Best Equestrian Camping near Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

...although you probably wouldn't want to camp in the Indiana winter. I grew up coming here mostly to sled on the hills! But, there is a lot more to do. It surrounds Worster Lake and there are cabins, RV sites, and tent sites along with horse trails and bike trails. In the winter, there's sledding hills and ice fishing. The campgrounds are pretty standard, nothing special. If you live in the area, it's a fine little getaway.

I feel this is one of the best state parks in Indiana. Come with your own water as they don’t have water hookups at your campsite but there are some nearby. The sites are very spacious and clean. Bath houses are always clean! Playground areas for the kids throughout the park lots of bike and walking trails. No pools but a beautiful man made lake for swimming and fishing. Lots of wildlife throughout the park. A great nature center is a must to see for the little ones. My family has camped here for many years. There is also a separate campground for horse lovers.

Great place for a weekend camping trip of kayaking and some hiking.

Pro's

• Large Campsites
• Clean showers and bathrooms
• 2 kayak ramps with ability to hike in between them
• Fire tower
• Great views in the river
• Horse Trails

Con's

• No privacy in campsites, so it more of a RV's / partying camping
• Hiking is mainly flat trails thru the woods
• No Camp Store, the Host sold firewood and Ice

This campground is a great place for families and pets.

We camped in the electric part of the park. During our stay we enjoyed the hiking opportunities for us and our dogs.

There were children involved in bike riding and playing at the playground every day and activities like the park Challenge to explore the park in a guided way, looking for local animals and skeletal remains.

Yu can also fish, canoe, Kayak or tube on the Tippecanoe River.

The Comfort Buildings were well lit and clean. They were also well stocked.

There was a horse camp available as well as youth tenting and cabins to rent.

This is a great State Park with more things to offer in addition to the ones mentioned above. We will definitely be back.Check it out for yourself soon!

Campground= 4 stars; check-in= 2 stars. Very large campground with close to 300 sites plus a horse camp and about 20 cabins. We picked this park solely because it was convenient to our next destination, so we were not concerned with amenities. We did not make a reservation because I really do not want to pay the extra fee if it is not necessary. Upon arrival, we paid the $9 entrance fee ($7 for Indiana residents) and drove the 3 miles to the campground office. Somewhat surprised to find both staffed at 6 pm on a Thursday after Labor Day. We were told to drive around and pick several desired sites as they could not tell us which ones still had people due to arrive that night who had reserved. Huh?? So, we drove around two of the five loops and picked half a dozen sites that would be suitable. But that’s where the fun began- not! There seemed to be some computer glitch in that every site we asked about showed as not available, even though more than half the sites were empty. Eventually, we were told to just go to one of the sites we picked and set up and that a security guard would come and collect our money. Eventually, at just before 9 pm, the security guard did come and told us the glitch had been fixed and asked that we come to the office and register. The glitch was not fixed! But we paid our fee and were able to stay the night and the staff was very apologetic. 

There is no differentiation between RV and tent sites (the only one that is separate is the horse camp). The E Loop seemed to be the most crowded, mostly with RVs. The sites in the D Loop were spaced a decent amount of distance apart but other than that, there was no real privacy between them. This was not a problem because the loop had many empty sites and we were able to easily find one that had an empty one on either side of us. There are paths to the beach accessible from the D and E loops but note the beach is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There is no longer a dog beach at Potato Creek. There is a general store(open until 8 pm) and bike rentals which, if we were going to stay longer, we might have taken advantage of. There are boat rentals in season. Several trails and playgrounds so I imagine that in the summer, this is a nice family campground (even the name is Family campground). 

The mosquitos were vicious, likely worse due to the amount of rain the area has had this year. Bathrooms were very clean and there was hot water, a nice luxury but you have to be careful not to bump your head on the shelf over the sink when washing your face. Didn’t use them but there were also showers. 

The check-in process notwithstanding, our stay was fine for the night.

I’ve not camped at this park, only hiked it. I’ve probably hiked it two dozen times at least and it’s got nice trails for the part of Indiana that it’s in. Most of them are relatively flat with some trails,like number two, having some hills and stairs in them. My favorite trail is probably number one, which is a 1 mile weird loop that has some neat scenery, especially in the summertime.

We have been blown away by the efforts put into Indiana’s state parks and Potato Creek is no exception. Well kept, beautiful grounds and trails. Restrooms are a bit dated, but clean and functioning. Our daughter loved the play area and huge grassy area to run around on. The Peppermint Hill mountain bike/hiking loop was really fun and not to be missed. Seems like a very popular place, even in the off season, so you’re best bet is to make a reservation or call ahead to make sure they can accommodate you.

