16 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Dispersed tent camping opportunities surround the Hartsville, Indiana region, with several primitive sites located within the nearby Hoosier National Forest. Berry Ridge Road Dispersed Camping offers free, secluded tent camping with multiple sites spaced far apart for privacy. Hickory Ridge Primitive Dispersed Campsites provide additional backcountry tent options approximately 30 miles southwest of Hartsville, while Sundance Lake Dispersed Camping features tent-friendly sites near a small lake with walk-in access.
Most tent campsites in this area feature dirt or gravel surfaces with minimal site development. Berry Ridge Road includes established fire rings and some sites have picnic tables, but campers should pack in all water and supplies as no drinking water is available at dispersed sites. These are true pack-in, pack-out locations with no trash service at most sites. Tent campers should be prepared for varying conditions - some sites can accommodate a vehicle while others require short walks from parking areas. The gravel access roads to these primitive tent areas may become difficult to navigate during wet weather, especially for low-clearance vehicles.
Areas farther from main roads provide deeper seclusion for backcountry tent camping experiences. The dispersed sites along Berry Ridge Road offer particularly quiet tent camping with natural forest surroundings and access to hiking trails. Sites are positioned far enough apart that campers report feeling completely alone in the woods. Tent pads are typically flat enough for comfortable setup, though some preparation of the ground may be necessary. One camper noted, "If you are looking for solitude and peace in the forest, you will find it here. The sites are far enough apart that I truly felt like I had the woods all to myself."
"So much space, existing fire rings, there was wood left behind from previous campers so that was nice! We have a reactive pup and she is able to live her best life there!"
"Decent sized space to park for 2-3 vehicles."
"Free disbursed camping at its best in Indiana. Not another soul camped within earshot. Clean site. Gravel pad for vehicle. Green grass for tent. 14 day limit. No reservations needed or available."
"I chose this spot because we wanted to camp by water, but didn’t realize the camp sites are a 5-10 minute walk from the lake."
"When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze."
"Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water."
from $25 - $55 / night
Check Availability"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 sites are primitive with no amenities. Tent camping only although there are both hike in and drive up sites in the wilderness area. Great place to get away from it all."
"Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing.
Lots of fun activities to do, and great hiking trails. Their mess hall is top notch.""Our Boy Scout troop enjoyed visiting this location. It was well maintained and the staff was helpful."
"Steps away from gorgeous river views. There is nothing like waking up and making breakfast while watching the river roll by! Sites are tight, but if you love waterfront this is great."
"Very nice drive during the day, hiking is fantastic!"
"A'll sites gave fire rings. Some of the picnic tables are small. Nice clean bathrooms. Site was a little pricey at $30. A shooting range nearby is a little annoying."
TravelerBasic car tent camping at several spots along a creek wIth picnic tables and fire rings (no hookups, portolet toilets, no showers.) There is a rustic scout cabin/group lodge reservable for scout, etc. groups. The park features a pioneer village with log cabins, including a blacksmith forge, etc. that have been moved to the site.
TravelerThis 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.
RangerWonderful 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!
TravelerYellowwood 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.
TravelerI’ve camped here several times and have always enjoyed it. When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze. At this campground, there are two areas of pit toilets, and a big outdoor sink. Fire wood and maps can be obtained just up the road at the new Morgan Monroe headquarters. A self pay station is set up there. You select your site, set up, then go pay. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and plenty of room for tenting with most sites big enough for a trailer. There’s a playground at the entrance of Mason Ridge campground and a fire tower.
LegendAll sites have a picnic table and fire ring. However, many of the picnic tables are very short which is fine as long as you have a small group or family. The fire rings are very nice and have a good grill grate. Bathrooms/showers were typical: moderately clean with luke cold water. Tent sites were decent (we were pleased with site 117). Some offer a little more privacy than others with brush growth and trees. RV sites offered less privacy but I was pleased with the separation between the tent and RV sections of the campground. The wood they sold was great and they also have ice for sale. The trails were crazy packed the second weekend in June so we didn't do much hiking (however, we've hiked the entire park trail system in the past and really enjoy it). The park is relatively flat so biking is a fun activity. They charge you to enter the park an additional 7-9$ even if you already reserved camping. A huge bonus is Madison, Indiana nearby (4.5 miles away) which has a couple of wineries (and restaurants) and you can also walk along the Ohio River. Overall, I would tent camp here again.
