Best Tent Camping near French Lick, IN

Tent Camping Reviews near French Lick, IN

642 Reviews of 18 French Lick Campgrounds

• 

  Jim L.

  Traveler

  Aug. 31, 2017

  Hardin Ridge

  Hospitable Woods Experience

  This campground is nestled on a ridge above Indiana's Lake Monroe. The wooded sites include a fire-ring, a pole for your lantern and generous flat graveled areas to pitch your tent, as well as a couple of picnic tables per site. There are pleanty of RV sites with electric hookup available as well. Each area of the campground has a knowlegeable courteous full time host, and ice is available at the main gate. Foraging for wood is allowed which is a definite bonus in this era of emerald ash-borer awareness and wood import restrictions. The plentiful raccoons seem almost tame, yet keep a safe distance from campers if you allow them to. There is a small beach to beat the summer heat, and nearby showerhouses (even in the non-electric sites) are kept clean with adequately warm water. There is a small interpretive hike with approximately 300 feet of elevation change situated near the ampitheater that can be completed in a couple of hours.

  Read More
• D

  Darren L.

  Ranger

  Jul. 17, 2019

  Charles C. Deam Wilderness

  A couple nights on the sycamore trail

  Wonderful place. Excellent trail following a nice little stream along the one side. Being in a national forest dispersed camping is allowed if you follow leave no trace principals, but I stayed in a couple of the official sites. The official sites all had rock fire rings and bushcraft furniture.

  The one negative was I did have to pack out previous campers trash along with my own. Being close to the college there was evidence that less than mature campers may frequent the area. That being said once on trail I didn’t see another soul past a couple hundred feet of the trail head and only heard a pair of hikers on the trail pass my camp site as I ate my breakfast the one morning.

  A wonderful backpacking area!

  Read More
• 

  Sofia A.

  Ranger

  Oct. 24, 2020

  Marengo Cave Campgrounds

  Near Caves

  I stayed on late October and I was the only one there, except for a family on the cabins. The spots are just near and walking distance from the caves and other attractions. They have two potable water spots (so no water on each spot), picnic tables, fire rings, grills and every spot faces the little river. restrooms and showers too. You can bring small pets inside the cave if you carry them all time. I have a small zuchon and carry her in a doggy backpack 🎒 she loved it!

• 

  Shelly S.

  Legend

  Jun. 4, 2018

  Hoosier National Forest South Slope Loop Campground

  Glam ping in the woods

  South Slope Loop At Hoosier National Forest is located second campground in on your way to Celina lake. This is the RV friendly campground with electrical hookups for your toys. You give up some privacy and quiet to have your electric as the sites are closer together and of course your neighbor may not be as courteous with the noise said electronics create.

  There is excellent tree cover and you do have some tree block between sites. A nice large newer showerhouse, water points, picnic tables and fire rings to finish off the homeyness.

  All of the hosts that i interacted with were very friendly and went out of their way to assist when they could. The local Ranger Station is located in Tell City and closed on the weekend.

  We spent our time hiking on the Interpretive Trail (1mi)near Celina Lake and Two Rivers Trail (15 mi) which encompasses both Celina and Indian Lake . You can disperse camp for $5 a night as long as you are 300 ft from the trail. And take your bug spray or you may be nothing but a dried out husk by the end of your visit, ticks are horrible right now!

  We spent time at the lake also. Very peaceful, electric motors only so no waves or tubers flying by. There is a small handicap accessible fishing pier adjacent the parking area. A nice area to visit.

  Read More
• 

  Daisy C.

