Brown County State Park and surrounding rv parks near Nashville, Indiana sit within the hills of southern Indiana where elevations reach nearly 1,060 feet above sea level. The area features forested ridges and valleys carved from glacial activity, creating a terrain unlike typical Midwestern landscapes. Seasonal temperatures range from winter lows in the 20s to summer highs in the 80s, with spring and fall offering moderate camping conditions between 50-70°F.
What to do
Hiking trails for all abilities: Taylor Ridge Campground offers easy access to trail networks. "The park is gigantic! It takes a long time to get from the entrance of the park to the actual campground, but the drive is beautiful. The nature center is really fun with animals and a bee hive that the children really enjoyed! There are a lot of diverse hiking trails for all," notes Jessie W.
Mountain biking: Buffalo Ridge Campground features access to purpose-built mountain biking trails. "The mountain biking is excellent, with purpose built trails for beginner to expert (flow, berms, rollers, jumps...)," explains TMB. Trails continue to expand with nearly 30 miles available within the park boundary.
Swimming options: CERA Sports Corporation offers swimming facilities unlike other area campgrounds. "Pool area is super nice with a waterslide, diving boards and a unique rock climbing wall in the deep end. My kids always look forward to this campground," shares tricia B.
Horseback riding: Horsemen's Campground provides equestrian-focused camping with trail access. "It is Beautiful! I have only been twice and we took our hours to trail ride! There are a lot of fun hills and trails that you can ride for hours which we love to do," says bria M.
What campers like
Quiet, wooded sites: Taylor Ridge Campground provides more secluded camping options. "I had a great time camping here. The spots in Taylor ridge were mostly well-spaced and felt pretty private. The pit toilets were clean and the showers were nice. Busy campground but it was very quiet still," reports Sam H.
Proximity to Nashville shopping: Brown County-Nashville KOA provides convenient access to Nashville's downtown area. "Across the road from Brown County national forest so hiking galore. And a short drive to Downtown Nashville Indiana! Hit the kettle corn stand for the best kettle popcorn around!" recommends Derrick P.
Family activities: CERA Sports Corporation offers extensive recreation beyond the camping experience. "We absolutely love this place. A lot to do, swimming, mini golf, ect. You can bring your golf cart for a extra fee. We liked it so much that we became members this year," says Janet.
Clean facilities: Raccoon Ridge Campground maintains high-quality restroom facilities. "First, let me start, the staff was amazing! The bathrooms and showers were clean, and every DNR we spoke with was the best," states Cora P.
What you should know
Bridge clearance limitations: Access to certain campgrounds requires attention to vehicle height. "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,'" advises TMB from Buffalo Ridge Campground.
Site leveling needs: Many sites throughout the park require leveling equipment. "The sites are nice size and level-ish. The facilities are newer and older depending on where your at in the park. They are well maintained though," explains Shelly S. from Raccoon Ridge Campground.
Seasonal considerations: Weather conditions affect campground accessibility year-round. "There were trees down throughout the park including our campsite. It took a couple hours for them to come clean it up but even when the did they didn't do a complete job," reports Michael S. from Taylor Ridge during summer storms.
Booking timeline: Reservations fill quickly, especially for weekends. "We called for reservations less than two weeks in advance, and they only had one site left," shares GP from Brown County-Nashville KOA.
Tips for camping with families
Nature center activities: Brown County State Park offers educational programs suitable for children. "We also went to a Raptor show that was put on at the nature center where we got to look at some interesting raptors," shares Rachel W.
Kid-friendly water features: CERA Sports Corporation provides structured swimming areas for children. "We spent a week there and the kids never got bored. Everyone had a blast. Will be going back soon!" reports Greyson S.
Site selection for privacy: Careful site selection enhances family camping experiences. "The site we stayed in was lovely. It was backed up to the edge of the woods which made for a lovely view. I would say pay particular attention to the size of the site you're booking as some were pretty small," advises Amanda D. from Taylor Ridge Campground.
Playground options: Multiple campgrounds offer playground facilities for children. "The campground is very large. Several hundred sites spread out over miles of rolling hills. This place offers everything from remote rustic camping to front country modern camping," notes Jason N.
Tips from RVers
Entry road challenges: Brown County-Nashville KOA has specific access considerations. "The entrance road to the campground is quite steep. We arrived after the office had closed, so they had left an envelope taped to the door with our name and a map to our site," explains GP.
Site surface conditions: Campsite pads vary significantly across campgrounds. "Pads are gravel and we did need to use several leveling blocks on our site, which made for a doosey of a bottom step into and out of our trailer," states GP about their KOA experience.
RV size recommendations: Certain campground loops better accommodate larger RVs. "Very roomy. The roads are not marked very well and it took a bit to find our site which needed level blocks and is just wide enough for the Rv. Nice to have water supply within 10 feet. Very quiet, shady paved sites in Taylor's Ridge loop," notes Wendy T.
Arrival timing: Daylight arrival strongly recommended for navigating forested access roads. "If coming from the north-west, try to arrive before dark as the road over the hills to this place is beautiful, but narrow and forested with some trees very close to the roadway," advises GP.
