6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Ransburg Scout Reservation and Yogi Bears at Lake Monroe include deluxe glamping accommodations for travelers seeking upscale outdoor experiences near Heltonville. Ransburg, situated directly on Monroe Lake, features safari-style canvas tents with comfortable bedding, electricity, and climate control systems. These luxury accommodations provide convenient access to water recreation while maintaining resort-style comforts. Yogi Bears offers premium glamping options with modern amenities including electricity, heating, and well-appointed interiors that blend outdoor ambiance with indoor comfort. Both locations maintain wooded settings that provide natural privacy between accommodations. A recent visitor mentioned, "Beautiful grounds and a great place to enjoy nature. We have camped here in a cabin, and also tent camped."
Water-based activities dominate the glamping experience with direct access to Monroe Lake for canoeing, rowing, sailing, and motorboating at Ransburg Scout Reservation. Safari tent guests enjoy private waterfront views with easy access to swimming areas. The luxury outdoor accommodations at Yogi Bears feature proximity to an expansive splash park and swimming pools specifically designed for family entertainment. Hiking trails wind through forested areas surrounding both glamping resorts, offering opportunities to explore the natural environment. One reviewer highlighted, "Great splash pad and pools lots to do for the kiddos! Great trails to hike, friendly staff!" During summer months, organized activities increase with scheduled events for families staying in the safari tents and luxury canvas accommodations. Reservations for premium glamping campsites should be made well in advance, particularly for weekend stays from April through October.
"Starve Hollow offers camping from full hookup, electric only (by the lake), tent camping, and cabins. The lake has a swimming area (no lifeguards), playgrounds, and bathhouse. "
"There are full hook-up sites and electric. Regular electric sites on the water are beautiful but not sure we could park our 41 ft fifth wheel on a water site."
Available this weekend
from $33 - $52 / night
"It was an awesome set up and we had a great time. We went around Halloween time so the kids participated in a costume contest, pumpkin decorating contest, and trick or treat."
"Friendly Staff. Camp site was a pull through so very easy to set up. Was a full hook up site at that. We enjoyed our stay and visiting IU in the process. Great location and clean camp ground."
"Our Boy Scout troop enjoyed visiting this location. It was well maintained and the staff was helpful."
"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."
"Super close to the lake and really nice facilities all around!"
"Close to Lake Monroe. Nice pool. Great people."
"Bathrooms/showers are clean. Laundry on site. Small store and library where you can borrow books. Nice dog walk and small fenced dog area. Sites level and good for big rigs down to tents."
"Clean bathrooms and showers. Nice laundromat. Staff was very friendly. Was a little pricey but with water electric sewer and cable hookups and a laundromat. Definitely worth the price."
"Couples and families usually welcome call befour your first visit rentals available
pool could be better nice conversation pool
seasonsl sites available if accepted"
"There are 75 acres of trails to hike on or drive your golf cart on ."
"There are some awesome hiking trails here, they are very rugged for Indiana lots of hills. J-W offers some real pretty views."
"I went hiking here and it was sort of rugged. The campsite was right near the lake which provided a perfect view. There was a picnic table and fire ring for only 13 dollars."
from $13 / night
"Some staff were good others just okay. The ATV and ropes course on site were excellent! The free bike trails were hard to find. The “lake” was really more like a large pond."
"Full hook-up or water and electric sites, sites are level. Tent sites available. This place has zip-lining, paintball, arrow tag, ATVs, off-road tours, mountain biking, hiking, cabins."
from $15 - $40 / night
"Each lot has water and electric. There is a dump station at the exit. The only negative comment about this park is, every lot slopes down towards the lake."
"Great place to camp, 20/25 mins down a heavily wooded country road so it’s secluded and quiet. The place was pretty full of campers, both tents and campers."
"They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding"
"We booked this location as a one night stop on our way to our destination, but it turned out to be way more than that. The owner, their staff, and fellow campers embraced us as part of the family."
ScoutMark & Denise are great camp hosts they care about everyone and will help them if they need it. They do so much for the holidays and have some great times together around the campfires. Will miss them this winter but will be thinking of them during the Army Navy game. (A inside joke lol).
Guide⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Our First RV Home Has Been Such a Blessing!
My husband and I absolutely loved our first few months here at Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins as first-time RV owners with our Class A RV.
