Campgrounds Near Decatur, Indiana

Are you in need of a campground near Decatur, IN? Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Decatur is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Discover great camping spots near Decatur, reviewed by campers like you.

Best Camping Sites Near Decatur, IN (67)

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Showing results 1-10 of 67 campgrounds

Pet-friendly camping near Decatur

Recent Reviews in Decatur

212 Reviews of 67 Decatur Campgrounds


  • Brian O.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    Nov. 5, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    small campground away from it all

    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) or 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

  • 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.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    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.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    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!

  • Susan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Ottawa Metro Park Campground
    Sep. 16, 2024

    Ottawa Metro Park Campground

    Nice, clean campground, adjoining a big greenway

    Very clean and pleasant campground, not far off the interstate. A 13_mile Greenway passes by there. Very nice bath and shower house. All sites paved with water and electric. Great place to spend a night or two.

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from Ottawa Metro Park Campground
    Aug. 26, 2024

    Ottawa Metro Park Campground

    Wonderful spot

    It is first come..no reservations. Water and electric 30 Amp and some 50 amps as well. Beautiful park with bike and walking paths. Camp hosts are very helpful. Bathrooms and showers are very clean.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Grand Lake St. Marys State Park — Grand Lake St Marys State Park
    Aug. 24, 2024

    Grand Lake St. Marys State Park — Grand Lake St Marys State Park

    One nighter

    We were just passing through for one night and we’d been there before but this is a new site to us. It had a decent level pad and plenty deep enough for our camper and tow vehicle. The site has a large side and backyard with a great view of the lake. The shower house was just a short walk. Check in was easy and so was finding our site.

  • 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!!

  • FThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Salamonie River State Forest
    Aug. 17, 2024

    Salamonie River State Forest

    Primitive sites

    Small campground. 13$. No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer. Spacious sites. Fairly wooded. Firewood only available Mon - Friday 8-3.

  • Megan M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Lake Loramie State Park Campground
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Lake Loramie State Park Campground

    Pretty lake. Parking lot campground

    First, the lake here is beautiful. It has many islands, coves and inlets and is perfect for a couple of days of paddling or fishing. That's where the two stars come in. 

    BUT. There are many buts. The campground is like a giant RV lot. The sites are tiny. We were in a tent-only site and we had two families right on top of us on either side. We could hear the entire conversations of one family, plus there were 11 people there, three cars, and they were partying the first night and extremely noisy.

    The reservation map is incorrect. When I reserved, it showed #13 as being on the end of the tent only area. When we arrived, I found out there was a site #14 that wasn't even pictured on the reservation map, and this is where the giant screaming family was parked! I thought I was going to be on the end- it is not very accommodating for a variety of reasons for a reservation map to be so incorrect. 

    The air everywhere reeks of sewage, ranging from what you smell outside a giant pig farm, to what you smell outside of a porta potty, to rotten egg smell. I don't know where these smells were coming from but it was nonstop. 

    The bathrooms were extremely dirty. It looks like they haven't been renovated since the 80s. 

    The employees in the office never seemed to be able to tell us what we needed to know. We asked on Friday evening where the Saturday morning naturalist paddle would be, and we were told to come back Saturday morning and ask someone else. On Saturday, the person in the office told us to go to a location that was miles away- we spent 40 minutes in the car driving around, trying to find where this activity was, only to give up and find out it was actually adjacent to the campground, not down the road in a different part of the park. 

    Last, the lake is in the middle of a residential neighborhood. You can see houses around the edge of the park while you are sitting in your campsite. It is not remote, and there is a noisy, busy highway running along the side of the campground. 

    I enjoyed the lake but I will not camp here again.

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

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    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.

  • S
    Camper-submitted photo from Powell Creek Campground
    May. 8, 2024

    Powell Creek Campground

    Old & dilapidated,

    Old campground with very little to do. Dirty shower building and dirty bathrooms( be sure to bring your own toilet paper because it's always empty). Activity building looks like it is about ready to collapse, with cracks in the concrete big enough to trip over. Run don't walk away from this place!

  • 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.

  • Shona S.
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Water Campground
    Sep. 8, 2023

    Blue Water Campground

    Okay

    It had the facilities, but we were unimpressed with the service when booking, price quoted at reservation and online was different to price charged and we were placed right by the dump ground

  • Rick G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Johnny Appleseed Campground
    Aug. 31, 2023

    Johnny Appleseed Campground

    Great for Fort Wayne Visit

    Let me start out by qualifying my 5-star review by saying it is site specific. Our site was one of the more private which earned the 5-stars. But, even in a different site it’s a great place to stay for a few nights as you explore the area. Easy in and out, good electric service, water at the site, good Verizon signal, easy dump station access, and friendly camp hosts. Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) burial site is next to this county park. And he is celebrated each Fall within the park with a festival.

  • Y
    Camper-submitted photo from Ottawa Metro Park Campground
    Aug. 11, 2023

    Ottawa Metro Park Campground

    So peaceful

    Stopped here for the night on a road trip. It was the best decision to make! It is such a nice peaceful campground! The sites were nicely spaced along with a wonderful bathroom. Its definitely one of the nicest campgrounds I have ever been to!

