Top Tent Camping near Columbia City, IN

Looking for the best Columbia City tent camping? The Dyrt is an easy way to find tent camping spots near Columbia City. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.

Best Tent Sites Near Columbia City, IN (5)


Recent Tent Reviews In Columbia City

343 Reviews of 5 Columbia City Campgrounds


  • Erin A.
    Camper-submitted photo from Tippecanoe River Run
    Nov. 3, 2024

    Tippecanoe River Run

    DO NOT CAMP HERE

    Horrible owners, non functioning electric and sewer. Please see my detailed Google review for more information.

  • Christie S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Johnny Appleseed Campground
    Oct. 27, 2024

    Johnny Appleseed Campground

    Suppppppper Bathroom s

    They have the best bathrooms that I have ever seen in the campgrounds.You can even look out at the skylight at the sky.Why you take a shower and while you go to the bathroom is well.It's a beautiful bathroom very well kept.Thank you so much to the campgrounds....

  • Brian O.
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Idyllic small location, deserves higher review

    Little four site camping area on the shore of Rivir Lake (not a typo). It can be accessed either by parking and walking in on the wide, well tended trail (#4 on maps) of by boating. The nearest boat launch is Miller lake, a mile west. Sites 3 & 4 are right on the lake with the best access, Sites 1 & 2 are across the trail which is along a raised berm with a bridge over the passage to Mud Lake.
    I'd give this a higher review, but most people wouldn't appreciate the primitiveness of the sites. It's distance from most amenities could be a turn off, but also could be perfect for others

  • Brian O.
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Can be crowded, but a good park overall

    We were a bit surprised that despite having a paid reservation , we still had to pay a $20 Day usage fee to enter the park, but no matter. This is a sprawling and sometimes confusing campground to find your way in. But the sites are generally shady if a bit close together. There are five facilities with showers and running water and six pit toilets. drinking water is accessible throughout the park.
    The majority of sites have six person tables, though some, especially in the new 385-416 loop have little four person tables. These are also the least shaded.
    Campground and facilities are clean and well maintained.
    The General Store is one of the most impressively well stocked I have ever seen. Equipment, toys, tools, food souvenirs, you name it. Good dry firewood is $6.50 a bundle in the store, $7 on the honor system after hours. It burns fast, so you might want to buy more than you think. The store is open until 9:00 Friday & Saturday, but only 2;PM on Sunday and never on Monday. Keep that in mind if you're doing a 3-day weekend as we did. When checking out, look up to see the beautiful wooden canoe with wildlife inlaid wood.
    Fire pits are mostly round iron with non-adjustable swing-away grills. Booking is through Indiana DNR/ Reserve America so you can see photos of the site you pick.
    This was our second experience with an Indiana state park, and like our first (Pokagon, in the winter) we were impressed with the clear marking of the hiking trails (and canoe trail for that matter) there was a map and guidepost at every junction.
    There's a beach, concession stand and boat rentals on Sand lake, the Park's largest. Lastly, there's a fish cleaning shed with running water outside the campground entrance that anyone in the park can use, something I wish more parks would provide.

  • Kris
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Lake Campground
    Oct. 13, 2024

    Blue Lake Campground

    Great place

    Blue Lake Resort is a hidden gem for campers! The serene atmosphere and beautiful lake views make it a perfect getaway. The amenities are well-maintained, and the staff is friendly and accommodating. I particularly enjoyed the fishing opportunities and the peaceful nature trails nearby. I actually recently wrote an essay about the natural beauty of Indiana for my geography class, and it was really great to have the helpfull resource https://stateofwriting.com/uk/geography-writing-service. They have some great guides and tips for geography essays. 

    Definitely a place I’d recommend for families and nature lovers!