We downsized from our 5-bedroom home in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. We sold our home and I followed my Husband back here to Indiana after he received a wonderful career opportunity. My Husband is a Veteran, 🇺🇸 and after moving to Nashville, Indiana, we had immediately fallen in love with this small town - where we respected and admired the way Nashville reminds us of where we had just moved from in Missouri.
We stayed at Grand Wood Suites for six months, after paying for a hotel, all while continuously paying for our two large storage units, as well as our mortgage payment and then rent for most of the beginning of this year; so, we decided to downsize to save money to buy land sooner, instead of continuing to rent. 🏕️ We already loved camping - we started with a pop-up camper on the 🔝 of our Jeep and camped dozens of times, then traded up to a pop-up camper. So we used what we had in savings, bought our Class A RV, donated our pop-up camper, and came to Friends O' Mine - and it was the best decision!
From day one, the other campers have been so friendly, as are the nice employees and amazing owners. They truly make you feel like family. They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding it. It's incredibly cozy and just inviting you to join in.
We've enjoyed live musical singers entertaining us around the campfire all evening, and we were invited to watch a documentary about a local racecar driver in their indoor recreational room, right next to the indoor laundry facilities.
There is also a subterranean pool that my Husband and I enjoyed swimming in almost every day during our first month here - it was very relaxing and refreshing!
One of our favorite parts has been our peaceful, nighttime walks around the large, well-stocked catch-and-release pond. My Husband and I hold hands together and walk around it at sunset almost every evening. It's so serene and calming to hear the sounds of the water and feel the beautiful Autumn breeze.
This has been a very relaxing, enjoyable, and heartwarming experience for us. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, peaceful, and welcoming place to stay - whether for a weekend or for a season - we cannot recommend Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins enough. We are so grateful we found it!
GuideGreat place to stay. Full hook ups, about 90 percent level sites. 33 RV sites and 3 or 4 primitive camp sites. The main bathhouse is pretty clean, included laundry, and a great host and hostess (Mark and Denise). The only bad is the price hikes here. One would think MWR would throw money towards some things...like a dog park, some leveling, lights at the kids playground, and MWR sponsored and paid for holiday parties/outings for vets, retirees, and all the active here on base. But nope, just collecting revenue without any beanies. Anyway, the host keeps it grounded.
ScoutWe happened across this place and couldn’t have found a more friendly place to camp. Owner introduce himself right away and told us all about the area and history of campground. Pool wasn’t open yet but nice safe place to camp.
GuideLevel sites, electric and sewer at each site, clean facilities, camp ground clean. Was quite less the muffled sounds of the gun range for reserve troops training/qualifying. Mark the host was very helpful and inviting. Free laundry facilities. There is no WiFi, cell coverage was good. I used a Starlink and worked great. This RV park is on base and you need verified access. Overall it’s a nice place for the price (stayed 5 days).
ScoutQuick two night stay for us but although our first time here was short we will certainly be back. Campground is clean and very well maintained. Owners are very involved and run things very thoughtfully.
They were able to accommodate our 44ft 5th wheel and navigating to the site was simple. Can’t wait to come back and visit.
LegendMost of the spaces that had both water and electric were mostly in the sun. But all the other spaces had plenty of shade and trees around them. Our space was spot on level and nice area around each space to where you didn’t feel like you were camped on top of other people. The showers were adequate. Great hiking trails in the area. Very quiet. Although we were there on a weekday. One downside was we had Verizon as a cell phone carrier and only had one bar.
TravelerWe had a nice site that was evenly spaced from the other campsites by trees and was nice and close to water, the bathrooms, and the shower houses, which were very clean! The camp store was nice and the paddle boats were fun! The pool was only opened on the weekends in August which was disappointing but there was a large fishing dock and many boating opportunities. Very nice camping spot, but in August beware of the bugs!
TravelerVery nice campground, full hookup up, helpful staff. Small pool with limited hours. Camp store. Very close to Brown County State Park and Nashville, IN. Lots of mature trees.
Monroe Lake surrounds much of the recreational camping area near Heltonville, Indiana, with elevations ranging from 538 to 772 feet above sea level. The region features mixed hardwood forests of oak, maple, and hickory trees, providing natural shade during summer camping when temperatures typically reach 85-90°F. Primitive camping options in the surrounding state forests offer more secluded experiences than the luxury glamping accommodations highlighted at lakefront locations.