TravelerWe stayed at site 13 at Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Mason Ridge Campground in June 2020. Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water. Mason Ridge Campground has vault toilets and drinking water available. There are outdoor sinks at the drinking water stations. There is a dumpster in the campground for trash. Mason Ridge Campground is first come, first served, self-register and pay at the park office. Bring exact change. Firewood is available to purchase, but only when the park office is open, and hours are limited. It is also allowed for campers to gather downed wood throughout the forest for campfires. Chainsaws are not allowed, so bring a handsaw and spitting axe if you want to do this. Campsites are mostly good for tents, but several of the sites would be fine for small to medium sized travel trailers and RVs. Sites are primitive, with gravel parking pads. Campfire ring, grill grate, and picnic table are at all sites. There is a dump station. There are no electric sites. Oak Ridge Campground is a second campground loop in MMSF. It only has a handful of sites but feels very secluded. Most of these sites are suited for tents only, or little teardrop campers. Oak Ridge is only open as an“overflow” campground, so only bet on it being open during summer. There is also a group campground for scout troupes and other groups. When we camped here, there was a rowdy group of car campers that came to have a bonfire and drink all night two sites down from us. They would loud and obnoxious. I do not know if this type of thing is common occurrence at this property, or if we“lucked out” that night. The rest of the folks camping there were quiet. There were no hordes of flashlight children running amuck through the campground like you get at the state parks. There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground, but both were closed due to coronavirus. There are many trails in MMSF. Good hiking.
Pros: sinks, feeling of seclusion, quiet(other than the one group), usually availability unless you arrive really late, long hiking trails
Cons: limited office hours for firewood purchase, obnoxious car campers
In summary, this campground is for those who like to“rough it” a little bit.
LegendThis is a great State Park offering hiking, swimming, boating, skiing, camping, interpretive naturalist program and the only DNR property in the state of Indiana with a raptor rehabilitation program. The reservoir is 741 acres with boating and fishing plus a huge beach area that is open for swimming. There are four boat launches, fishing piers, fish cleaning stations, archery range, basketball courts, shelter houses, playgrounds, raptor display and more. Hiking trails consist of 5 moderate to easy walks all under 2 miles through Indiana hardwoods, lake shoreline and even a 1700’s cemetery. Camping is in one of two areas; Wooster primitive that has a dozen sites close to the lake and Shale electric consisting of 142 gravel pad sites with 30 amp and 8 premium paved 50 amp sites. Sites are a mix of tree covered and open with most be relatively level providing a picnic table and fire pit. Potable water spigots dispersed throughout the campground and several bathhouse facilities and dump station for your convenience. The campground also has an amphitheater overlooking the lake that offers entertainment and naturalist programs. Convenient location just 15 minutes from the I-65 corridor 38.7766° N, 85.7056° W
GuideWe called for reservations less than two weeks in advance, and they only had one site left. If coming from the north-west, try to arrive before dark as the road over the hills to this place is beautiful, but narrow and forested with some trees very close to the roadway. The entrance road to the campground is quite steep. We arrived after the office had closed, so they had left an envelope taped to the door with our name and a map to our site. We were in the full-hookup, back-in RV sites connected with the cabins but they are across the street so they’re not too connected if you don’t know who’s in the cabin nearest you. Most of the other rigs in this row seemed to be long-term. We were on the end opening onto trees and the gravel cul de sac. It’s beautiful.
Pads are gravel and we did need to use several leveling blocks on our site, which made for a doosey of a bottom step into and out of our trailer. This end of the park is very quiet, with dark skies at night for stargazing and lovely field and forest sounds. Even though the office had closed a couple of hours before, the owner Bruce came by after we had set up to make sure we were in ok. Thoughtful!
The “patio” pad for the picnic table is 12” concrete blocks. It was mostly level, but not near the edge near our tow vehicle. Tripped a few times; these blocks should be redone.
We needed some trailer work while we were here, so asked the owner for recommendations. The manager Ed then came by after the guy had come to be sure we were pleased with the recommendation.
Bathrooms were a short walk up the hill to the office. Pretty good, though they often needed supplies restocked.
We would definitely stay here again. We stayed in site 9.
Dispersed camping near Hartsville, Indiana offers primitive options with seasonal challenges that require preparation. Located in the eastern region of Indiana's rolling hills, these sites typically range from 700-900 feet in elevation and experience humid continental climate with winter temperatures often falling below freezing. During spring thaws, many access roads become muddy and difficult to navigate, requiring vehicles with higher clearance.
