Best Tent Camping near Leo, IN

Tent camping options near Leo, Indiana include primitive setups in several established campgrounds within driving distance. River Camp Fort Wayne provides reservable tent sites closest to Leo, while Independence Dam State Park Campground in Defiance, Ohio offers more developed facilities with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets along the Maumee River. Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area in Howe provides backcountry tent camping with boat-in, drive-in, and walk-in access options approximately 45 miles northeast of Leo.

Surface details at tent campgrounds near Leo vary considerably depending on proximity to water features. Independence Dam State Park Campground provides toilet facilities but no showers or hookups, making it suitable for primitive tent setups. Most sites are situated on small elevated banks along the Maumee River with limited direct water access. Pigeon River allows alcohol and pets, offering a more relaxed backcountry tent camping experience, but maintains only basic toilet facilities. River Camp Fort Wayne is reservable but lacks amenities like picnic tables or drinking water, requiring campers to pack in all necessities including water and waste disposal supplies.

Areas farther from Leo tend to offer deeper seclusion and natural settings for tent campers seeking a more authentic outdoor experience. Independence Dam State Park receives positive feedback for its natural setting along the Maumee River, though road noise can be noticeable at certain sites. One camper noted that "the paved path that goes along the camping sites is very nice and makes for a great walk or bike ride." Kayaking opportunities exist at Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area, where a shuttle service facilitates river trips for tent campers using the area as a basecamp. Places to tent camp near Leo are limited but provide access to water recreation and wooded settings typical of northeastern Indiana's landscape.

Best Tent Sites Near Leo, Indiana (7)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Leo, IN

3 Photos of 7 Leo Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Leo, IN

344 Reviews of 7 Leo Campgrounds


  • N
    Apr. 17, 2019

    Indian Springs Campground

    Dirty

    Dirty restrooms. Dirty lake. You have to pay extra to use the slide. Camp sites have been cut in half. Only 1 bathhouse/restrooms all the eay in the front at the beach. On the 2nf day we did find a porta potty in the back but it was nasty and everyone refused to use it. Manager was rude when i could not fit my car, tent (10x20), table and fire ring on out site. Told me o had to move my tent 1 foot over after it was already set up and loaded with beds. She left and I pulled it down and restaked just in time for her to vome and look disappointed that i had followed her order to pull it down and said i did not have to do that. The site was mostly dirt very little to no grass. When it rained we had nothing but mud. Hay rides on the weekend were late and the man driving it went way to fast down the back hill making you feel you were about to fall out. Employees childrwn throwing water on the people riding the hay ride. Someone went around fogging for mosquitos and allowed the children to run and play in the fog. Karaoke lady was extremely rude to all the children.

  • Laura H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 23, 2020

    Twin Mills Camping Resort

    Beautiful Wooded Campground

    Twin Mills is a really beautiful and quiet RV Campground, with tall trees in Northern Indiana. We frequent this location when getting RV Repairs and visiting Elkhart, the birth place of most RVs.

    There are cabins and tent sites and a large lake access point with a beach area. The playgrounds seemed to be in good shape and the dumpsters were centrally located.

    The park has a gate entrance for security.

    There is a large pool area and basketball court.

    There are several sections in the park, some more wooded and narrow sites, some are more spread out.

    Cellular: T-Mobile had good signal strength and bandwidth, AT&T was not as good but still doable.

    Most of the sites are full hook up, some have 30amp and some have 50amp.

    Amenities: Pool Clubhouse Basketball Volleyball Picnic tables Fire rings Trash Playground Lake access Beach area Dock Cabins Tent sites

  • Clay T.
    Dec. 26, 2024

    Chain O'lakes State Park Dispersed Campsite

    "Free, never heard of that app."

    Although it states in the app free dispersed camping. Doesn't always mean just that. The cheapest campsite at primitive camping is $12 bucks. (Tent sites) For more, you can get electric hookup sites galore that all include a fire ring picnic table and a pretty leveled out spot.

  • A
    Dec. 8, 2020

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Hidden gem for the right people

    This park is great for the right kind of trips, we visit here often in the summer to enjoy the river, kayak , and relax. Most sites are on a small elevated bank on maumee river, (you can walk down the path but not put a kayak in)

    There are no hookups, only vault toilets, no staff only very nice camp hosts ( there are next to site 11 ). 

    Sites 1-6 are misleading on the site, they are not on the river bend, there is a gravel trail/road between them and the river bank. its not a huge deal for access but annoying if your expecting direct access. 

    Sites 9 and 10 were not bookable in 2020 an hopefully remain that way, they are basically in front on the camp host site, so the camp host is between you and the river. 

    Sites 11-15 are the best in my opinion 

    Site 13 has direct access to the river on a small walking path.

    Site 15 is our favorite, it has the most room and still has a small path down to the river.

