Best Tent Camping near Hoosier National Forest

Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana provides diverse tent camping experiences ranging from established campgrounds to remote backcountry sites. Charles C. Deam Wilderness offers primitive tent-only camping with both hike-in and drive-up access points along its trail system. Berry Ridge Road Dispersed Camping provides free tent sites set back from gravel roads, while Old Mill Tent and Hammock Camping offers riverside tent sites with basic amenities. Springs Valley Recreation Area features tent-only sites accessible by hiking trails, providing a more secluded experience for those seeking solitude in the forest.

Most tent campsites in Hoosier National Forest feature fire rings, though some dispersed areas require campers to follow Leave No Trace principles. Vault toilets are available at established campgrounds, but backcountry tent camping typically requires packing out all waste. Water availability varies significantly; Charles C. Deam Wilderness has limited drinking water access, while dispersed camping areas like Mitchell Creek Road have no potable water sources. Weather conditions can change rapidly, with summer bringing humidity and insects, while spring and fall offer more comfortable tent camping temperatures. Cell service is unreliable throughout most primitive tent camping areas, making paper maps essential.

The tent camping experience in Hoosier National Forest is characterized by dense forest cover providing ample shade and natural privacy between sites. According to reviews, the dispersed tent sites at Berry Ridge Road are "very private with decent sized space for 2-3 vehicles, with camp spots sometimes half mile or more apart." Backcountry tent campers in Charles C. Deam Wilderness appreciate the solitude, with one visitor noting, "We usually choose a site far back into the wilderness area. The sites are primitive with no amenities. Tent camping only although there are both hike-in and drive-up sites in the wilderness area." Hammock camping is popular due to abundant trees, particularly along creek beds where geode hunting adds a unique dimension to the tent camping experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Hoosier National Forest (21)

    1. Happy Hollow Homestead

    5 Reviews
    English, IN
    20 miles
    Website

    $40 - $65 / night

    "He has firewood for purchase and will set up your fire for free with his propane torch, which was very helpful for us after a rainstorm."

    "We were nervous about bottoming in the dry creek bed on way to Walnut Grove area, but no problem. Great stay. 20' Ford Transit ModVan. One bar with cell booster."

    2. Charles C. Deam Wilderness

    9 Reviews
    Heltonville, IN
    24 miles

    "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."

    3. Springs Valley Rec Area

    1 Review
    French Lick, IN
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 547-7051

    "the campground is closed for overnight camping, but this is still a beautiful lake for hiking, fishing, and my favorite, kayaking. electric motors only, so nice and quiet."

    4. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Freetown, IN
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 275-5987

    "Decent sized space to park for 2-3 vehicles."

    "If you are into boondocking at all defiantly check out berry ridge it’s just south of brown county Indiana beautiful country mostly hills tons of camp spots sometimes half mile or more apart haven’t seen"

    5. Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping

    3 Reviews
    English, IN
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 472-3140

    $20 / night

    "Sites are relatively close but you still have plenty of your own space. Each site comes with a fire pit and picnic table. Plenty of trees to hang up a hammock and empty space to pitch a tent."

    "Nice size site with fire ring and picnic table. Lots of trees- so great tree canopy and plenty of hammock. Nice size pieces of wood and large bundles."

    6. Ransburg Scout Reservation

    4 Reviews
    Harrodsburg, IN
    25 miles
    Website

    "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."

    7. Newton-Stewart

    1 Review
    Birdseye, IN
    22 miles
    Website

    "Primitive. 45 spots."

    8. Pine Loop

    1 Review
    Harrodsburg, IN
    24 miles

    "There are campsites from walk-ins to drive-ins to FCFS with or without electricity/water. Plenty of shade in a very quiet surrounding. Access to Monroe lake as well as a small beach for swimming."

    9. Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed

    6 Reviews
    Birdseye, IN
    29 miles

    "This is NOT a campground, but just roadside pull-offs on public land. There are no restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, or other amenities."

    10. Hickory Ridge

    1 Review
    Norman, IN
    25 miles
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Tent Camping Reviews near Hoosier National Forest

738 Reviews of 21 Hoosier National Forest Campgrounds


  • Jim L.
    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.

  • D
    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!

  • Sofia A.
    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!

  • C
    Jun. 6, 2023

    Hardin Ridge

    Great place to spend a week or two

    I grew up in nearby Bloomington, Indiana, and my family were actually the very first campers at Hardin Ridge in 1966. We unwittingly set up camp the weekend before the campground opened, and we saw a picture of our travel trailer on the front page of the Bloomington Herald-Telephone with a caption "Somebody jumped the gun at the new Hardin Ridge Campground!"

    This is a great place to set up camp for a week or two. In summer there is a nice sandy beach on the shore of Lake Monroe (it was free last time I went) with a simple shower house. The six camping loops have several vault toilets, and most have shower houses with flush toilets. While the campgrounds are fully open April 15 to October 15, you can camp year round if you are set up to dry camp. The very first camp loop (Holland Ridge) is often open all year, and no fees are charged when the water is off.

    This campground was the destination for many a summer camping trip when I was a child, and for many more when my own kids were little. It's also not far from the Hoosier National Forest, with a horsemen's camp and trails, and a little further east a dozen or so dispersed camp sites.

  • Mary S.
    Sep. 8, 2018

    Mccormick's Creek State Park Campground

    Beautiful state park but sites are too close/visible to each other

    There is just one thing that keeps me from rating this a 5 star campground. It's the sites!  So....4 stars...but read on for my thoughts on the sites.

    What's up with these sites?

    • If you want to be be able to see what your neighbors are eating and hear their conversations, you'll love the electric sites (1 through 189).