My wife and I come here every year since purchasing our travel trailer. We recommend securing a spot in the back sites 230-287 for larger lots and quieter atmosphere. Younger families tend to book up front near the playground and the noise and activities are more robust. Be ready with back up cords, some sites require 75 ft to hook up. With dog friendly beaches, beginner MTB trails and paved bike paths, this checks all our boxes. Natural wetlands abound, so definitely bring the mosquito spray. Typical Indiana Campground with basic amenities, older comfort stations and spotty WIFI. I like unplugging but sometimes work demands I respond promptly. Not too far from South Bend for city amenities, restaurants and supplies. Takes 10-15 mins to drive out of campground, so keep this in mind. Definitely keep coming back!

This small 10 campsite area of The Tippecanoe River State Park only has 1 water spigot & 4 vault toilets (2 men's & 2 women's) for the more adventurous campers. The main reason I like it there is that you're camping directly on the river. On one of the sites you can actually get out of your tent & throw a rock into the river.

Prior to this year (2018) this non-electric smaller area of the park WAS known as "The Canoe Camp", stipulating you must have a canoe or some kind of boat to camp here.

Now, this area is "The River Tent Area". Anyone with a tent can camp here now. I have camped there 3 times this year & had a few things happen. (All in one trip)

In the camping brochure it plainly states "No swimming" in 2 separate paragraghs. I had picked THAT weekend because there was free fishing for Indiana residents & my friend wanted to take her 2 young boys fishing & camping. We caught nothing. Probably due to the people belly flopping in the river a mere 20 ft. away.

Our day FAR from over. Some other campers that night decided to play flashlight games in ALL 10 campsites. It's not too easy getting 2 small boy's to bed while there are scary shadows being cast on all 4 sides of our tent.

The park rangers DO come around & check on things 👍 but I was getting ice in the main campground after the fishing incident & my friend,who had never camped there before, didn't feel it was her place to say anything. The reservations were in my name. Plus we packed & left 1st thing in the morning after the flashlight ordeal. ((back to work) I did call the office & inform that evening at home.

I'm worried that opening that area up to anybody with a tent wasn't a very good idea.

 This is a North Central State Park in Indiana. Not one of the better units, but it has some charms. The mosquitos get bad in the summer, so come prepared. We camped the end of May& they were just getting going. Spring& late fall would be a good time to visit.

 None of the campsites have a view of the river. Only 112 campsites in the electric side. There's a primitive tent campground by the river, with a few sites. There's also a horsemans campground, which we didn't look at. This is a well established campground& has nice shade trees in all the sites. 

Get water before setting up at the water station after the small gatehouse. There's 2 sides at the dump station. In the campground there's 2 comfort stations. Station A looked like it had been totally rehabbed in the last 5 years. Everything looked nice& the showers could be turned to your preferred temperature. Cleaner than the last state park we were at for sure!

 Handicap accessible sites are 109/110/111/112. There are 2 pit toilets in the campground, though I don't know why. The modern bathrooms are right across the road. Stay away from sites 73/75& 105/106. Right by the pits, with a sidewalk between them. The sites are typical state park. No privacy for most. There's gravel for your camper pad. Not dirt.

 The best sites are site 1- right on the main drag, but the most private site in the place. If you enjoy watching the rigs come in& leave, this is your site! Vegetation separates you from site 2. Site 58 is the only pull through in the campground. Site 63 is also a pretty good site. All sites are not too far from the bathrooms. 

For the playground, sites 2,3,4,6,&7 have direct access to a playground& you can watch your children from your site. All the interior sites by comfort station B have direct access to the playground from your site & you can watch your children from your site. Avoid if you dislike the sound of children playing. 

We stayed in site 102, which is right across from bathroom A. All the outer sites are pretty good. Our site ponded water after a rain, but soaked in fast. 

There's some trails that can be accessed from the campground- Trails 1,3,4&5.

 All in all an average park. Nothing really special except for the river. Fishing was poor according to my husband.

Solid campground with space between the sights. Great for families, has a general store with essentials, and lots of activities. A little pricy.

The campground is huge, but we have never felt crowded. There is a nice prairie area to walk around in, and an easy to ride pave bike trail. We watched the osprey nest one year for several hours. We have not yet had a kayak out on the lake, but the lake is big. The bathrooms have always been clean, and the campground hosts friendly. The sites vary in size and slope, so research and prepare for anything. But all of the sites are manageable. South Bend is close by if you want to adventure in.

