Best Tent Camping near Hamilton, IN

Tent campsites near Hamilton, Indiana provide access to several established campgrounds with varying amenities and natural settings. Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area offers primitive tent camping with boat-in, drive-in, and walk-in access options. Independence Dam State Park Campground, located in neighboring Ohio, provides riverside tent sites with basic facilities. Circle B RV Park and Cabins in Angola also accommodates tent campers seeking more developed facilities.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Pigeon River lacks drinking water but allows fires and pets, making it suitable for self-sufficient backcountry tent camping. Sites typically have minimal improvements, with some offering picnic tables while others maintain a more rustic experience. Independence Dam State Park provides drinking water, fire rings, and picnic tables, but only vault toilets are available. Seasonal considerations affect availability, with some campgrounds like 6 Lakes Campground operating from May through November, while others remain open year-round.

Walk-in tent locations throughout the area provide opportunities for more secluded camping experiences away from RVs and cabins. The terrain varies from riverside settings at Independence Dam to more wooded environments at Pigeon River. Tent campers can access fishing, kayaking, and hiking opportunities from most sites. River Camp Fort Wayne offers drive-in and walk-in tent camping options with reservable sites. According to one visitor at Independence Dam State Park, "The park itself is very narrow and long, and stretches down the Maumee River bank. It's very green with lots of trees and shade cover." Another camper noted that Pigeon River offers "kayak through winding rivers and lakes in Northern Indiana" with shuttle service available for paddling trips.

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Best Tent Sites Near Hamilton, Indiana (15)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Hamilton, IN

3 Photos of 15 Hamilton Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Hamilton, IN

336 Reviews of 15 Hamilton Campgrounds


  • N
    Apr. 17, 2019

    Indian Springs Campground

    Dirty

    Dirty restrooms. Dirty lake. You have to pay extra to use the slide. Camp sites have been cut in half. Only 1 bathhouse/restrooms all the eay in the front at the beach. On the 2nf day we did find a porta potty in the back but it was nasty and everyone refused to use it. Manager was rude when i could not fit my car, tent (10x20), table and fire ring on out site. Told me o had to move my tent 1 foot over after it was already set up and loaded with beds. She left and I pulled it down and restaked just in time for her to vome and look disappointed that i had followed her order to pull it down and said i did not have to do that. The site was mostly dirt very little to no grass. When it rained we had nothing but mud. Hay rides on the weekend were late and the man driving it went way to fast down the back hill making you feel you were about to fall out. Employees childrwn throwing water on the people riding the hay ride. Someone went around fogging for mosquitos and allowed the children to run and play in the fog. Karaoke lady was extremely rude to all the children.

  • Laura H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 23, 2020

    Twin Mills Camping Resort

    Beautiful Wooded Campground

    Twin Mills is a really beautiful and quiet RV Campground, with tall trees in Northern Indiana. We frequent this location when getting RV Repairs and visiting Elkhart, the birth place of most RVs.

    There are cabins and tent sites and a large lake access point with a beach area. The playgrounds seemed to be in good shape and the dumpsters were centrally located.

    The park has a gate entrance for security.

    There is a large pool area and basketball court.

    There are several sections in the park, some more wooded and narrow sites, some are more spread out.

    Cellular: T-Mobile had good signal strength and bandwidth, AT&T was not as good but still doable.

    Most of the sites are full hook up, some have 30amp and some have 50amp.

    Amenities: Pool Clubhouse Basketball Volleyball Picnic tables Fire rings Trash Playground Lake access Beach area Dock Cabins Tent sites

  • Clay T.
    Dec. 26, 2024

    Chain O'lakes State Park Dispersed Campsite

    "Free, never heard of that app."

    Although it states in the app free dispersed camping. Doesn't always mean just that. The cheapest campsite at primitive camping is $12 bucks. (Tent sites) For more, you can get electric hookup sites galore that all include a fire ring picnic table and a pretty leveled out spot.

  • Marg B.
    Jun. 14, 2018

    Lake Hudson Recreation Area

    Beautiful Nature, Dark Sky Rustic Camping

    Lake Hudson is a dark sky preserve full of trees, nature and a beautiful lake. The camping sites come with an electric plug in, a nice fire ring and a picnic table. They are cute sites. Most are not by the lake. There is a dumpster. The facilities are rustic. The facilities are port a potty type with wooden walls and cement floor. No showers. A hand pump well for water. The swimming part of the lake requires a drive. The Lake is beautiful with a sand beach, no wake boating and grills. However it is rustic so there is goose poo. The woods are beautiful. There is hunting. We had heard that some people partied there but the night we were there it was quiet and people were respectful. We had a beautiful fire and dutch oven dinner. We saw one cute racoon who ran away when I reacted. We were worried about mosquitos but we only saw one.

  • A
    Dec. 8, 2020

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Hidden gem for the right people

    This park is great for the right kind of trips, we visit here often in the summer to enjoy the river, kayak , and relax. Most sites are on a small elevated bank on maumee river, (you can walk down the path but not put a kayak in)

    There are no hookups, only vault toilets, no staff only very nice camp hosts ( there are next to site 11 ). 

    Sites 1-6 are misleading on the site, they are not on the river bend, there is a gravel trail/road between them and the river bank. its not a huge deal for access but annoying if your expecting direct access. 