Paddling opportunities: Starve Hollow Lake provides calm waters ideal for kayaking, with rentals available directly at Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground. Visitors should arrive early to secure equipment. "If you want to rent one of the kayaks, get to the office right at 8 or they will be gone for the day," advises camper Martin M.
Mountain biking trails: Located about 30 minutes from Heltonville, eXplore Brown County offers dedicated mountain biking trails through forested terrain. The trails vary in difficulty levels, suitable for beginners to advanced riders. As one visitor notes, "The free bike trails were hard to find" but worth exploring for cycling enthusiasts.
Swimming options: Unlike the resort-style pools at luxury glamping facilities, Jackson Washington State Forest offers more natural swimming areas. The small lake provides a refreshing alternative during summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 85°F. A camper mentioned, "Multiple playgrounds. Great trails to hike. Cool CCC construction."
Waterfront camping: Electric-only sites at Starve Hollow provide direct lakefront access, though availability is limited. "We stayed in site 21 which was right on the lake. All the lake front spots seem to have a good amount lakefront footage. We probably had at least 40 feet," shares Martin M. Reservations for these premium spots should be made months in advance.
Wooded privacy: Brown County-Nashville KOA offers shaded sites that create natural separation between campsites. "This end of the park is very quiet, with dark skies at night for stargazing and lovely field and forest sounds," notes a camper identified as GP, highlighting the peaceful atmosphere not found at more developed glamping resorts close to Heltonville, Indiana.
Cabin accommodations: For those seeking alternatives to the safari tents mentioned in the existing description, Delaney Creek Park provides more traditional cabin options. "Delaney Park is a great family place. Nice cabins, good fishing and lots of boats to rent or bring your own. Camp how you like, from Primitive to Glam-ping," states James M.
Leveling requirements: Many campsites throughout the region require additional equipment for proper setup. At Delaney Creek Park, "Sites for RVs are concrete and you will need to level some on all of them. They have electric and water. Reasonable prices," according to Pamela H., indicating preparation is necessary.
Weather considerations: Summer temperatures regularly reach the upper 80s with high humidity, while spring camping often encounters thunderstorms. One Lake Monroe Village camper noted, "We were here during the hottest days on record for that area," suggesting spring or fall visits might provide more comfortable conditions.
Reservation timing: Weekends book quickly throughout the summer season. "This campground is busy all season so book a long time in advance," warns one visitor about Brown County, with similar patterns occurring throughout the Heltonville region from May through September.
Activity planning: Beyond the splash parks mentioned at luxury sites, Yogi Bears at Lake Monroe offers organized family events. "We came here in 2017 with a group of friends and camped in the primitive camping area. It was an awesome set up and we had a great time. We went around Halloween time so the kids participated in a costume contest, pumpkin decorating contest, and trick or treat," shares Ryan G.
Age appropriateness: Consider children's ages when choosing facilities. "Nice family campground overall, but really geared toward the 8 and under crowd," explains Joe M. about Yogi Bears, suggesting families with older children might prefer the hiking and water activities at other locations.
Multi-generational options: When glamping near Heltonville with extended family, consider sites with various accommodation types. "We have camped here in a cabin, and also tent camped," mentions a Ransburg Scout Reservation visitor, demonstrating how different generations can enjoy varying comfort levels at the same location.
Hookup accessibility: Check site layouts before booking as some local campgrounds have unusual utility placements. "The electric and water hookups are not in standard locations for RV hookups. Make sure you bring an extension for your electric hookup, otherwise you might not be able to reach the post," warns Kelsie E. about Delaney Creek Park.
Site selection strategy: At Starve Hollow State Rec Area, RV campers have options between full-hookup and electric-only sites. "We stayed in the full hookup section... These sites are a good size and able to get any size Trailer or RV into these sites," reports James L., noting the electric-only section is more limited: "Keep in mind that a lot of the electric only sites are very tight with a lot of trees in the area."
Access considerations: Some roads leading to campgrounds near Heltonville have challenging grades. At Delaney Creek, "the decent into this park is steep and the road is narrow. I think there is one section that is close to 8%, however it's short," shares Lora H.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Heltonville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Heltonville, IN is Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 25 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Heltonville, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 26 glamping camping locations near Heltonville, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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