Trail exploration: Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping offers meandering trails through native Indiana forest. One camper noted, "There a nice trail meandering next to road. I came across at least 5 lil spots."
Lake activities: At Sundance Lake Dispersed Camping, campers can enjoy a small lake with fishing opportunities. A visitor described it as "A quiet little lake/big pond in the Hoosier National Forest with a few spots to camp."
Morel hunting: Spring visitors to Charles C. Deam Wilderness can search for wild morels. "We visited during mid-April, perfect for finding morels. The trails are well paved and marked, not too strenuous."
Rock collecting: Stream beds in the area contain numerous geodes. A camper at Charles C. Deam Wilderness shared: "I walked the creek for hours just looking at all the rocks on the sandbars. I have never encountered so many geodes in my life."
True isolation: The spacing between campsites allows for privacy not found at established campgrounds. A Berry Ridge camper reported, "I would not bring a Rv here especially after rain. I'm traveling from Chicago to Florida and I kind of love this spot. Easy to find, easy to park."
Wilderness quiet: Nature sounds dominate at these primitive tent camping locations. One camper at Berry Ridge described the auditory experience: "Just trees knocking, bugs curling and frogs croaking."
Cost-free camping: Most dispersed tent camping options near Hartsville cost nothing. As a visitor to Hickory Ridge Primitive Dispersed Campsites noted, "Free disbursed camping at its best in Indiana. Not another soul camped within earshot."
Hammock options: The forest density provides ample trees for hammock camping. A Charles C. Deam camper shared, "I had the awesome experience to hammock camp on the Patton cave trail, along the creek that winds the length of that trail."
Vehicle limitations: Most tent camping sites have restrictions on vehicle types and sizes. According to one Berry Ridge visitor: "Multiple campsites in the area, I've stayed at two both of which were away from others, clean, fairly flat and had plenty of dead wood around to burn. Some sites, at least one, could fit a pretty good sized camper."
Weather preparation: Rain can dramatically change camping conditions and access. A Berry Ridge camper warned: "This is my first time camping solo. I was definitely nervous at first and almost debated getting back on the road before sundown."
Wildlife awareness: Local wildlife includes snakes and coyotes. One Berry Ridge camper reported: "Did see a rattlesnake dead on the road. No toilet but good reception." Another mentioned: "Though every night at around 5pm I would hear rustling in the leaves, I assumed it was a pack of cayotes and they would leave once I started banging on stuff and primally yelling."
Storm damage impacts: Morgan-Monroe State Forest and other areas can face trail closures after storms. "Unfortunately due to some storm damage, trails were rerouted or straight up inaccessible."
Site selection priority: Choose locations with flat terrain for easier tent setup. A Morgan-Monroe camper advised: "I was slightly disappointed by the site selections being mostly on a slant, but we did find one on the overfill site that suited our needs and we ended up loving it."
Basic amenities: Families should know which tent sites have minimal facilities. A Morgan-Monroe visitor noted: "Mason Ridge Campground has vault toilets and drinking water available. There are outdoor sinks at the drinking water stations. There is a dumpster in the campground for trash."
Activity planning: Plan day activities that engage children away from electronics. A visitor to Hickory Ridge shared: "Good spot to get some quiet time to learn/hone skills or for some good quality time with the family while being plugged into nature and unplugged from their electronics."
Educational opportunities: The forest provides natural learning environments. At Morgan-Monroe, "There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground."
Size restrictions: Most dispersed tent camping areas near Hartsville cannot accommodate large RVs. A Berry Ridge camper emphasized: "For those of you who don't understand disperse camping this is the perfect site for a tent to camp without anything but what you bring in and take out."
Access road conditions: RV campers should scout routes before attempting access. One Berry Ridge visitor with a camper van explained: "Beautiful secluded site that is pretty far off of the road, but not too far. I have a promaster conversion and had no trouble making it to this site, however the road was gravel and steep at times."
Generator limitations: Understand restrictions on power generation at primitive sites. At Morgan-Monroe, one RVer shared their experience: "This is a great place to camp and hike, although there is no electric hookup we had a generator that we used sparklingly."
Dump station planning: Some areas have limited waste disposal options. The same Morgan-Monroe camper noted a challenge: "The only drawbacks were that the vault toilets are in pretty bad condition and the dump station hose did not have a connection to allow me to flush the blackwater holding tank."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hartsville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hartsville, IN is Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping with a 4.8-star rating from 18 reviews.
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