    Sites 9 and 10 were not bookable in 2020 an hopefully remain that way, they are basically in front on the camp host site, so the camp host is between you and the river. 

    Sites 11-15 are the best in my opinion 

    Site 13 has direct access to the river on a small walking path.

    Site 15 is our favorite, it has the most room and still has a small path down to the river.

  • Cheryl M.
    May. 8, 2018

    Lake Hudson Recreation Area

    Lakeside, privacy & low priced!

    50 sites separated by thick trees, 11 are on the lake side with trails thru woods to lake (not really 'lakeview' from inside camper). Swimming, boating, kayaking, fishing, sand beaches & more on a good size lake with tons of inlets & curvy shorelines.

    $20/nt in 2018. All are 20/30 amp, no water, no sewer. Several spigots in camp area, no dump station... nearby one at Hayes State Park. Vault toilets (didn't use as we have in camper). Boat launch. Very pretty lake & views, peaceful. Info/reserve at https://www.midnrreservations.com/LakeHudsonRecreationArea?Map

    Note1: LONG RV's 31'+ would fit in a lot of the sites, but sites say up to 30'. We had approx 40-45' space from road to treeline.

    Note2: DARK SKY PARK designation so enjoy the amazing night star views! They do ask you to keep blinds & drapes closed and exterior lights off or to a minimum.

    Note3: Extension or long electrical cords may be needed, as boxes are at back end and halfway to next site over.

  • C
    Jul. 5, 2022

    Lake Hudson Recreation Area

    Lake Hudson Rec Area

    Site 16. We stayed here over the weekend of July 4th. The road to get in is a dusty road that’s is very bumpy. It’s a rustic campground with no water or dump station, so make sure you bring water and have a plan for dumping. We used the RV dump station at the Loves Truck Stop in Marshall, MI on our way home which is an hour west of the campground off of I-94 for $10. We were told that you could use Hayes State Park which is 30 mins away as a place for dumping as well. There is only a hand pump to use to get water in front of the campground so make sure you bring jugs for filling. There are a few sites and a cabin in the lake with a pretty view. The mosquitoes and gnats were terrible so make sure you bring bug spray and a fan when hanging out outside. There is no firewood available for sale, but there is someone up the road who sales it for a decent price. The site itself is big as it fit our 32 foot travel trailer. It does connect to the site on the other side of you and the back of you. The electric box for your neighbor is also in the back of this site. No playground for kids, but lots of hiking trails which we biked too the beach and boat launch. There is also a place to fish at the boat launch, where we caught sunfish, large and small mouth bass. There is also 1 geocaching spot too. We will definitely come back. We had a great time!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2019

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Not feeling the love

    When researching our trip, I came upon this state park right on the Maumee River and was very surprised to find it had not been previously reviewed. The website indicated the sites were tent only but when I called, I was told we could park and sleep in our campervan. When I tried to make reservations, there was a two-night minimum on the weekends and we were just passing through so I decided to see if we might be able to snag one night if there were sites available. 

    There is a two-mile road to the campsites once you enter the park and along the way, we passed many pull-out day-use picnic areas on nicely manicured grounds. Once we reached the campsites, there seemed to be less attention paid to the area. Turns out that there were only a very few sites that had paved pads that would accommodate our van; the rest were clearly for tents only (but there was no way to tell this from the website). Even though I had seen that about half of the sites were reserved, there was no one there at 4:30 on a Friday. There did not seem to be any staff or rangers on-site and there is self-registration. The rates seemed kind of steep ($19 on weekdays; $20 weekends and $22 on holiday weekends) for sites with no hookups and only porta-potties. We saw some people fishing near the dam and perhaps the campground would be suitable for these folks and/or people boating/kayaking in who portage down the river (there is a marina) but it just did not feel like a place we wanted to camp.

  • N
    Sep. 8, 2022

    Cade Lake County Park & Campground

    Beautiful

    Stayed sept 2022, $30 tent site (no electric). Its $40 with electric. Arrived after office hours, campground gated, but host was super friendly and helpful! The grounds are immaculate. Bet it's very popular in summer. Beautiful place, wish I could have stayed a lot longer.


Guide to Hamilton

Tent camping near Hamilton, Indiana offers a variety of options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy nature and create lasting memories. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and unwind.

Affordable Tent Camping Options

  • Prices for tent camping can range from $20 to $22 per night, making it an economical choice for families and solo adventurers alike.
  • At Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area, you can enjoy a natural setting with no drinking water available, perfect for those who prefer a more rustic experience.
  • Independence Dam State Park Campground offers a scenic environment along the Maumee River, with sites priced around $19 on weekdays.

Activities for Outdoor Lovers

Unique Features to Enhance Your Stay

  • Many campgrounds, like Funny Farm Campground, provide amenities such as electric hookups and drinking water, ensuring a comfortable camping experience.
  • 6 Lakes Campground boasts boat access and shaded sites, making it an ideal spot for those who enjoy water activities.
  • At Way Back In Campground, you can find a family-friendly environment with various amenities, although experiences may vary based on personal interactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hamilton, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hamilton, IN is Circle B RV Park and Cabins with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Hamilton, IN?

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Hamilton, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.