  • T
    Camper-submitted photo from Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Plymouth
    Aug. 4, 2023

    Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Plymouth

    Deserves less than 1 star

    WORST CAMPGROUND WE'VE VISITED.

    To start with, the gate staff was curt, indifferent, and almost mute. We got the impression they couldn't care less if we stayed there or not.

    After checking in, our guide took us to our site. As soon as we got into the park, it was evident that this campground catered mostly to seasonal "campers", with most sites occupied with permanent campers and RVs set up with sheds, porches, and other permanent buildings. The streets were exceptionally narrow, with tree limbs scraping the sides and top of our coach.

    When we arrived at our site, we were unable to make the turn into our site, as the site next to us had a white picket fence right on the "property" line. Our guide was able to get us moved to another site, with more narrow streets and tree limb scrapes. Even then we had to cut across the grass to get into our site. The site itself was very uneven, but we were able to finally get the coach level.

    Our grandkids tried the playground equipment, but most of it was rusted and semi-operational. The jump pad appeared to be functional, but an older guy in a site next to the jump pad was chasing and yelling at kids, so our grandkids quickly left.

    Stay here only if no other options are available. In fact, just skip it, you're better off going right on by.

  • A
    Camper-submitted photo from River Trail Campground II
    Jul. 30, 2023

    River Trail Campground II

    Quick weekend stay

    The papers were friendly ans helpful. Friendly patrons throughout the park. Clean saltwater pool, a park and a clean pond with a swimming beach. Catch and release fishing allowed. Bingo on Saturday evening! We all enjoyed our stay.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Ouabache State Park Campground
    Jul. 19, 2023

    Ouabache State Park Campground

    Camp sites are tiny

    Camp sites are tiny. We had site 88 and it was supposed to be full shade. It was full sun and they have it set up so the camp side of the trailer faces the road. The fire pit is also three feet from the road. Who wants to have a fire next to the road?

  • Jack M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Johnny Appleseed Campground
    Jul. 2, 2023

    Johnny Appleseed Campground

    The pet friendliest place so far

    They have a tremendous pet park with a well maintained yard. The only problem so far has been the water distribution. But the price is very affordable. My site was 30 dollars a night. Bath house and bathrooms are very nicely kept clean. And there is a river right beside it.



Guide to Decatur

Camping near Decatur, Indiana, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun-filled family adventure, there are several campgrounds in the area that cater to different needs.

What to do:

  • Kayaking and Fishing: Many campers enjoy the chance to kayak or fish in the local lakes. One visitor at Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground mentioned, "Kayaking the 13 lakes can easily last from morning to sundown."
  • Hiking Trails: Explore the scenic trails available at Pokagon State Park Campground. A reviewer noted, "They have good hiking trails, nice refreshing waters, good food options at certain places."
  • Wildlife Viewing: Keep an eye out for local wildlife. A camper at Ouabache State Park Campground shared, "The bison exhibit and ranger programs are great too."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Mounds State Park Campground said, "Bathrooms are very clean, park is beautiful, trails are awesome!"
  • Spacious Campsites: Many enjoy the roomy sites at Summit Lake State Park Campground. One camper remarked, "Several campsites offer full shade and most are level."
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often mention the helpfulness of the staff. A reviewer at Johnny Appleseed Campground noted, "Nice place and very friendly camp hosts."

What you should know:

  • Reservation System: Some campgrounds have a tricky online reservation system. A camper at Indian Lake State Park Campground commented, "The online reservation system is clumsy to use at best."
  • Noise Levels: Be prepared for potential noise from nearby roads or other campers. A visitor at Angola/Hogback Lake KOA Holiday mentioned, "The only drawback is the traffic noise if you’re staying in any of the sites near the front of the park."
  • Crowded Conditions: Some campgrounds can get busy, especially during peak seasons. A camper at Miami State Recreation Area said, "It was overly crowded, the lake was murky."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose the Right Campsite: Look for sites that offer privacy and space for kids to play. A family at Pokagon State Park Campground found, "Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't."
  • Plan Activities: Make sure to have a list of activities to keep everyone entertained. A camper at Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground shared, "This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate."
  • Pack Snacks: Keep snacks handy for hikes and outdoor activities. A visitor at Summit Lake State Park Campground mentioned, "There is a large (shallow) lake for fishing and kayaking."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure to verify the size of your campsite before booking. A reviewer at Ouabache State Park Campground noted, "Camp sites are tiny."
  • Bring Extra Water: Some campgrounds may have issues with water quality. A camper at Miami State Recreation Area advised, "The potable water is brown and smelly.. be sure to bring your water filter!"
  • Be Mindful of Dump Stations: Know where the dump stations are located. A visitor at Pokagon State Park Campground mentioned, "There are 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4."

Camping around Decatur, Indiana, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What camping is available near Decatur, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, Decatur, IN offers a wide range of camping options, with 67 campgrounds and RV parks near Decatur, IN and 2 free dispersed camping spots.

  • Which is the most popular campground near Decatur, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Decatur, IN is Ouabache State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 12 reviews.

  • Where can I find free dispersed camping near Decatur, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Decatur, IN.

  • What parks are near Decatur, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, there are 10 parks near Decatur, IN that allow camping, notably Clarence J. Brown Dam and Reservoir and Delaware Lake.