Best Tent Camping near Carmel, IN

Tent camping options near Carmel, Indiana include several established campgrounds within an hour's drive. Morgan-Monroe State Forest offers the Oak Ridge Camping Area with primitive tent sites in a secluded forest setting. Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort in Pendleton provides tent campsites with lakefront access, while Clovis Creek features approximately 20 tent sites with basic amenities.

The Oak Ridge Camping Area in Morgan-Monroe State Forest features primarily small, rustic tent sites with minimal development. Most sites include a fire ring, picnic table, and gravel parking pad. Vault toilets and outdoor washing stations with drinking water are available, but no showers or electric hookups. A recent review noted, "Many sites are small and can only accommodate a tent," making this location particularly suited for tent campers seeking a more primitive experience. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis with self-registration at the park office, requiring exact change for payment.

Tent campers at Morgan-Monroe State Forest benefit from extensive hiking opportunities on multiple trails, including routes over 10 miles long. The property remains relatively quiet even during peak seasons, with one camper sharing that "even with beautiful weather and the opening of squirrel season, it was relatively light with other campers." The forest setting provides ample shade for tent sites during summer months. Pine Lake offers a different tent camping experience with lakefront sites closer to Indianapolis, making it convenient for weekend getaways. Firewood is available for purchase at Morgan-Monroe when the office is open, and campers are permitted to gather downed wood throughout the forest for campfires, though chainsaws are prohibited.

Best Tent Sites Near Carmel, Indiana (3)

    1. Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort

    2 Reviews
    Pendleton, IN
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 778-2697

    "This was really convenient and close to Indy, where we took the grandkids to the children’s museum. The lake is fabulous, but there didn’t seem to be too many fish available for catching!!"

    2. Clovis Creek

    Be the first to review!
    Cicero, IN
    17 miles
    +1 (317) 385-0820

    $25 - $45 / night

    3. Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    9 Reviews
    Martinsville, IN
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 342-4026

    $25 - $55 / night

    "When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze."

    "Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Carmel, IN

4 Photos of 3 Carmel Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Carmel, IN

286 Reviews of 3 Carmel 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.

  • G
    Jun. 28, 2019

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Quiet, just right!

    I’ve camped here several times and have always enjoyed it. When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze. At this campground, there are two areas of pit toilets, and a big outdoor sink. Fire wood and maps can be obtained just up the road at the new Morgan Monroe headquarters. A self pay station is set up there. You select your site, set up, then go pay. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and plenty of room for tenting with most sites big enough for a trailer. There’s a playground at the entrance of Mason Ridge campground and a fire tower.

  • Daisy C.
    Jun. 8, 2020

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Off the Beaten Path

    We stayed at site 13 at Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Mason Ridge Campground in June 2020. Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water. Mason Ridge Campground has vault toilets and drinking water available. There are outdoor sinks at the drinking water stations. There is a dumpster in the campground for trash. Mason Ridge Campground is first come, first served, self-register and pay at the park office. Bring exact change. Firewood is available to purchase, but only when the park office is open, and hours are limited. It is also allowed for campers to gather downed wood throughout the forest for campfires. Chainsaws are not allowed, so bring a handsaw and spitting axe if you want to do this. Campsites are mostly good for tents, but several of the sites would be fine for small to medium sized travel trailers and RVs. Sites are primitive, with gravel parking pads. Campfire ring, grill grate, and picnic table are at all sites. There is a dump station. There are no electric sites. Oak Ridge Campground is a second campground loop in MMSF. It only has a handful of sites but feels very secluded. Most of these sites are suited for tents only, or little teardrop campers. Oak Ridge is only open as an“overflow” campground, so only bet on it being open during summer. There is also a group campground for scout troupes and other groups. When we camped here, there was a rowdy group of car campers that came to have a bonfire and drink all night two sites down from us. They would loud and obnoxious. I do not know if this type of thing is common occurrence at this property, or if we“lucked out” that night. The rest of the folks camping there were quiet. There were no hordes of flashlight children running amuck through the campground like you get at the state parks. There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground, but both were closed due to coronavirus. There are many trails in MMSF. Good hiking. 

    Pros: sinks, feeling of seclusion, quiet(other than the one group), usually availability unless you arrive really late, long hiking trails

    Cons: limited office hours for firewood purchase, obnoxious car campers

    In summary, this campground is for those who like to“rough it” a little bit.

  • Michelle M.
    Nov. 16, 2020

    Mounds State Park Campground

    A nice park. Electric only.

    It’s a nice park for kids. Has a nice swimming pool. Easy trails. Nice playground. $5 firewood bundles. Mostly a weekender park. It is right next to a small craft airfield do it can get noisy at times and there is little wind protection.

  • j
    May. 24, 2023

    Timberline Family Campground

    Potato Creek State Patk

    Specious sites a bit on the awkward side regarding lay-out. The vehicle separated the tent from the picnic table and fire ring. Less than ideal. I’m told that they’ve planted additional trees. They are relatively non existent at this point. Hence, a lack of privacy . Combined with awkward site layout we seemed to be right on top of our neighbors. No place to hang hammocks, tree swings or clothesline. Just sort of a open Praire. We were visiting by staff shortly after getting settled and told to put my highly trained border-jack on a leash even though she was at the time laying on my bed inside the tent which was zipped closed. The restrooms are kept up twice per day and are extremely clean and well cared for. The fishing was great! Lots of areas to explore even just to fish off shore or bridge. Everything was a good distended away from the campground so unfortunately my grandson could not bike alone to the lake to fish.

