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Best Campgrounds near Independence, IN

376 Reviews

The state parks and private campgrounds surrounding Independence, Indiana provide both full-service campground experiences and primitive camping opportunities within a 30-mile radius. Prophetstown State Park Campground offers spacious sites with full hookup options in the Spruce Loop and electric-only sites in the Savanna Loop, accommodating both RVs and tent campers. Turkey Run State Park Campground provides a range of accommodation types including tent sites, RV spots, cabins, and yurts with various access methods including drive-in, boat-in, and hike-in options. Several smaller private campgrounds like Off The Trail and Charlarose complement the state park system.

Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, with peak availability from April through October. Shades State Park specifically notes operation from April to October while Prophetstown and Turkey Run remain open year-round. "The full hookup sites book up quickly, and the electric only often do as well, so book your weekend early," noted one camper about Prophetstown. Reservations are recommended throughout the summer months when water recreation becomes popular. The region features primarily prairie and eastern deciduous forest landscapes, with moderate trail difficulty suitable for families. Water access varies by location, with some campgrounds offering proximity to creeks and small lakes. Cell service is generally available but may be limited in more remote areas.

Campers frequently mention the clean facilities at Prophetstown State Park, which features newer shower houses and restrooms. Reviews indicate the campground provides spacious sites with gravel pads for both tents and RVs, though the electric-only sites lack significant shade. The prairie setting creates a unique camping experience compared to more forested options in the region. Turkey Run State Park receives strong ratings for its diverse accommodation options and variety of recreational opportunities. Many reviews highlight the family-friendly nature of the campgrounds, with playgrounds, bike paths, and in some cases water parks available. The proximity to Lafayette provides convenient access to additional amenities and activities when staying at campgrounds in this region.

Map showing campgrounds near Independence, IndianaExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Independence, Indiana (59)

    1. Prophetstown State Park Campground

    27 Reviews
    Battle Ground, IN
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 567-4919

    $30 - $42 / night

    "Well kept and clean area in the plains of Indiana. Great amnesties for the area such as a new, large public pool and a few hiking and biking trails."

    "Not too far out of the way, this is Indiana's newest state park, if I'm not mistaken, and it shows. The lower loop is all full hookups with 50, 30, and 20 amp service and respectably woody."

    2. Ross Camp

    4 Reviews
    Otterbein, IN
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 463-2306

    "close to Ross Park. A little chapel. This is a relax campground for those not into all the hiking if you just want to sit by your fire. A few primitive sites. No alcohol allowed."

    3. Turkey Run State Park Campground

    71 Reviews
    Marshall, IN
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 597-2635

    $20 - $32 / night

    "Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons."

    "Much enjoyed hiking some of the trails at Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, Indiana. This is Indiana's 2nd oldest state park, now 100 years old (1916-2016)."

    4. Off The Trail Campground

    1 Review
    Attica, IN
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 762-6189

    $9 - $49 / night

    "Lots of dogs around, pricing was about $50 a night per site. Restrooms had showers as well which made it easy to rinse off the mud. Great time all around."

    5. Shades State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    Alamo, IN
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 435-2810

    $12 - $21 / night

    "Canopied by the big beautiful Indiana trees. Close to some good hiking trails."

    "Located north of turkey run state park shades offers all the hiking and scenic terrain with less amenities and less crowds. Sugar creek cuts through the ancient sandstone floor creating canyon walls."

    6. Crawfordsville KOA

    14 Reviews
    Crawfordsville, IN
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 230-0965

    "We arrived at 2am, but they had us all situated for late checkin. The campground itself was very lovely and quiet."

    "Really cute little park with lots of shade and convenient access to Crawfordsville. We were here for a quick stopover, but made friends with several locals spending time here."

    7. Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental LLC

    11 Reviews
    Crawfordsville, IN
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 362-5528

    $30 - $45 / night

    "There are few trails looping around for the walks. Most of tent sites got shade. Rv sites all seem to be level, although kind of close together. Nice and clean bathrooms and shower facility."

    "The campsite it very spacious and there’s a decent amount of distance between each site. Sites by the river are especially nice."