  Traveler

  Jun. 5, 2020

  Yellowwood State Forest

  Quiet, Peaceful, and Primitive

  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. Bring exact change(cash). Current prices are listed on the Indiana DNR website. The park office does have firewood for sale, but only during open hours, which are limited. There is no camp store, no playgrounds, and no pool. Swimming is not allowed in Yellowwood lake. Each site has a fire ring with grill grate and picnic table. There are four campground loops and a horseman’s campground. Campgrounds have vault toilets and drinking water access. I do not know if water is turned on year-round. There are no modern restrooms. Sites are wooded and fairly level. All sites are primitive. We have only tent camped at Yellowwood, so I can’t say what size travel trailers would fit in the sites. Yellowwood road changes over to gravel once you enter the state forest. It is well maintained. You can also access the forest by Jackson Creek road, but you’re on gravel for longer, and I seem to remember it being a bit rougher. We have camped at Yellowwood several times between 2011-2018. 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. We have several times been one of two or three campers in the loop. Several trails are nearby in the state forest, including the Tecumseh Trail. Horse trails are also available. Yellowwood lake is adjacent to the campground and there is a boat ramp, but there are limitations on boating(motor size). Check with the DNR website. Camp here if you like quiet, peaceful camping. You won’t run into a bunch of loud partiers.

  Read More
• 

  Sam H.

  Guide

  Apr. 2, 2023

  Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Average National Forest campground

  13 total sites, 2 of which are tent/primitive only and set 50ft or so back into the trees. No electric or water. A single vault toilet of average cleanliness, but was stocked with 6 partial rolls of tp. Tent pads are all flat and level, but parking pads are definitely not. It's all gravel roads including the "Saddle Lake Road" entrance all the way from Old State Road 37. There is a parking lot and boat ramp further down the hill at the lake, but state law does not permit swimming from the shore without a designated beach. $5/night fee paid by honor system drop box near camp entrance.

• N

  Nick S.

  Guide

  Jul. 20, 2016

  Newton Stewart State Rec Area - Patoka Lake

  Good campground, bad weather :(

  Campsites had paved parking pads, picnic table, fire-ring, and electrical hookups. Restrooms and showers were clean. Lot's of open space and nothing really separating you and your neighbors. This SRA is right on Patoka Lake, so there's plenty to do on the water - boating, fishing, floating cabins, beaches. There's also a disc golf course, archery range, and plenty of paved & dirt trails. It also has a great nature center. Unfortunately our trip got cut short due to very high winds, but we will definitely be back!

• 

  Sarah R.

  Scout

  Jan. 20, 2021

  Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Primitive Paradise

  This is a centrally located primitive campground that my siblings and I use often for weekend expeditions. The long winding gravel road takes you away from the highway and deposits you in a serene location that is perfect no matter which season you visit. Each site offers ample space for multiple vehicles and occupants; each site also has a picnic table, double lantern hook, and a nice iron fire ring with a swiveling grate. We have spent many weekends here and have never had any issues with any of the other patrons. Each site is $5 a night, they use the honor system, and they have a pit vault bathroom that is usually in pretty clean condition.

  Read More
• V

  Violet

  Traveler

  Jun. 20, 2021

  Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Straightforward little campsite

  There are 8-10 spots available, all but one of which are drive-in. I think a smaller RV or third-wheel could get into the first and last spots, otherwise, all the spots looked suitable for tent or hammock camping. 

  We had enough Verizon coverage to get emails and make calls but not enough to have worked on for a longer stay. The campsite is near Saddle Lake and it is walkable at a stretch but there is no swimming allowed there. Based on the other visitors, fishing is the main draw here. The sites were somewhat divided by trees and undergrowth but you will see or hear other campers and the occasional truck flying up the nearby gravel road at 2 am. Site #11 is more private and not visible from the drive in, it is on the right as you pull in going toward the lake.

  Collecting firewood is not permitted here. Bring whatever you need out, I did not see anywhere to get ice or firewood between the campsite and I-64.

  The vault toilet was adequately clean. 

  Dry camping (no water). 

  All drive-in sites had a fire pit and picnic table. 

  We had a hook for trash and whatnot. Be advised that bears are only very rarely seen in Indiana but the racoons are ruthless and highly organized.

  I wrote about my visit here: Saddle Lake camping un-fails

  Read More