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Best Tent Camping near Buck Creek, IN

363 Reviews

Tent camping near Buck Creek, Indiana provides several established campgrounds within driving distance. Lake Waveland Park in Waveland offers extensive primitive tent camping sites that don't require reservations, with each site featuring a picnic table and some with fire rings. French Post Park in Delphi provides a dedicated tent camping section with convenient vehicle parking nearby. Clovis Creek, with its 20 tent sites, rounds out the local options for tent campers seeking places to pitch their tent in this region of central Indiana.

The primitive tent camping areas at Lake Waveland Park operate on a first-come, first-served basis, making early arrival advisable during peak season (May 15 to October 15). Sites are identifiable by picnic tables and occasional fire rings, though not all sites have permanent fire structures. Most tent campsites feature well-maintained grassy areas with varying levels of shade. French Post Park offers reservable tent sites with basic amenities including picnic tables, fire rings, and access to toilets. Both locations permit pets and fires where designated. Water availability varies by campground, with Lake Waveland providing drinking water access at central facilities.

Walk-in tent sites at Lake Waveland Park offer more seclusion than drive-in options. According to reviews, "The primitive sites are very secluded and quiet but get there fast because spots are first come first serve!" Campers noted that Lake Waveland's tent areas are "more spread out here compared to most state parks," providing greater privacy for backcountry tent camping experiences. The park's proximity to Sugar Creek and nearby Turkey Run and Shades State Parks makes it a strategic base camp for regional exploration. Bird watching opportunities abound in the primitive camping areas, with one visitor describing it as "a lovely space with lots of birds to observe." The well-maintained grounds and clean facilities enhance the overall tent camping experience, though some infrastructure may need updating.

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Best Tent Sites Near Buck Creek, Indiana (4)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Buck Creek, IN

363 Reviews of 4 Buck Creek Campgrounds

  • T
    Aug. 6, 2021

    Shades State Park Campground

    Wooded Sandstone canyon with primitive camping.

    Located north of turkey run state park shades offers all the hiking and scenic terrain with less amenities and less crowds. Sugar creek cuts through the ancient sandstone floor creating canyon walls. The park is connected to a nature preserve that dose allow backpacking but has designated camping within the park separate from the car camping sites, so you can’t set up camp on the trail. The car camping sites, labeled as family camping, are primitive only with vault toilets. There is a shower located in the campsite with flushing toilets. Campsites are close but most have trees separating them for privacy. Avoid sites next to toilets or dumpsters their practically in your site. There’s no cellular signal in the park so heads up. Ice and wood are located for sale at the entrance. If you have little ones there are a few playgrounds located in the park including one in the campsite which is located a short hike in the woods. This park is quite, shaded, rugged at times and the canyon/creek can be breathtaking. Although I would go early or late in the season to avoid Indiana’s humid muggy summer heat.

  • Mike V.
    Jul. 23, 2016

    Lake Waveland Park

    Waveland Lake and Park, near Waveland, Indiana

    Nice clean park in west-central Indiana that has a lake and a large number of camping sites along with restrooms and showers. The primitive tent camping sites don't require reservations, and each have a picnic table. There are modern campsites that have water and electrical hook-ups, and there are some small cabins that can be rented. The bath house was clean, and the grounds crew does a great job keeping the grass cut. Camp sites seem more spread out here compared to most state parks. Location is fairly close to Sugar Creek and other parks such as Turkey Run and Shades State Park. The lake is popular for fishing.

  • Terri D.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 10, 2017

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Nice Big Sites

    I have to say it is always nice to stay at a state park in the off season. There are a couple hundred sites in this park and we were one of about 12 occupants. Even if this park had been full, the sites offer nice space. Sites vary from full shade to wide open out in the sun. Bathrooms are clean, but they are pretty spread out. Most sites offer electricity, but no water or sewer hook-up for RV. Water spigots are pretty spread out too. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. I didn't see any camp hosts that sold firewood when office is closed. Park is located right across the street from the local high school, I thought this was sort of odd.

    We were just passing through for a nights stay, but it looked like there were some nice trails for hiking. The children playgrounds looked nice as well.

  • H
    Jun. 23, 2023

    Shades State Park Campground

    Awesome Backpack Camp!

