1 campground with availability this weekend
Turkey Run State Park Campground offers RV, tent, cabin, and glamping accommodations near Cecil M. Harden Lake, but lacks specific equestrian facilities. The park does not provide horse corrals according to the available amenity data. Located in Marshall, Indiana, this state park campground has electric hookups, drinking water, showers, and toilets. Trails throughout the park are well-maintained but not specifically designated for horseback riding. Visitors note the campground is large with both shaded wooded sites and sunny pull-through options.
The hiking trail system includes rugged ravines and canyons accessible via a suspension bridge. Sugar Creek runs through the park offering kayaking and canoeing opportunities. The campground operates year-round and requires advance reservations, especially for weekend stays when sites fill quickly. Most sites are electric with fire rings and picnic tables. Nearby Turkey Run Canoe & Camping provides an alternative accommodation option, though it also lacks dedicated horse facilities. Riders seeking horse camping near Cecil M. Harden Lake may need to travel beyond the immediate area to find campgrounds with corrals, hitching posts, or equestrian-designated trails.
"Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons."
"Much enjoyed hiking some of the trails at Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, Indiana. This is Indiana's 2nd oldest state park, now 100 years old (1916-2016)."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $52 / night
"Site 91 was tucked away in a more forested area away from RVs. Did a nice kayaking loop using their service. Had everything you needed, very chill experience. Will return fsho."
"That being said it did seem a little tight in certain area we were in but we drove around and rest of campground looked awesome!"
from $35 / night
"Incredible people who will gladly be your new best friend, super clean, Great Lake to be on, tons of trails to hike."
TravelerGreat little campground, decently spaced spots and lots of thoughtful people in a great area. Would def come back if I go through Indiana again. The lady who works in the shack quickly changed my site to one that fits my rv after pulling in and seeing it was way too small. Thanks again ma’am!
GuideVery nice and quiet. Beautiful scenery with nice walking trails. Not sure if it’s due to the government shut down but when we arrived, we had to turn around and go back to the main park office in order to register instead of the little office that is at the entrance of the campground. We are only staying one night and off to our next destination.
LegendTurkey Run State Park. Arguably one of the top 5 state parks in Indiana.
Lots of hiking opportunities, including the fabulous Trail 3 which should be a National Trail IMO. Go hike early before 10 am. This area gets crazy busy after that.
Nice nature center.
2 covered bridges.
A swimming pool in season.
A historic inn with a restaurant. You can rent cabins also.
The Lusk home has tours every Saturday in season.
The campground is a mile or so west of the entrance to the park.
Electric only. 270 sites. Water is available.
There's modern bath houses with hot showers.
We were site 218, which is technically the Turkey Hollow area. The bath house there was clean. We liked our loop for spacious sites( for a state park).
The Twin Oaks loop seemed denser.
There's a double dump near the exit. There's also one dump at the end of a loop by site 60. We were happy the other 4 campers trying to dump forgot about it!
Trail 7 access is also at the end by site 44. It's not marked on the map.
The camp store has the usual camping supplies & gift items. Ice & wood.
We enjoyed our weekend here! Even though it rained Saturday.
ScoutNice campground electric hookups my 34' travel trailer fit nicely
GuideThis park is just other-worldly. We loved it. We hiked Trail 3, which has the ladders, and parts of trail 10, 4, and 2. Trail 10 was nothing special but was relatively flat. It was pretty crowded but people were respectful.
As for our campsite, it was really nice. We had site 94, which was right next to the bathhouse. It had almost a whole extra campsite's worth of space next to it for my kids to run around. It also had a tree for shade and was nice and level.
The bathrooms were okay. They were older but seemed to be fairly well maintained. The only complaint I had was that there wasn't enough counter space to set down items for getting ready, but that is minor.
Overall, wonderful park.
GuideThis campground was reasonably priced, had clean facilities and quite unusual and intesting hiking nearby. There are multiple trails and some quite challenging ones. No water hookups at the site but all except the "youth sites" had 110, 30, and 50 amp power. I was able to charge my ev without issue. Sites tried from all concrete to a dusty dirt and rock tent area, and all had old wood picnic tables. While the hiking was incredible, the maps of the trails were poor and not up to date, with some trails not on map at all. On one trail part of it went through box canyons up an active, though trickling, stream bed.
ScoutWe took our van and stayed at Turkey Run for a three night weekend. We were in a wooded section and it was pretty private however our site was pretty sloped. Next time I would probably pick the site on either side of 167.
As some other reviews stated, watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything.
Also, the open, grassy area sites don’t offer any privacy. If that’s what you’re looking for, try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods. The majority of those have a decent number of trees separating you from the site next to you.
The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure.
We hiked Trail 3 with our dog, but we cut off early before the ladders using Trail 10. Our dog did pretty well in the section of Trail 3 before the ladders, and be prepared to get wet :)
In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon. Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground. It was great and once we saw the crowds at the beach area of the park on Saturday afternoon, we were super glad we had been canoeing all day instead of fighting crowds at the park.
I would definitely recommend visiting Turkey Run State Park!
