Horsemen's Campground at Brown County State Park is one of several equestrian camping options located near Danville, Indiana, which sits in the central Indiana region approximately 20 miles west of Indianapolis. The area features gently rolling terrain with elevations ranging from 750-900 feet above sea level. Fall camping sees temperatures averaging 45-65°F with colorful foliage displays, while summer months typically reach 75-85°F with moderate humidity.
What to do
Explore canyon hiking trails: Turkey Run State Park offers rugged terrain unusual for central Indiana, with deep ravines and sandstone cliffs. "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," notes Kaley A. from Turkey Run State Park Campground.
Canoe Sugar Creek: The waterway running through Turkey Run provides excellent paddling opportunities. "Sugar Creek is also great for floating with inner tubes, canoes, or kayaks," explains Joel R. "Turkey Run is a huge campground (over 200 sites) just north of Terre Haute. There are lots of trails that offers hikers plenty of opportunities."
Fish at Yellowwood Lake: The 133-acre lake at Yellowwood State Forest provides fishing opportunities about an hour south of Danville. "Very beautiful yet primitive campground. All the campgrounds are numbered and have their own names. Think there are 80 sites in total," shares Sammii D. "There is a picnicking area for day use only right off the water which is beautiful."
Try gold panning: Yellowwood State Forest offers the unusual activity of gold panning with a permit. "Gold panning is a thing here! You need a permit," notes Cynthia K. "Several trails of varying length. They rent boats at the Forest Office. Electric motor only."
What campers like
Shady, private sites: Campers appreciate secluded spots at Turkey Run. "We took our van and stayed at Turkey Run for a three night weekend. We were in a wooded section and it was pretty private," shares Samantha S. "The wooded 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."
Clean facilities: Johnson County Park maintains well-kept restrooms. "Very quiet and peaceful!! Clean bathrooms/showers!!! Park is nice and clean too!! Very reasonable!!" writes Janet F. Though this campground is no longer accepting tent campers, it serves RV campers well.
Quiet camping atmosphere: Yellowwood State Forest offers a more secluded experience. "Camp here if you like quiet, peaceful camping. You won't run into a bunch of loud partiers," advises Daisy C. "The only time we have ever seen the campground busy is over big holiday weekends like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and 4th of July. Otherwise use is light."
What you should know
Site reservation requirements: Most campgrounds near Danville require advance planning. However, Yellowwood State Forest operates differently: "Yellowwood state forest campground does not accept reservations. It is first come, first served. Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope," explains Daisy C.
Limited amenities at primitive sites: Some campgrounds offer minimal facilities. "Yellowwood has 79 primitive class c sites in four campground areas adjacent to the 133 acre Yellowwood Lake; Red Pine, White-Oak Hickory, Redbud and Black Gum; $13 per night," notes Stephen & Theresa B. "There are several potable water stations and pit toilets throughout the campgrounds."
Raccoon awareness: Wildlife encounters are common at Turkey Run Canoe & Camping. "As some other reviews stated, watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything," warns Samantha S. Several campers mention securing food items to prevent nighttime visitors.
Tips for camping with families
Water recreation options: Monroe Lake provides water activities at Ransburg Scout Reservation. "Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing. Lots of fun activities to do, and great hiking trails," says Margo B., who adds "We have camped here in a cabin, and also tent camped."
Weekend timing strategy: Visit popular parks midweek to avoid crowds. "In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon," recommends Samantha S. "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."
Site selection for kids: Choose campsites with play space. "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," shares Kaley A. about Turkey Run State Park.
Tips from RVers
Electrical service considerations: Some campgrounds offer limited electrical options. At Turkey Run Canoe & Camping, "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," cautions Scott B.
Site leveling challenges: Turkey Run has some uneven terrain. "The site was clean and well equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. The site is very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It's was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end," notes Michelle M.
RV size limitations: For those seeking horse camping with larger rigs, Horsemen's Campground at Brown County State Park accommodates bigger setups. "The campground is large, with spaces to accommodate larger rigs. Most of the sites also have electric hook-up, although water spigots are few and far between," writes Audrey M.
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