Campsite options near French Lick, Indiana include primitive tent sites and full-hookup RV sites across the Hoosier National Forest and state parks. French Lick sits at approximately 500 feet elevation within the Crawford Upland section of southern Indiana, characterized by forested hills and valleys. Campers often note the terrain can be challenging with some campground roads requiring careful navigation during rainy conditions.
What to do
Paddling and fishing: Patoka Lake offers boat-in camping options and excellent fishing conditions. "We rented two of the floating cabins and it was a blast. Plenty of space for sleeping with a kitchen and modern facilities. The boating and fishing are pretty good as well," notes one Patoka Lake Campground visitor.
Hiking options: The Hoosier National Forest trail system offers various difficulty levels. At Indian-Celina Recreation Area, campers report "The trails were long, but not too difficult, but slightly overgrown. They had very pretty views of the lake." This recreation area provides quieter alternatives to the busier state parks.
Cave exploration: Spring Mill State Park features cave tours and historical attractions. "There is a cave tour also on offer in which you ride thru the cave system in a boat. Yes there are even lifevests for customer to wear!" confirms a visitor about the unique underground boat tours.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds offer well-separated sites. At Spring Mill State Park Campground, sites vary in levelness - "We weren't fond of the other trails we where on, they didn't have many view but trees (which would of been better if it wasn't so hot at the time)." Consider site selection carefully during reservation.
Quiet weekday stays: Multiple campgrounds report significant differences between weekday and weekend crowds. One camper at Youngs Creek Horse Camp noted, "Great quit place to rest up for a few nights. The site has a toilet and water. If you head into the town of Paoli be sure to hit up the farmers co-op for supplies."
Cell service considerations: Connectivity varies dramatically by campground and carrier. At Patoka Lake, a reviewer reported "Cell service was poor. (T-Mobile 0-1 bar LTE, AT&T 1-2 bars LTE, but NO internet service when things get busy Thursday to Sunday afternoon...weird)."
What you should know
Primitive options: Free camping is available but limited. "Shirley Creek Horse Camp is a underutilized camp well suited for a day or two of horse rides and camping. Generous campspots throughout perfectly suited for horses and humans alike. Most spots have picnic tables and fire rings, though some are missing," reports one visitor to Shirley Creek Campground.
Bathroom facilities: Quality varies widely between campgrounds. Some offer modern facilities while others provide only vault toilets. A recent visitor to Sycamore Springs Park noted, "The showers were the best I've seen, clean and strong pressure. It is also pet friendly."
Road conditions: Some forest service roads require careful navigation. One camper observed about Shirley Creek: "Be aware that it's a pretty long drive in with lots of hill and some areas that are strictly gravel. Shouldn't need 4WD unless it's wet, at which point I wouldn't go as it's in a lower level area and prone to flooding."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Some campgrounds offer extensive play areas. "So much to do with the kids, from swimming in the creek, fishing, campfires, s'mores, fresh black topped roads, and such friendly staff. Clean bathrooms and showers, and beautiful places to visit also. Tons of playgrounds too spread throughout the campground," reports a visitor to Sycamore Springs Park.
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds feature nature centers and educational programming. At Martin State Forest, campers find "Level sites, gravel and paved. Water available but not at each site. Pit toilets. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Nice clean and maintained campground."
Swimming options: Creek access provides natural swimming opportunities at some locations. A Sycamore Springs visitor notes, "It's a very family oriented campground with more rules than many campgrounds, such as no alcohol. They want it to be kid friendly and not a party destination."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Electric service varies between 30-amp and 50-amp. At Patoka Lake, a camper reported "Sites were clean and in working order with 30A service. Facilities were in working order but didn't appear to be cleaned daily. Seemed to have a high ratio of campsites to showers so things get crowded with all the lake people wanting to shower frequently."
Dump station timing: Plan for possible lines at popular campgrounds. "4 dump stations at exit but still lines due to shear number of sites but things moved quickly," notes a Patoka Lake camper about the weekend rush.
Site levelness: Many campgrounds have sloped sites requiring leveling blocks. "The site we where at was heavily sloped, the only flat part was where they put the fire pit at. When we looked at the other site most of the shaded sites that had some privacy where also heavily sloped," warns a Spring Mill State Park visitor.
