Best Tent Camping near Carlisle, IN

I have been here hiking many times but camped only 1 time in July of 2017. There are good campsite for both RVs and tent camping with clean restrooms and shower house. The park and trails are usually busy since the park is near the Eastern Illinois University. The no-drinking campground prevents many noisy student campouts. The hiking trails are some of the best in the state because the glaciers dropped of mountains of soil in the area where this park is located. The surrounding farm land is flat as can be, but the forested hills and creek beds in the park are almost mountainous. Bring everything you need for the weekend with you, there are no businesses close to the park. This is a great place for day hiking and a weekend getaway.

This is one of my favorite state parks. We have visited and camped here several times. They have great cabins, a perfect primitive tent only camping area, a nice camper area with more amenities, and even an inn. The trails are fun and varied for all skill levels. They are well maintained and pretty easy to follow. It is a little more difficult in the Fall when they are covered with leaves but still not too bad. The creek waterfall is a great place to cool off and some of the trails criss-cross over the shallow areas of the creek as well. This place is a must visit for Southern/Central Indiana.

McCormicks Creek State Park off Rt 46 near Spencer, Indiana is a very lush feeling natural area.

I especially enjoyed the trails which were varied and challenging. Part of the challenge being finding them at certain points along the way. Pay close attention to your map and direction of travel or you may add a few extra miles on to your hike.

The campground was well laid out with gravel pads and the primitive sites had plenty of room for tents as well as hammocks. Pit toilets, a dump station and plenty of signage to keep you on the right path made it a easily navigable area. There were several groups present when we visited and there is a seperated camp area for them.

I was not a fan. I was tenting and there was not a great spot for the tent and there was dog poop everywhere (tracked some in the tent when setting up so I wasn't pleased). Also a bunch of large Widowmakers in the trees above was nerve-wracking. The people around me were LOUD! One dude listening to a college football game until past 10 and a guy and his kid playing glow Frisbee right in from of my tent past 10 as well. As I was on a road trip and wanted to get to sleep, this was not appreciated.. On th e good side, the bathrooms were very clean. I would NOT stay here again

This is just a beautiful Indiana State Park located near the small community of Jasonville, Indiana which offers simple dining, grocery store, hardware store and fuel. The park has numerous recreational activities to include 3 lakes spanning some 400 acres that are known for spectacular fishing, seasonal family aquatic center for swimming with a large water slide, seasonal nature center, and several hiking trails. The campsites are in a heavily wooded area with fantastic tree canopy for shade and comfort. Sites are mostly level gravel pads ranging from primitive to 30 amp electric, 50 amp electric or a limited number of full hookup; water, sewer and 50 amp service sites plus plenty of clean bath houses. Large rig friendly. The park also has family cabins available. A small camp store supplies firewood, ice, bait and sundries...Indiana fishing license at the park office. Want to relax...enjoy beautiful sunsets on the lake, paddling a canoe or kayak, or casting a line for dinner...this is a perfect place to make that happen.

One of the best in Indiana

Huge IN state park and campground. Indiana’s oldest. Many trails. Creek is awesome. Cabins. Love it!

This park is a southern Indiana beauty. Indiana's first state park dating to 1916. The heart of the park is McCormick's Creek Canyon with stunning views, hiking and some of the best wildflower displays in the state...and let's don't forget McCormick's Creek waterfall...yes its probably only 10' but this is a big deal for Indiana. The park offers numerous hikes varying in difficulty accessing features and attractions to include a 90' fire tower, scenic canyon and waterfall, small cave(Wolf Cave), interesting sinkholes and some stunning second growth hardwood forest. A center piece of the park is the Canyon Inn offering hotel accommodations, dining, seasonal swimming pool(guests only) and in the winter months a massive warming fireplace. The campground provides 189 electric only sites(30 amp) typically gravel pads and 32 primitive sites; most having nice tree canopy for summer shade. Larger coaches have limited choices. The park has an exceptional seasonal outdoor pool, seasonal camp store, very active nature center and naturalist program. Just minutes from the park is the town of Spencer with everything you need to re-supply or grab a dinner out...restaurants, grocery, Wal-Mart, fuel and more

This is a beautiful campground right on the lake near Loogootee, Indiana. Lots of golf carts cruise the campground. That can be a little dangerous. So you need to watch your little ones closely.

we love this park as it reminds us of some of Indiana state parks with a huge lake, horseback riding, lots of trails to explore and beautiful wildlife. pet friendly and lots to do for all ages.

It’s a really nice park with great trails just wish the primitive camping would have been open I’m sure $20 for a rv site is a good price but it’s a little high for a tent camper like me

Pros: Very nice large-size pool with slide, attached playground, green space, and sand-filled soccer pitch all included on the pool grounds. These amenities are great as the pool takes a 15 minute clear-out break about once per hour. There is a concession stand with limited selection, but the benefit is that it takes credit card (and cash). 

The camp store is not the best we've visited. Very limited supply, but they did keep a stock of bacon in their refrigerator and that made my wife happy. 

Cons: Typical Indiana State campground. We visited for a weekend and landed in a terrible spot. The grade was severe and despite using all the travel trailer tricks to level my site, I could not get level. We dealt with it, but I noticed 4 or 5 quality spots that sat vacant through the weekend, however, were allegedly reserved. I had terrible anxiety for the entire weekend that we would roll backward into a ravine. 

We were on an electric side of the park, and the pull-through site across from us was occupied by a tent with a minivan. No judgment here, but they were watching highly taboo movies on a wide screen projector with loud speakers around midnight, well after quiet hours had expired. 

Verizon and AT&T cell phone service were nil, even with a booster and WiFi pack. Our site was littered with cellophane wrappers and cigarette butts. Clearly the previous campers did not adhere to the "leave no trace" doctrine. 

DNR was very, very present at the campground, but at many sightings it seemed like they were watching for rule infractions as opposed to upholding the integrity of the park. I know that seems conflicting, but if you visit this park you will understand. 

Bathrooms were mostly clean. Vault toilets were disgusting, but that's expected for concrete topped port-a-potties.

Nice big campsite for our tents. Flush toilets; bathrooms could use some repairs. Fishing dock and area were clean with portable toilets. Walking trail. Safe area, well lit, and patrolled often. Pool & beach. We rented a pontoon boat which was very nice. Camp store for basic supplies. No cell service at all in camp area. Just a short driving distance to Cataract Falls - which is beautiful with a nice walking trail and covered bridge.