    8. Charlarose Campground

    3 Reviews
    Alamo, IN
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 234-7286

    9. AOK Campground

    2 Reviews
    Lafayette, IN
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 474-5030

    10. Kickapoo State Recreation Area

    29 Reviews
    Oakwood, IL
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (217) 442-4915

    $10 - $20 / night

    "Stayed here on Dec. 10, 2021 (yes the night of all the tornadoes throughout the Illinois/Kentucky/Tennessee area), I and everyone else at the campsite got pretty lucky, we were just outside the path of"

    "There are camp sites that are walk to for some more distance from others, a lot of close drive to spots, RV, and a lot of close boat camping sites. the park itself has a lot of trails to explore and a"

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Recent Camping Photos near Independence, IN

145 Photos of 59 Independence Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Independence, IN

376 Reviews of 59 Independence Campgrounds

  • Cynthia K.
    Sep. 23, 2025

    Shades State Park Campground

    Primitive camping

      This is a primitive state park near Turkey Run State Park In Midwestern Indiana. First named The Shades Of Death State Park.

     The gatehouse is your only source of information. There's no nature center or visitor center. Get a park map! They do charge admission.

    This is a hikers park & it has some of the most rugged trails in Indiana. The Pine Hills Nature Preserve is maintained by the park. There's a parking area available to hike to the trailhead inside Shades. The Devils Backbone is a popular trail, but definitely on the rugged side. If you take small children(I wouldn't!) watch them carefully. 

    Trail 1 is.75M, but considered rugged. It has a lot of scenic views & a unique waterfall. Trails 4 & 5 have ladders. 

    Deers Mill Covered Bridge is on the property & there's a canoe launch. This is not a drive through bridge. The picnic area is a drive thru loop & is very nice. There's also a couple of shelters. The pond looked pretty scummy & my husband wouldn't fish in it.

     The campground is primitive camping- nonelectric. Water is available. There is a dump station. There is trail access if you don't want to drive. There's one modern showerhouse & several pit toilets. Choose your site carefully! Whitetail Loop has the showers & toilets. We did a drive thru & most all the sites looked very nice. There were mostly tents with a few popups. This wouldn't be a campground I would choose if I had a big rig.

  • Cynthia K.
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Turkey Run State Park Campground

    Nice State Park Campground

    Turkey Run State Park. Arguably one of the top 5 state parks in Indiana.

    Lots of hiking opportunities, including the fabulous Trail 3 which should be a National Trail IMO. Go hike early before 10 am. This area gets crazy busy after that. 

    Nice nature center.

    2 covered bridges.

     A swimming pool in season.

     A historic inn with a restaurant. You can rent cabins also. 

    The Lusk home has tours every Saturday in season. 

    The campground is a mile or so west of the entrance to the park.

     Electric only. 270 sites. Water is available.

     There's modern bath houses with hot showers.

     We were site 218, which is technically the Turkey Hollow area. The bath house there was clean. We liked our loop for spacious sites( for a state park).

     The Twin Oaks loop seemed denser.

     There's a double dump near the exit. There's also one dump at the end of a loop by site 60. We were happy the other 4 campers trying to dump forgot about it! 

    Trail 7 access is also at the end by site 44. It's not marked on the map.

     The camp store has the usual camping supplies & gift items. Ice & wood. 

    We enjoyed our weekend here! Even though it rained Saturday.

  • Kathy L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Prophetstown State Park Campground

    Great campground

    Great campground. Really nice campground - clean, sites with some shade (especially the section with full hookups). Lots of families enjoying camping, kids relishing the freedom of riding bikes and skateboards (unfortunately too few with helmets including one with a major black eye). Nice walking trails right off of campground. Aquatic center in park. We would return - except that crossing the country on highway 70 is brutal

  • Nadiehsda B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 21, 2025

    Newton County Fairgrounds

    2025 Fair Week (1st time)

    We stayed at the Newton County Fairgrounds during fair week & had a great experience. The grounds were clean & well kept. It was easy to get around even with all the fair activity going on. Our campsite had water & electric only, just like all of the others. The bathrooms & showers were in good condition considering how busy the week was.

    The fair itself was a lot of fun! From the 4-H shows to the carnival rides & food vendors, there was always something going on. The kids loved it! It felt very family-friendly & welcoming.

    The only thing to note is that cell service & wifi can be a little spotty, but honestly that gave us more time to just enjoy the fair & each other. Overall, we would definitely come back & recommend it to anyone looking for a good small-town fair experience with a convenient place to stay.

    Cannot wait until next year!!

  • L
    Aug. 20, 2025

    Shades State Park Campground

    It was very clean, nicely spaced, and shaded.

    Very nice campground! It was close by Turkey Run State Park, which had amazing trails, that are pictured below. (We definitely recommend Trail 3!) The campground itself was very nice and clean, as well as shaded and pretty. We were camping in August, so it wasn't very busy and we got peace. There were many fun things to do in Turkey Run, although the pool was closed in August. There was also a fun little ice cream place and store in downtown Marshall! 

