equipment for children. "There's a lodge, restaurant, playgrounds, store, pit toilets, bath houses, swimming pool (fee required)," notes a camper from Brown County State Park.
Tips from RVers
Access considerations: Some campgrounds have restrictions that affect larger RVs. A reviewer at Brown County State Park warns, "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.'"
Hookup locations: RVers should prepare for non-standard utility placements at some campgrounds. At Delaney Creek Park, "The electric and water hookups are not in standard locations for RV hookups. Make sure you bring an extension for your electric hookup, otherwise you might not be able to reach the post. Same for water hookup."
Site leveling needs: Multiple reviewers mention site leveling challenges throughout the region. "There are at least five different areas to stay plus a big modern hotel/lodge. The rangers gave us some great recommendations for dinner in the nearby town too," shares a visitor at Buffalo Ridge Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Brownstown, IN?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Brownstown, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Brownstown, IN is Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 25 reviews.
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dog-friendly camping near
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What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Brownstown, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 92 dog-friendly camping locations near Brownstown, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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