Looking for tent camping near Decatur? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Decatur, Indiana's most popular destinations.
Each site is in a wooded, shaded area with a flat area on the ground to place a large tent. Each site has its own fire ring and a small wooden table. There is cut firewood in several locations in the woods for all to use, and ample twigs etc on the ground for kindling (do not cut any trees or branches off trees). There are maintained trails with river access for kayaks. There is a single bathroom with flush toilet and sink with running water that is a short walk away. There is an outdoor shower at bathroom, with a water hose available as well. Foster Park is a short bike ride away where you will find greenway trails that run throughout Fort Wayne (ride your bike to downtown!!)
Link to Trails Maps
fwtrails.org
Need to rent a bike or kayak:
fwoutfitters.com/#
$18 - $25 / night
Legend
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
Traveler
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....
LegendLittle 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
LegendWe 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.
Scout
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!
Scout
Great camping level site.
Traveler
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.
ScoutIt 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.
Legend
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.
ScoutSince my experience here growing up and having family get-a-ways, it’s always been my dream to live here!!
Guide
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.
Travelerjust being here for an one night stop. Restrooms are very clean and comfortable. Nice place and very friendly camp hosts
ScoutHaven't been yet
GuideOur 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.
Traveler
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.
Scout
Great little campground but it is no longer open.
ScoutThe shower are unisex, and there is a train that blows its horn all night long
TravelerIt 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
LegendLet 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.
TravelerStopped 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!
Guide
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.
Scout
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.
Scout
Many of the amenities were damaged by a tornado. Therefore no pool or other water amenities except for the lakes. It seems that the 50 amp sights are very spread out and randomly located.
Traveler
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?
GuideThey 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.
GuideWe stayed here for one night on our way to a further destination. It was nice and quiet even though it’s in the middle of town. We would’ve enjoyed it more if the hosts hadn’t moved us to a front location by then. The back area sites 2-8 were so peaceful looking and walking back to that area and through it was like walking into a completely different place. The key lock entry bathroom/shower house was the nicest cleanest we’ve used. We would stay here again if we could be guaranteed sites 2-8.
ScoutAwesome campground and amazing cabins !! Looking for an awesome place to spend some time with your kids and families ??!! Yogi bear campground is the place !!! You will not be bored ! Plenty of things for the children and adults to do !!! Come enjoy yourself ❤️
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Decatur, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Decatur, IN is River Camp Fort Wayne with a 3-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Decatur, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Decatur, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