Nice layout and easy access to camp amenities made this weekend trip away from home a relaxing one. Though early in the season, the campground was busy. Beautiful state park scenery.

The park itself is rather large, and the camping area is pretty expansive as well. Bathrooms are cleanish…but they start getting a little wild as the weekend wears on. Perpetual mud and slop from the showers, but functional. The sites are roomy enough but they are a little close together. Some sites are shaded, some are open…hard to tell when booking. Not many trees to set up a hammock on site. General store was well stocked and the staff across the board were very helpful.

I took my son for a quick trip, but the camp grounds were full, so we made a day of hiking, biking and fishing…of course we had a picnic, too. The trail head near the fishing dock was the perfect place to park. It allowed hiking one way and biking the other. The trails were very well maintained, wide and shaded for a hot midsummer day. The picnic areas were clean and spread out all over the park, as well as the restrooms. The fishing dock was crowded, but being a clear summer day, it’s to be expected. We just made our way around the bank and dropped a line. The water was beautiful! Folks were kayaking, canoeing and paddle boating all over. The staff were very pleasant and helpful, too. All in all, a great visit. Will definitely be back to pop a tent now that we know the area!

 We've camped here several times in the last 28 years, but not in a while. We decided it was time to go back! Love Potato Creek! 

We stayed in site 96, which isn't the best site if it's hot. Not a lot of shade. It's hard to pick a "best" site. Loop A- sites 25, 39,41& 42. Loop B- sites 94, 98,& 104. Loop C- site 72. Loop D2- site 165. These are all good sites. Check the site description when you make your reservation. It should tell you if it's in full sun. Always be aware of the pit toilets & dumpsters. The sites aren't right on top of each other, but some have more room than others. 

Each loop has a comfort station. Bathrooms & showers are surface clean. Typical state park clean. I shared my shower with a spider one night. Lots of webs & hair in the women's side. 

There's a single playground that's more central to loops A B & C. There's a water fill up area for use before getting to the campground. The dump station is old, but usable. There's also a horseman's campground, Youth tent group camp& cabins for rent.

Amazing place. So much space. Great bathrooms and amenities. So much nature. Loved our stay here.

We took the family several times during the summer we had a ball there is so much to do

Good for basic family or friend camping! We have stayed here loads of times over the years and we’ve always had fun. The only downsides are you are very close to the other campsites so it’s pretty noisy and bright!

This is my very first time and camping and I loved it they had very natural and they had very nice night and they had very nice areas for tents

Quiet and peaceful. Camp host are very nice couple. Everyone was very friendly. Fishing, kayaking on the lake.

We love Potato Creek! The paved bike trails are amazing. The sites are large and private. There are great and there is a good selection between shaded and sunny. With a selection of fun things to do (bike and boat rentals, hiking trails, a wonderful nature center, playgrounds) our family never runs out of things to do here.

Our first time here with our pop-up. It's a beautiful park. So much nature to explore, so we'll have to come back again. Note that my four star rating is based on five stars being perfection, so I would still definitely recommend it.

Our site was purposely located close to a bathhouse, but was not too close to have any bothersome noises. The bathhouse was a bit dated, but pretty clean. Individual stall showers with inner and outer curtains. Curtains could have been a bit longer, because the inner one allowed lots of spray into the outer "dry" part of the stall.

Great playground on the east side of the first loop. Kids seem to play there for hours and enjoy riding bikes around the loops. Very well manicured grounds, including paths from the sites to the bathhouse.

Nice little store that had a little bit of everything attendants were friendly. Firewood available. Cheaper outside the park, but don't mind supporting the park. Was open till 9PM even on Sunday.

Beach was small, but seems adequate for the number of people there. Could use a little sand cleaning, but not bad. Swimming area roped off to keep boats out. Bathrooms have showers.

Already planning our next visit!

We wanted to explore the “RV Capital of the World” and Notre Dame University while passing through. This park fit the bill. Arrived Thursday with the campground maybe 25% full. By Friday night it was full! Great spacing between sites and offers miles of hiking and biking trails. Verizon signal essentially nonexistent, but air TV reception not bad. Fresh water fill and dump stations were the best we’ve seen anywhere.

took my son on a father son camping trip! normaly i would bring my 32 foot camper but we roughed it for the weekend and tent camped. sites were smooth and level and well taken care of. lots of nice walking and biking trails and a big electric motor only fishing lake and nice beach.

went with about 50 people for a church camping trip awesome campground with lots to do

its a nice visit for kids and young adults. lots of trails for riding bikes. Playgrounds near camping sites. Beach fun also fishing.