    Took my son on his first backpacking trip this week and felt like Shades would be a perfect trial run for us together. I don’t think this camp gets enough love as it’s a relatively short hike for most seasoned backpackers. Great for trial runs and gear testing. The trail was (recently) well maintained in sections, but there are spots that are a little weedy. That’s to be expected I think with a park that doesn’t see as much traffic as another well known park in the area (that doesn’t offer a backpack camp). The camp itself was fantastic. It doesn’t boast great views or any scenic points, but it is fabulously maintained and well thought out. Several awesome sites to choose from and we had our pick as the only campers there. Every site had a fire ring and picnic table, with paths heading to the bathroom and water. The bathrooms were pretty much immaculate and the water was great. We didn’t hike in early enough to take the path to play at Sugar Creek, but I won’t make that mistake again. Next time, because there will be a next time, we’ll go earlier for more downtime around camp. So glad we’re close enough we can make this trip again soon! Park entry: $7 Camping fee: $12 With tax our total was $19.84. If you have an IN state park card you can avoid the entry fee.

  • A
    Jul. 20, 2021

    White River Campground

    Quick getaway

    Nice camp ground along the white river with several sites along the waterway. Clean, well maintained, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Paved road with level concrete sites, could be a little more spacious, but all n all laid out nicely with aluminum picnic tables, and fire ring, 50 and 30 amp hook ups along with H20, and several full hook ups. Tent camping also available. Well stocked camp store. The facilities up front by the office are very clean and have showers with hot water. They could use a bench in the shower stall for your clothing and a space To get dressed discreetly. The facility at the end of the campground dosent have showers and are adequate but not quite as nice. Campground is in a good location close to many amenities

  • n
    Jun. 8, 2018

    Ross Camp

    Lafayette Parks and Rec

    Nice sites. Awesome shower house! close to Ross Park. A little chapel. This is a relax campground for those not into all the hiking if you just want to sit by your fire. A few primitive sites. No alcohol allowed. We rent a site here instead of hotels.

  • M
    Jul. 19, 2020

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Terrific campground and state park

    We stayed here this weekend and had a terrific time. The weather was very hot but there is a river to tube and canoe in to keep you cool. We stayed at site #35. It is in a very quiet, off the main road, in a circle, in full shade. It’s is very close to the restroom but a distance from the camp store and dumpster. The site was clean and well equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. The site is very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It’s was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end. The site was huge but given the unevenness it would be difficult for tents. The campground is family friendly and was quiet at night. There is a lot to do at this state park. We hiked the #3 and #5 trails and it took us about 2 hours. It was very busy but everyone was very polite. It was a great stay all around.

  • N
    Jul. 20, 2016

    Mississinewa Lake Campground

    Short but fun stay

    Campsites have a gravel parking pad, picnic table, fire-ring, electrical hookups, and thick health grass which is awesome if you're staying in a tent! The have public wifi that isn't really working that often. There was a truck delivering firewood making rounds through the campground which was very convenient. Stuff to do - disc golf, beach, beach volleyball, hiking & biking trails, boating/fishing. Unfortunately we didn't get to stay here for long, so we're planning on coming back soon.

  • Staci W.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2024

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Pros and Cons you Should Know beforehand

    Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons.

    It is definitely designed to accommodate RVs, as the majority of the sites are situated in an open field. There are a few dozen sites that are in “loops” that are situated in shaded areas. Some camp sites have zero privacy while others have a little. Either way, if you’re here on a weekend, you’ll definitely have neighbors close by. You can see the entire campground via google maps street view, just FYI

    This is a very family friendly campground and you will see lots of kids on bicycles flying around. I’ve stayed here a few times, and no matter the day of the week or the time of year, there are always lots of kids.

    This campground has a raccoon “problem” due to campers having poor camp etiquette and feeding them. They come out of the woods towards dusk looking for food. They will come right up to you without hesitation, so don’t be alarmed if there’s one next to you while you cook s’mores over your fire (ask me how I know, hah). They will take any food that is left out. Do not turn your back to your dinner table at any time if there’s food out.

