Looking for the best Independence tent camping? Find the best information on tent camping near Independence, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Independence's most popular destinations.
$25 - $40 / night
Traveler
How about doing a fact che k before giving bad info? It states in the very first section telling about the park that ALL CAMPERS MUST OBTAIN A PERMIT FROM THE CAMP HOST OR RESERVATIONS, but on the pro section you tell us that we don't need a permit. You know hmmmm I just got a warning g ticket from AC DNR for camping without A PERMIT FACT CHECK YO SHIT, DO YOUR JOB
Scout
The"real" owner said in a recent meeting that he's flipping the place. He said the sewers were need of major repairs. Already raised the price appx$500. It's old out dated and the drunks are terrible. I think the place and"new? Owners and management" are NOT good people. I already reached out to y several times and I was there to relax not do your work. Maybe spend as much time in the place as the previous owner did and still does. Maybe owning and/or managing a campground is just not for you. I hope my review helps motivate you into becoming a better person owner and/or manager whichever one or all you are. Best of luck but my rating is one and if I could give a zero I would
Scout
Hit a little rough patch in life and needed a break from sleeping in the car and hotels . All the staff at the park were very friendly and understanding of our situation. At $20 a nite for tent site ,showers ,clean toilets ,whole park is very clean ! Lots of things to do here and the waterfall was our fav part ! Deff will be back when in the area . Our site was right down the Rd from the waterfall so had a great view !
Scout
Highway is louder than you’d think. No good night rest had. People spy on you just to report you. Main office head woman will not work with you and just give you a flat no when you ask about a refund.
ScoutI had a seasonal spot last year and I absolutely loved it! We went camping as much as we could(cause of work) owners and other campers are friendly. They do crafts and other things on almost every holiday
Guide
Stayed here recently and overall the trip was a 10, but as for the campground itself there are somethings that could definitely be better.
First, for all intents and purposes the sites are not marked. At some point years ago they stencil painted the numbers both on the concrete parking block and on the ground near the entry pad for each site, but obviously over time most of these are worn away. It's very difficult to find your actual site, even during the day when it's not busy. At night, or with a campground full of people - not a chance. Even more perplexing is why it's still like this when it's so easy to fix.
Second, on the back loop, where we were, almost every car we saw was going the wrong way around the loop. I've never seen this before and wasn't just one car. There is a sign at the start of the loop indicating it's one direction, so not sure why this happens.
Third, they have a camp store at the entry to the family campground, but it was never open in the time we were there, which was Friday / Saturday / Sunday, during the summer, so not sure what the situation was.
Fourth, while the campground does have functional flush bathroom and shower, they only have one, and the rest are pit toilets, so depending on how far your site is from the building, it could be a very long walk, especially at night.
The front gate to the park did have covered firewood, but the hours of the gate operation were not clear. The sites themselves were fine, but not particularly deep, and some are basically completely exposed to all the foot and vehicle traffic going to the toilets, the dumpsters, or just driving around, so basically zero privacy.
We did drive into Crawfordsville, which took about 20 minutes, and it was very nice with a local college (Wabash) and plenty of retail options to restock, grab a cold beverage, or refill the tank before driving home.
Would I stay here again, yes 100%, but be prepared and plan ahead. Would I recommend this to others? Meh.
Legend
Shade, grass, and gravel sites. A lot better than most KOAs. They ask that you not put outdoor rugs on grass; no problem as grass is nice. Sites 1-10 are your best bet for Starlink if that’s what you have; best opening through tree canopy of the northern sky. Pet friendly; counted three cats and a dog in the office when I checked in. Was given the option of choosing my site out of the seven available for my reservation. A mix of long term residents and travelers; some of the long term resident sites were a little junky.
ScoutThis place is quite beautiful and cool, clean and moreover the air is very fresh https://tiny-fishing.com really like coming here
GuideThis park is under new ownership. They have gotten the pool repaired and open and have cleaned up much of the park with more to come. The creek flowing through makes it so cool and peaceful and the animal life is beautiful. Saw a huge crane in the creek today along with a whole duck family…the folks there are friendly. There’s a dog park, playground, bounce pad, basketball court, pavilion and a great big dam across the street where the fishing is great! Boats are welcome and the staff is great!
TravelerMy mistake for not researching this place further but it was listed on the dyrt’s free camping sites, but this is a paid/reservation based site. Unfortunately we arrived passed check in (which starts at 3pm) and couldn’t stay here for the night
Guide
We stayed in buddy sites 81 and 82. Buddy sites are large, have full hookup, fire pits, and picnic tables. 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.
Traveler
We booked a primitive site, on a Friday night. We arrived and were the only ones in the primitive area, which for us was awesome. We got set up and was able to go for a walk and check out the trails, buildings, and the village. Everything was perfect. The host was so friendly, she came over and talked and gave us some background on the location, and things we could do for future visits. The shower, and bathrooms were nice, and clean, as was all areas of the campground.
GuideCamp sites in the middle are on the smaller end but side sites have plenty of room. Drive is paved and pretty level. They have tubes kayaks and cannons
Guide
Turkey Run is a fabulous state park with a nice campground. My only complaint about the campground is that many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them. You don’t have a lot of privacy. Two sections of the campground, with the higher numbered sites, are much more wooded. If I go again, I will try to be there!