      Great place overall!

  • T
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental LLC

    Horrible experience

    To much money rv/campsites way way to small they charge for EVERYTHING INCLUDING GUEST TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO CAMP , u can only have 4 people then its 10$ per each for a weekend ridiculous

  • T
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental LLC

    Ripped off for sure read your itinerary is what she told me 4 times instead of trying to make it right !!!!

    Experience was good , except do not get sites 33, 34 or 35 we had maybe 5ft between us and the camper beside us , no way and the electricity hookup is right there so putting out awning was so very dangerous!!!! Bc the water dripped straight onto the electric hookup and who knows if someone may have a cut or anything wrong with there cord electric shock for sure !!!! Visitors JUST TO VISIT TO SEE IF THEY WANT TO CAMP THERE 5$ each Could not cook out or anything bc there’s no room in between your camper and your neighbor’s camper They tell u to look at the four day itinerary, but we’ve always just called or got on the website and booked our site, but it is pretty ridiculous for a camper to hold six or eight and you can only have four people and then on top of that an arm and a leg just for a float to float downstream which the gal young gal told me it was 2 miles 2 to 4 hour trip and it took us an hour so basically got ripped off pretty good this weekend so make sure to read your email b4 going here ! Thank goodness we had family bc we had absolutely no room for anything Bugs horrible And they tell you to have dogs on leash , no one had their dogs on leash except us . A blue healer tried to bite one of us ! It was pouring down and the guy on golf cart while we’re trying to hurry in the rain was so worried about our card he couldn’t wait till we was leaving to turn it in . They give u a code so why not put it in your phone bc if u lose there card they charge u 40$ Seems like more of a money thing to us . We enjoy camping but my gosh break the bank here for sure no gravel on sites hardly mainly dirt and sand so come prepared to sweep your caper or rv every hour . Very very tiny sites and unacceptable for us and anyone wanting to enjoy outside of your camper with your awning

Guide to Independence

Camping near Independence, Indiana, offers a mix of beautiful nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Turkey Run State Park Campground. One reviewer mentioned, "From the back of the campground, you can access Trail 7, a moderate level trail that leads unexpectedly to a small stream running past a recessed cave."
  • Fishing: At Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental LLC, you can fish in the creek. A visitor shared, "The creek is loaded with small mouth bass, some large mouth, gar, bluegill, and carp."
  • Water Activities: Rent kayaks or tubes at Sugar Creek Campground for a fun day on the water. One camper noted, "We rented kayaks for a 3-mile adventure!"

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at Prophetstown State Park Campground. A reviewer said, "Bathhouse clean," highlighting the well-maintained restrooms.
  • Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Many families enjoy the activities available at Crawfordsville KOA. One visitor mentioned, "It seems like a short vacation spot for locals and long-term residents."
  • Spacious Sites: Campers at Kickapoo State Recreation Area appreciate the spaciousness. A review stated, "The sites are mostly wooded and relatively level."

What you should know:

  • Privacy Concerns: Some campgrounds, like Turkey Run State Park Campground, have sites that are close together. One camper noted, "Many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them."
  • Wildlife Encounters: Be prepared for raccoons at Turkey Run State Park Campground. A visitor warned, "They will come right up to you without hesitation, so don’t be alarmed if there’s one next to you while you cook s’mores over your fire."
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Shades State Park Campground, have fewer amenities. One camper mentioned, "The vault toilets were dirty, needed to be emptied, and the women’s stalls didn’t have doors."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and water activities. Prophetstown State Park Campground has multiple playgrounds, making it great for families. A reviewer said, "Multiple playgrounds for the kids, great hiking/biking trails."
  • Plan for Crowds: If you want a quieter experience, consider camping during the week. One camper at Sugar Creek Campground advised, "I would advise to camp during the week for a less crowded time."
  • Bring Outdoor Games: Keep kids entertained with outdoor games. A visitor at Crawfordsville KOA mentioned, "We were busy with kids' activities."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure to check the size of the sites before booking. A reviewer at Caboose Lake Campground noted, "Nice sites next to the lake."
  • Full Hookups: Look for campgrounds that offer full hookups for convenience. Prophetstown State Park Campground is one of the few that provides this feature. A camper said, "One of only a handful of state parks which offer full hookups."
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds can be noisy, especially on weekends. A visitor at Caboose Lake Campground mentioned, "The highway is louder than you’d think."

Camping around Independence, Indiana, has something for everyone, whether you're in a tent or an RV. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Independence, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Independence, IN is Prophetstown State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 27 reviews.

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