ScoutWhen I was younger this is the place the family would go. For fishing, hiking, and just being in nature . Has some really great trails, and if you stay at the campground itself , it has activities for the youguns ‘. When ever I am in the neighborhood, I will stop by for a weekend in a tent. Near a roaring campfire and widdle some thing out of a piece of wood. It’s peaceful, yet you’re not alone. It isn’t entirely off grid. I prefer BLM myself. But if you’re going to hit a “camp ground” this is one of my favorites.
GuideTurkey Run is a fabulous state park with a nice campground. My only complaint about the campground is that many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them. You don’t have a lot of privacy. Two sections of the campground, with the higher numbered sites, are much more wooded. If I go again, I will try to be there!
But the campground has two large modern bathrooms that are cleaned regularly. It also has clean well maintained vault toilets throughout the campground. Best of all, from the back of the campground you can access Trail 7, a moderate level trail that leads unexpectedly to a small stream running past a recessed cave. It’s a peaceful spot.
Be advised that a “moderate” hike at Turkey Run can be challenging, with plenty of steps up and down the hillsides. Many of the trails go along stream beds, so you often need to make your way across the rocks to avoid wet feet. Be prepared with hiking boots and sticks.
There are two covered bridges on the edges of the park. Be sure to check them out!
Turkey Run State Park Campground is situated among mature hardwood forests in the west-central region of Indiana near Cecil M. Harden Lake. The campground features over 200 sites arranged in both wooded sections with variable terrain and open grassy areas. Most campsites have 20, 30, and 50-amp electrical service, though sites vary significantly in levelness and shade coverage.
Hiking challenging trails: Turkey Run State Park offers a network of rugged hiking trails that traverse sandstone ravines and canyons. Trail 3 includes ladder sections and stream crossings. According to one visitor at Turkey Run State Park Campground, "We hiked Trail 3 with our dog, but we cut off early before the ladders using Trail 10. Our dog did pretty well in the section of Trail 3 before the ladders, and be prepared to get wet."
Water recreation: Sugar Creek runs through the area, providing opportunities for paddling and floating. A camper notes, "Sugar Creek runs through the park for fishing and canoeing. The suspension footbridge across Sugar Creek is cool. Sugar Creek is also great for floating with inner tubes, canoes, or kayaks." Multiple outfitters near the campgrounds rent equipment for water activities.
Sunrise viewing: The topography around Cecil M. Harden Lake creates excellent conditions for sunrise viewing. One camper shared their experience at Turkey Run Canoe & Camping: "My favorite part about camping is the sunrise and Turkey Run was not disappointing."
Private wooded sites: Experienced campers recommend selecting sites on the campground perimeter. "We were in a wooded section and it was pretty private however our site was pretty sloped. Next time I would probably pick the site on either side of 167... try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods. The majority of those have a decent number of trees separating you from the site next to you."
Clean facilities: The park maintains well-kept shower and restroom buildings. One camper at Mill Creek Park praised the "super clean" facilities, while another at Turkey Run noted, "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure."
Spacious corner sites: Strategic site selection can significantly improve the camping experience. "Booked late for this one but ended up with a great corner spot in the middle of a turn off from the main drive," shared one camper. Another mentioned, "We had site 94, which was right next to the bathhouse. It had almost a whole extra campsite's worth of space next to it for my kids to run around."
Limited equestrian camping near Cecil M. Harden Lake: Despite Turkey Run having stables, dedicated equestrian camping facilities are not available at the immediate campgrounds. Horseback riders seeking equestrian camping near Cecil M. Harden Lake must look to facilities in neighboring counties that offer horse corrals and trail access.
Weekend crowds: The popularity of the park means trails and facilities become congested during peak times. "In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon. Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground."
Site levelness varies significantly: Campers frequently mention challenges with uneven terrain at Turkey Run State Park Campground. "The site was 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."
Wildlife encounters: "Watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything," warns one camper. Food storage precautions are essential to prevent unwanted nighttime visitors.
Visit during weekdays: To avoid crowds with children, schedule your visit during non-peak times. "We were super glad we had been canoeing all day instead of fighting crowds at the park," noted one family that visited midweek.
Trail difficulty considerations: While many trails are family-friendly, some sections present challenges for younger children. A visitor observed, "There are lots of inclines and steps, not much of it was extremely easy hiking, but we did see lots of families with kids doing just fine."
Look for extra space: Sites with additional room provide valuable play areas. One parent at Turkey Run Canoe & Camping shared that their site "was tucked away in a more forested area away from RVs" providing more privacy for family activities.
Electric service sharing: At some campgrounds near Cecil M. Harden Lake, electrical hookups are shared between sites. "The electric is shared with another site which could be a problem if you have the same type of service since there is only one 50 amp, one 30 amp, and one 20 amp service per hook up," notes one RVer.
EV charging available: For those with electric vehicles, some sites can accommodate charging. "All except the 'youth sites' had 110, 30, and 50 amp power. I was able to charge my ev without issue," reported one camper.
Water access planning: Many campgrounds have limited water fill stations. "There is portable water at the entrance but the road coming and going to the campsite is only wide enough for one rig and you will block traffic while you are filling up."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Cecil M. Harden Lake?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Cecil M. Harden Lake is Turkey Run State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 73 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Cecil M. Harden Lake?
TheDyrt.com has all 3 equestrian camping locations near Cecil M. Harden Lake, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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