But the campground has two large modern bathrooms that are cleaned regularly. It also has clean well maintained vault toilets throughout the campground. Best of all, 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. It’s a peaceful spot.
Be advised that a “moderate” hike at Turkey Run can be challenging, with plenty of steps up and down the hillsides. Many of the trails go along stream beds, so you often need to make your way across the rocks to avoid wet feet. Be prepared with hiking boots and sticks.
There are two covered bridges on the edges of the park. Be sure to check them out!
ScoutSo far nothings working out
GuideTurkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons.
It is definitely designed to accommodate RVs, as the majority of the sites are situated in an open field. There are a few dozen sites that are in “loops” that are situated in shaded areas. Some camp sites have zero privacy while others have a little. Either way, if you’re here on a weekend, you’ll definitely have neighbors close by. You can see the entire campground via google maps street view, just FYI
This is a very family friendly campground and you will see lots of kids on bicycles flying around. I’ve stayed here a few times, and no matter the day of the week or the time of year, there are always lots of kids.
This campground has a raccoon “problem” due to campers having poor camp etiquette and feeding them. They come out of the woods towards dusk looking for food. 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 (ask me how I know, hah). They will take any food that is left out. Do not turn your back to your dinner table at any time if there’s food out.
On my last visit to turkey run (I’ve camped here 3 or 4 times) I arrived to my campsite and someone had left dog food out for the raccoons in little piles all over the place which was super disappointing. Additionally, my neighbors didn’t put their campfire out when they packed up and left.
Perhaps I’m just used to camping in other areas where you have to worry about bears and burning the forests down…But campers here just aren’t as mindful or respectful of the campground.
The restrooms and showers (at least the one I use at this campground) is modernized and cleaned daily but there’s no dish pit/wash room available if you cook. Just be prepared to clean up accordingly and put trash in trash receptacles. There are a few vault toilets in the campground as well.
You can hike from the CG into the state park (highly recommend. It’s gorgeous!) just wear shoes that youre willing to get wet.
Overall, it’s a beautiful state park with a conveniently located campground. It’s not the best campground ever but for Indiana standards, it’s great. Even with my complaints, I always return because I enjoy visiting and hiking through the state park.
Guide
This is a really lovely spot! There’s 2 bars of Verizon service, a shower house with warm water and flush toilets, as well as pit toilets. There are a few hiking trails that leave from the campground as well. My only problem was that it was extremely busy when I visited and some of my neighbors were quite loud (although they quieted down by quiet hours).
Traveler
I stayed by the lake, the spaces there are parallel to the road. Which gives you a beautiful view of the lake. I was there early in April when all the flowering trees were in bloom! Full hook up made it even the nicer!
TravelerI wrote out a 4 paragraph review and somehow it was just completley erased. Will update later.
Traveler
This is a beautiful family orientation campground. There is something for everyone. Playgrounds, new pool, kids activities, corn hole tournaments, fishing pond. Camp ground is clean and well managed now. Our new GM Shara is fabulous. If you are looking for a place to camp for a weekend or as a seasonal, I would say come and see for yourself. Once you get there you won't want to leave!
Scout
It’s decent—but the bathrooms are most certainly not. Definitely need someone out there at the very least keeping it tolerable for campers.
Scout
Super easy reservations online, and if it’s a weekday or a Sunday you could likely just roll up. $16/night for a tent site plus $9 out of state car fee. Security is at the main gate until midnight so later check-ins are possible. Great set-up after driving 11+ hours!
ScoutKinda of outdated facilities and some rundown recreation but hiking and swimming are fun
GuideOn an east/west trip and only had an overnight here. Campground is well maintained. Bathhouse clean, plenty of showers, flush toilets. Will need to fill your water holding tank as sites only have electric. Most sites are very spacious. Only negative was our site description and picture. Described the pad as level when it was actually about a 30% grade. We are camping in a truck camper and had planned to leave the camper on the truck but had to take it off to get level. And said the “yard” was grassy but it was only dirt which then became muddy after a bad storm. Great areas to walk your dog. We would definitely stop again but pick a different site. Camp store and ice, other items sold.
Traveler
We had a great two night visit right on the creek! Rented kayaks for a 3 mile adventure! Owners are super friendly and helpful. I would advise to camp during the week for a less crowded time. Would love to come back!
ScoutWhile this is always listed among the top Indiana state parks because of its amazing beauty and historic sites, the campgrounds are not up to the same level. The shower houses are old. No sinks, no flush toilets, no solid doors for privacy. Just curtains. So yes, that means put/vault toilets only, and there is no light for a middle of the night visit except the flashlight you will hopefully remember. Other state parks in the area do have modern shower houses. If you are disabled or just prefer better hygiene amenities, camp at Raccoon Lake SRA and take day trips to Turkey Run. I’m not sure of the status of nearby Shades Stare Park comfort facilities since we haven’t camped there yet.
Traveler
15 site campground, must call for reservations. Sites are on the smaller side but the higher number sites (13,14,15) can take larger RVs. Site 8 drops off quite a bit to the back so be sure to have appropriate leveling blocks. Clean, modern shower house.
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.
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 tent campsite near Independence, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Independence, IN is Lake Waveland Park with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Independence, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Independence, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