  • 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

  • J
    Jul. 20, 2024

    Glo Wood Campground

    Simple but good

    Definitely a little dated. Picnic tables cracked plastic. My site was missing fire ring but many had them. Most sites really wet but gravel pads were close to level, needed to raise one side 1”.

  • D
    Sep. 12, 2021

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Hesitate to share our hidden gem

    My wife and were at site 15 from 09/02/21- 09/06/21 camping in a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2108 TB. This park is not for large rigs, but we had no trouble fitting into our small camper. This is a great place to camp and hike, although there is no electric hookup we had a generator that we used sparklingly. The only drawbacks were that the vault toilets are in pretty bad condition and the dump station hose did not have a connection to allow me to flush the blackwater holding tank.


Guide to Carmel

Tent camping opportunities near Carmel, Indiana extend beyond established campgrounds to several natural areas within a 60-mile radius. The region features a mix of state forests and recreational areas situated in Indiana's central upland terrain, with elevations ranging from 700 to 900 feet above sea level. The area experiences four distinct seasons, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F and occasional thunderstorms that can affect camping conditions.

What to do

Hiking extensive trail networks: Morgan-Monroe State Forest provides multiple hiking trails ranging from short loops to extensive backcountry routes. "My favorite forest with traditional camping, backwoods camping, and a wonderful secret pioneer cabin for rent. This is the best camping within an hour of Indianapolis," notes camper Sars C. about Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Fishing in nearby lakes: Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort offers lakefront access for anglers. "This was really convenient and close to Indy, where we took the grandkids to the children's museum. The lake is fabulous," reports Debbie S. about her stay at Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort.

Nature education: The Tree Trail at Morgan-Monroe provides educational opportunities about local flora. "Plenty of great trails nearby. Nothing crazy or particularly noteworthy, but a nice little park. Recommend the tree trail," suggests Rob R. who camped at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

What campers like

Privacy and seclusion: The Oak Ridge Camping Area offers a more isolated camping experience. "Oak Ridge Campground is a second campground loop in MMSF. It only has a handful of sites but feels very secluded. Most of these sites are suited for tents only, or little teardrop campers," explains Daisy C. about her experience at Oak Ridge Camping Area.

Minimalist camping settings: For those seeking a true back-to-basics experience, some areas provide just the essentials. "It's a very off the beaten trail clearing that's the very minimum of a campsite. But because of this, not many people are there so it's super quiet and not busy," describes Nikke S. about car camping at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Shade coverage during summer: The forested settings provide natural cooling. "When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it's hot outside today, there's lots of shade and a breeze," reports Ginger T. from her experience at the best tent camping near Carmel, Indiana.

What you should know

Self-registration process: Most campgrounds require self-registration upon arrival. "When you arrive set up at your site. Then you will need to go WITH EXACT CHANGE to the sign in at the main building. It's easy, there is a little box on the side of the firewood shed," explains Rob R. from his camping trip at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Site limitations: Many campgrounds have terrain constraints. "We stayed pretty much on our site. Generally, we aim to do a bit of exploring, but we used their camping as a rendezvous. I was slightly disappointed by the site selections being mostly on a slant," notes rickie F. about Morgan-Monroe camping.

Facility maintenance: Bathroom facilities at some locations may be basic. "The only drawbacks were that the vault toilets are in pretty bad condition and the dump station hose did not have a connection to allow me to flush the blackwater holding tank," reports Don N. about his camping experience near Carmel.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Some campgrounds offer recreational facilities for children. "There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground, but both were closed due to coronavirus," mentions Daisy C. about the family amenities at Clovis Creek.

Firewood considerations: Planning for campfires requires some preparation. "Firewood is available to purchase, but only when the park office is open, and hours are limited. It is also allowed for campers to gather downed wood throughout the forest for campfires," notes Daisy C. from her camping experience.

Weekend crowd patterns: Understanding busy periods helps with planning. "Great forest for camping. Even with beautiful weather and the opening of squirrel season, it was relatively light with other campers," shares Rob R. about weekend crowds at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Tips from RVers

Size restrictions: Larger vehicles face limitations at many campgrounds. "The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is, 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 getting in and out of the campground," explains Ron H. about Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Dump station access: Some locations have challenging waste disposal facilities. "There is a dump station, but I barely got in to dump. So not real RV friendly," continues Ron H. regarding RV accommodations near Carmel, Indiana.

Generator considerations: For tent camping near Carmel without hookups, plan for alternative power. "This is a great place to camp and hike, although there is no electric hookup we had a generator that we used sparklingly," shares Don N. about his Winnebago Micro Minnie stay at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Carmel, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Carmel, IN is Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort with a 3-star rating from 2 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 3 tent camping locations near Carmel, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.