    On my last visit to turkey run (I’ve camped here 3 or 4 times) I arrived to my campsite and someone had left dog food out for the raccoons in little piles all over the place which was super disappointing. Additionally, my neighbors didn’t put their campfire out when they packed up and left.

    Perhaps I’m just used to camping in other areas where you have to worry about bears and burning the forests down…But campers here just aren’t as mindful or respectful of the campground.

    The restrooms and showers (at least the one I use at this campground) is modernized and cleaned daily but there’s no dish pit/wash room available if you cook. Just be prepared to clean up accordingly and put trash in trash receptacles. There are a few vault toilets in the campground as well.

    You can hike from the CG into the state park (highly recommend. It’s gorgeous!) just wear shoes that youre willing to get wet.

    Overall, it’s a beautiful state park with a conveniently located campground. It’s not the best campground ever but for Indiana standards, it’s great. Even with my complaints, I always return because I enjoy visiting and hiking through the state park.

Guide to Buck Creek

Tent campsites near Buck Creek, Indiana sit within the watershed of Sugar Creek in west-central Indiana, where the terrain alternates between wooded areas and open meadows at elevations between 650-750 feet. The camping season typically runs from April through October, with July and August bringing average temperatures around 85°F and occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Most primitive sites in this region lack permanent marking systems but can be identified by infrastructure like picnic tables.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Lake Waveland Park offers ample fishing access with multiple shoreline spots. According to a camper, "If fishing is your way of relaxing, you should have a good time here" as the lake remains well-stocked throughout the camping season.

Seasonal events: Lake Waveland Park hosts community events during peak season. One visitor noted, "Fireworks in July and Halloween for the whole family in October" making it worth planning around these dates for enhanced camping experiences.

Birdwatching: The primitive camping areas contain diverse bird habitats worth exploring. A recent camper observed that Lake Waveland provides "a lovely space with lots of birds to observe" particularly in early morning hours when activity peaks.

What campers like

Spacious layout: The campgrounds offer more room between sites than typical public campgrounds. As one camper at Lake Waveland Park noted, "There is a TON of green space on this property!" which allows for greater privacy between camping parties.

Maintenance quality: Grounds maintenance receives consistent positive feedback from visitors. One reviewer stated Lake Waveland has "Really well maintained grounds" while another mentioned "the grounds crew does a very good job keeping the property in order."

Proximity to state parks: Tent campsites near Buck Creek provide convenient access to major natural attractions. French Post Park is noted for being a "Pretty cool area to hang out" with good access to nearby recreation areas.

What you should know

Arrival timing: For non-reservable sites, early arrival dramatically improves site selection. One camper advised, "The site fills up pretty fast so come early. No need to pay because it is first come first serve" regarding primitive sites at Lake Waveland.

Site identification: Many primitive areas have informal site boundaries. According to a recent visitor at Clovis Creek, "The sites aren't marked, but are indicated by picnic table and fire ring, though fire rings are not always present."

Facility conditions: While generally functional, some infrastructure may need updates. A camper noted, "Not fancy, some updating of infrastructure is due" but still considered it "a decent stop" for overnight camping.

Tips for camping with families

Beginner-friendly options: French Post Park provides ideal conditions for novice campers. A visitor described it as "a beginner place to go camping. Easy for families with young kids" with amenities designed for comfort.

Recreational facilities: Several campgrounds include family-oriented amenities. According to reviews, French Post has "A playground. A shelter with plenty of picnic tables to have a fairly large gathering" providing entertainment options for children.

Beach access: Water recreation remains popular with families during summer months. Lake Waveland Park includes swimming areas as noted by a camper: "They do have a beach" which offers cooling relief during hot summer days.

Tips from RVers

Site selection for larger units: Lake Waveland Park has limited large-rig accommodation. One RVer mentioned, "they need more spots for those long campers. lots of pop up size sites" suggesting advance reservations for larger units.

Tree management: Overhead clearance can be an issue for taller RVs. A regular visitor noted, "Trees need cut or maintained" which requires careful site selection for vehicles over 11 feet tall.

Hook-up availability: Water and electrical services are included at modern sites. According to campers, "the best part is sites include water and electric" though sewer connections are more limited at most area campgrounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Buck Creek, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Buck Creek, IN is French Post Park with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Buck Creek, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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