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Elkhart County Fairgrounds
    Oct. 6, 2024

    Elkhart County Fairgrounds

    Worked for What We Needed

    You use Gate 2 to get to the registration office. Check-in was quick and we proceeded to back-in site 444 with FHUs. Our back-in should have been smooth but we were out of practice. The utilities are at the far end of the sites. In most areas, the sites back up to each other and share a utility post(separate outlets for each site) and share the water spigot. As we had come out of the Brinkley Service Center, we did not need to dump. If we had hooked up sewer, we would have needed about 25’ of hose to reach a hole in the ground(no screw in adapter). Water pressure was okay depending on if both rigs are pulling water. They have wifi(4H Public) that was pretty good but there were not many rigs in the fairgrounds. We have 4 bars on Verizon. If you are allergic to train noise, this is not your place as trains run all day, all night, at regular intervals, and the tracks are adjacent to the FHU campground(CG) areas. Sites are quite close together but far enough that you can get your awnings out. As this CG was near the Brinkley Service Center and they had to come back out to us to finish repairs, this place worked for us. We would stay here again if we come back for service center work. They are very flexible with cancellations/reservation changes as they realize the majority of people are here for RV service.

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Shipshewana Campground South Park
    Sep. 4, 2024

    Shipshewana Campground South Park

    Okay Stay

    We took I-80 all the way to near Shipshewana where the roads took us about 7 miles into the campground (CG). Check-in was quick and easy because we had paid ahead online. We proceeded to pull through site 37 with FHUs. The utilities were in the center, which made it nice to dump our two black tanks in order to go to the Brinkley Service Center the next morning. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi. It was nice that the utilities were on the center of the pad. We got 4 bars on Verizon. If we wanted to put out satellite, we could have as there are not many trees in the central area to block the signal. We tried to sign into the free Wifi with no luck. The website wanted us to sign up for paid internet, which we did not do. The sites in the CG are for the most part very close together. We were here overnight to take our rig into Goshen for warranty work. Coming from the West, stay on I-80 to IN-13(exit 107) as it makes for an easier route than on the local roads versus following your GPS or Waze which may have you exit off in Elkhart. Check out the great selections at Yoder's Meat& Cheese just down the road. This CG was okay for an overnighter or short stay.

  • Jasmine M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Mar-Brook Camp Ground
    Aug. 20, 2024

    Mar-Brook Camp Ground

    I have camped here on and off when I was a kid!

    Since my experience here growing up and having family get-a-ways, it’s always been my dream to live here!!

  • Jennifer H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Tall Sycamore Campground
    Jul. 25, 2024

    Tall Sycamore Campground

    Love staying at Tall Sycamore- a great family camp

    I love staying by the Wabash River at Tall Sycamore. It’s a true community where everyone helps one another and the carry in dinners are fun and delicious!

  • Joe A.
    Camper-submitted photo from Ruperts Resort Campground
    Jul. 7, 2024

    Ruperts Resort Campground

    Very nice and enjoyable place keep things simple and fun cheap too easy on the money 💰

    Nobody complaining it's big enough if you want to be loud late you can the people that have a rv all year round are all nice and cool I ran in to just about every one all nice I recommend Ruperts resort in Indiana Plymouth 😉 they have showers and restrooms too if it's raining they have huge spots to go out of the rain you can bring corn hole or any game you like to bring plus more than I can say 4th July was grrreeat!

  • j S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Tippecanoe River Run
    Jun. 29, 2024

    Tippecanoe River Run

    Very quiet, nice place, stargazing was better than expected

    Online reservations is a bit confusing. Map designated tent sites with numbers. When you book campsites they have letters with no map or site pics. You have to book a site but it says first come first serve. Good place for fishing from bank and launching kayak, canoes.

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Happy Acres Campground
    Jun. 4, 2024

    Happy Acres Campground

    Stay in the Skybox

    We rented site 95 in the “skybox” it’s on the backside of the property. Super clean campground with friendly workers and seasonal residents were so friendly. Enjoyed the pool, pickleball and walking the trails. Has a 9hole disc golf. Very cool place and Angola has a lot to offer.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park
    May. 28, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park

    Nice but older

    Our site was 21 inches unloved from front to back and 7 inches down on the passenger side! With poison oak all over the back of our site so bring a lot of leveling block and no kids! Other that that it was a decent park with lots of activities but a very hard campsite to navigate and a busy weekend forget about dumping lol your gonna be there a while. Also no Verizon signal but our friend had T-Mobile and he was ok signal.

  • Tina G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Happy Acres Campground
    May. 2, 2024

    Happy Acres Campground

    Unexpected gem

    We made an last minute stop here on a Sunday night. The owners were helpful and went out of their way to help us. The campground looks awesome and makes you feel at home. They are also big rig friendly. We will stop back here again.

  • fThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Kimpels Hickory Acres
    Mar. 8, 2024

    Kimpels Hickory Acres

    Decent place, will try again

    There is a Waterpark, pool, and hot tub at this campground you can access for an additional price. I camped in a tent next to the cabin that my sister rented so I'm not sure about the tent sites that are available. There are ALOT of full time campers here so I was under the impression that a good site will be hard to find here, but the bathrooms were good and there were things to do so I will try this place out again.

  • fThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Crooked Creek Campground and Cabins
    Mar. 8, 2024

    Crooked Creek Campground and Cabins

    Nice first experience

    We reserved a spot roughly a month in advance and really enjoyed our spot. Had partial shade and picnic table at our site. The bathrooms/showers were large and private (one occupant at a time). River access at this campground so you can kayak about 5 hours to the public access and drive back. Or you can also rent kayaks near the public access and they will transport for you.

  • Kim B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Fish Lake Family Resort
    Oct. 30, 2023

    Fish Lake Family Resort

    A real family campground with a friendly community.

    The owner was wonderful, friendly, and responsive! 

    The site was good for an overnight stay.

    It seems most sites were seasonal and those folks were very friendly.

    We would definitely stay again when going through the area.

    Lots of things happening...and even though we were just a one-night stay, passing through, we were invited to take part in everything going on.  We felt very welcome.

  • T
    Camper-submitted photo from Mississinewa Lake - Miami Recreation Area
    Sep. 2, 2023

    Mississinewa Lake - Miami Recreation Area

    Nice state campground with full hookups!

    We stay mid-week as we are retired. Full hookup site were $30 a night. Sites seem large and well maintained. All the staff that we interacted with were very friendly. We kayaked the reservoir, used the beach and fished. Finally, we hauled our bikes to the reservoir overlook and then rode them over the dam. A very relaxing trip. T- mobile cell service was 1 bar, however we had our T-mobile internet tower and got 3 bars. Slow speeds but we could still stream tv.



Guide to Columbia City

Camping near Columbia City, Indiana, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From serene lakes to bustling campgrounds, there’s something for everyone looking to escape into nature.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Biking: Many campgrounds, like Potato Creek State Park Campground, have miles of trails. One visitor noted, “Great spacing between sites and offers miles of hiking and biking trails.”
  • Kayaking and Canoeing: The Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground is perfect for water activities. A camper shared, “Kayaking the 13 lakes can easily last from morning to sundown.”
  • Fishing: Many parks, including Tippecanoe River State Park Campground, provide great fishing spots. One reviewer mentioned, “Fishing was poor according to my husband,” but others still enjoyed the experience.

What campers like:

What you should know:

  • Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially in summer. A visitor at Tippecanoe River State Park Campground warned, “The mosquitoes are prolific and abundant!”
  • Site Variability: Campsite sizes and privacy can vary. A camper at Ouabache State Park Campground said, “The campsites are variable; size and privacy definitely depends on the site you book.”
  • Limited Cell Service: Many areas have poor cell reception. A visitor at Potato Creek State Park Campground mentioned, “Verizon signal essentially nonexistent.”

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and activities. A parent at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Barton Lake said, “The kids loved the activities and amenities.”
  • Safety First: Choose sites away from busy roads. A family at Johnny Appleseed Campground enjoyed the peaceful setting, stating, “It was nice and quiet even though it’s in the middle of town.”
  • Plan for Meals: Bring easy-to-cook meals or check for nearby markets. A camper at Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground mentioned, “There’s a well-stocked general store with fishing supplies.”

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Pokagon State Park Campground advised, “Some sites can accommodate larger rigs, most can't.”
  • Dump Stations: Look for campgrounds with convenient dump stations. A visitor at Potato Creek State Park Campground appreciated, “Fresh water fill and dump stations were the best we’ve seen anywhere.”
  • Be Prepared for Weather: Check forecasts before your trip. A camper at Ebys Pines noted, “It was beautiful and very clean, but the grass was a bit long at our site.”

Camping near Columbia City, Indiana, offers a mix of fun, relaxation, and adventure. Whether you're in an RV or tent, there's a spot waiting for you!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Columbia City, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Columbia City, IN is River Camp Fort Wayne with a 3-star rating from 1 review.

  • What is the best site to find tent camping near Columbia City, IN?

    TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Columbia City, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.