    • If you like to feel like you're alone in the woods, you won't like most of the electric sites. 

    • There is a partial solution. Sites 190-202 have no electricity, but most are fairly private/secluded. Sites 203-222 are additional primitive sites on a loop but they are not at all private; you can see lots of neighboring sites. There's a lot of shade, but you could probably set up solar panels if you require electricity.

    • If you want privacy in the electric section (1-189), I don't have a great recommendation other than you should stay on the outside of the loops. Then you'll only have people beside you rather than beside and across from you.

    Good luck! Stay one night when there aren't many people and scope out sites for your next stay. If you're from the area, this could be a park worth returning to over and over if you are able to stay on a site you enjoy.

    I've included a map of sites 1-189 and photos that show some sites I like and sites I don't like. In my opinion, a site is not one for me if I can see 3 other picnic tables while sitting at the table at my site. If you camp with other families, this would be good because you can make your own 'group' site.

    Something you need to know: Indiana state parks have a $7 entry fee but you'll only pay it once (unlike some states that make you pay every day). It's supposed to be $9 for non-residents, but we were only charged $7. The hang tag for your vehicle will get you in the main entrance for the rest of your stay.

    If you come without a reservation: The registration attendant assigned a site to us but maybe you can choose one. Since it was the day after Labor Day and the park was sparsely populated, there was no one near us. Privacy was not an issue for our stay, but we wouldn't have enjoyed our site on a busy weekend...although there were many sites we would have liked even less.

    The basics: picnic tables, fire rings, dump station, potable water, flush toilets and sinks in the bathrooms, separate shower facility. There are vault toilets closer to sites 190-222. Sites 1-189 have electricity.

    Activities: Nearby swimming pool and playground. There are almost 11 miles of hiking trails. The longest one is 2 miles, but you can combine some trails and wander in the woods for quite a while. You can also wade in McCormick's Creek; the water was low in early September. You can stay busy in this park for quite a while. And if you want to go to Bloomington, it's only about 25 minutes away

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    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.

  • Daisy C.
    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.

  • Frank M.
    Mar. 22, 2017

    Buffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park

    Mountain Bike Haven

    I make multiple visits here every year, mainly for the mountain bike trails. There are almost 30 miles of trails inside the park with new trails every year for the past 3+ years. Connectivity to Yellowwood and Hoosier National Forest is also available for those adventurous individuals with lots of gas in the bike tank. From beginner to expert, some trail for everyone at this location. Lots tend to be smaller in size with most activity happening up front in Buffalo Ridge, close to general store, water and trails. For more secluded and wooded setting, chose Taylor Ridge (careful with larger RV's) Typical Indiana campground with basic comfort stations. Negatives include no beaches or water sports for such a large park, no WIFI (unplug and enjoy!) and lack of shade on up front sites. Close proximity to antique and quaint town of Nashville with many shops and a few restaurants. Definitely try Big Woods Pizza and Quaff-On Brewery! Lots of hiking and scenic overlooks! One of my Indiana favs!

  • G
    Jun. 28, 2019

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Quiet, just right!

    I’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.


Guide to Hoosier National Forest

Tent camping near Hoosier National Forest in Indiana offers a blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it a perfect getaway for nature enthusiasts.

Tent campers should check out Charles C. Deam Wilderness

  • This area is known for its beautiful lakeside camping and numerous hidden sites, perfect for those who enjoy exploring off the beaten path.
  • With access to hiking trails that lead to scenic views, Charles C. Deam Wilderness is a great spot for both casual and experienced campers.
  • The campground allows pets, making it a welcoming choice for families looking to bring their furry friends along.

Enjoy local attractions at Happy Hollow Homestead

  • Located in a spacious forest setting, Happy Hollow Homestead features well-spaced campsites that provide a sense of privacy and tranquility.
  • Kids will love the tire swing and tree web, making it a fun destination for families.
  • The friendly staff enhances the experience, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for all visitors.

Tips for tent camping near Hoosier National Forest

  • Consider Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping for a secluded experience right off the Blue River, ideal for those who enjoy kayaking and nature.
  • Be prepared for a rustic experience at Springs Valley Rec Area, where you can enjoy hiking and fishing despite the lack of drinking water.
  • If you're looking for a quiet retreat, Newton-Stewart offers a primitive camping experience with beautiful surroundings, perfect for those wanting to unplug and enjoy nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find tent camping sites in Hoosier National Forest?

Hoosier National Forest offers diverse tent camping options. Charles C. Deam Wilderness provides primitive tent-only sites with both drive-up and hike-in options. Fire rings are available at official sites, though dispersed camping is also permitted following Leave No Trace principles. For those seeking water access, Pine Loop at Hardin Ridge offers excellent tent camping with various site options from walk-in to drive-in, plus access to Monroe Lake and a swimming beach. Additional options include Mitchell Creek Road for roadside dispersed camping and Sundance Lake for more secluded experiences. The forest has both developed campgrounds with basic amenities and dispersed camping areas for a more rustic experience.

Is camping allowed near Berry Ridge Road in Hoosier National Forest?

Yes, camping is allowed near Berry Ridge Road in Hoosier National Forest. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping offers primitive dispersed camping opportunities. Similar to other dispersed camping areas in Hoosier National Forest, like Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed, these are not developed campgrounds but rather roadside pull-offs on public land. There are no amenities such as restrooms, official fire rings, or picnic tables. Small vehicles with self-contained camping setups work best in these areas. Remember to follow Leave No Trace principles and check with the Forest Service for any seasonal restrictions or current regulations before your trip.

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Hoosier National Forest?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Hoosier National Forest is Happy Hollow Homestead with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Hoosier National Forest?

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Hoosier National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.