  • Robin H.
    Jul. 21, 2020

    Kilsoquah Camp

    LOVE but.....

    We love camping out here. It’s our favorite place to be in Huntington. It’s super cheap, the sites are well taken care of, plenty of play spots for kids, electric and primitive, the sites come with picnic tables and fire rings with cooktops, some of the spots are out in the open and others are inset back into the trees. Some spots have wonderful views of the lake too! Our only issue is that because there is no one constantly there like a normal campsite, there are people who take the best view spots are stay for weeks on end knowing you can only stay, I think 14days, before moving to a new spot. Went there this past weekend and the people across from us were also BLARING music so loud you could feel the bass in your chest. We kindly asked if they could lower it, not turn it off, just lower it and the man was so kind and did it, however the woman threw a fit and turned the music back up. We ended up moving sites even tho we paid for that specific one and already were set up. There is no number to call so you just have to deal. But it’s totally worth it for the price and the sites. People just need to learn camping rules and take other people into consideration. 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2019

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Not feeling the love

    When researching our trip, I came upon this state park right on the Maumee River and was very surprised to find it had not been previously reviewed. The website indicated the sites were tent only but when I called, I was told we could park and sleep in our campervan. When I tried to make reservations, there was a two-night minimum on the weekends and we were just passing through so I decided to see if we might be able to snag one night if there were sites available. 

    There is a two-mile road to the campsites once you enter the park and along the way, we passed many pull-out day-use picnic areas on nicely manicured grounds. Once we reached the campsites, there seemed to be less attention paid to the area. Turns out that there were only a very few sites that had paved pads that would accommodate our van; the rest were clearly for tents only (but there was no way to tell this from the website). Even though I had seen that about half of the sites were reserved, there was no one there at 4:30 on a Friday. There did not seem to be any staff or rangers on-site and there is self-registration. The rates seemed kind of steep ($19 on weekdays; $20 weekends and $22 on holiday weekends) for sites with no hookups and only porta-potties. We saw some people fishing near the dam and perhaps the campground would be suitable for these folks and/or people boating/kayaking in who portage down the river (there is a marina) but it just did not feel like a place we wanted to camp.

  • N
    Sep. 8, 2022

    Cade Lake County Park & Campground

    Beautiful

    Stayed sept 2022, $30 tent site (no electric). Its $40 with electric. Arrived after office hours, campground gated, but host was super friendly and helpful! The grounds are immaculate. Bet it's very popular in summer. Beautiful place, wish I could have stayed a lot longer.

  • Roger W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 25, 2024

    Elkhart County Fairgrounds

    Area Convenient and Clean

    Elkhart County 4-h Fairgrounds: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

    (72 yr olds in 27’ trailer.)

    Overall Rating: 4 for access to the area, very clean facilities, and not too many campers thus time of year.
    Price 2024: $35 for water/electric only. Security: No Usage during visit: Very light Visual Privacy Between Adjacent Sites: none Site Spacing: very close Pad surface: our area was grass Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Quiet except for one day of motorcycle raises at the nearby track.
    Outside Road Noise: Not most sites Through Traffic in campground: Some for activities at the fairground Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: some sites Dump Station: yes Potable Water Available: At sites Bathroom: Very nice flush toilets Showers: yes Pull Throughs: Yes Cell Service (AT&T): Varied throughout campground Setting: open grass fields around very well manicured county fairground. Recent Weather: 70s and rain. Insects:None Host: I am not sure.
    Rig Size: Large Sites: full hookups and water/electric only

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 23, 2017

    Elkhart County Fairgrounds

    Typical Fairgrounds Camping Experience

    I have camped here a couple of times while visiting northern Indiana to have repairs done on my RV. Overall, I like this campground where for $30/night you can get a 50 amp full hook-up site or $23/night a 30 amp and water site. If you plan on staying longer weekly and monthly rates are really good. The campground sits in the middle of the county fairgrounds so there is usually something going on – either a fair, concert, horse event, or an RV rally. Depending on what time of year you are here and part of the week, the campground could be very crowded or very empty. The nice thing is the people in the office let you pick whatever site you want and don’t assign one to you. There are 275 full hook-up sites with 50 amp full hook-up and 30 amp water & electric only. There are no fires allowed and some sites don’t have picnic tables but you can request one and they will bring it to your site.

    There is very little shade and during my last visit the late September fall temperatures climbed to nearly 90 degrees and was brutal. This campground is better suited for RVs than tents but you are permitted to tent camp. Bathrooms and showers are scattered about and I was amazed at always how clean they (and the grounds as a whole) are. They do offer WiFi which worked pretty well in non-peak hours like early morning but was not reliable and sometimes frustrating. Since many sites have a clear view of the sky, you most likely will get satellite television reception and a dozen or so antenna channels.

    One of the things I like about this park is the vast expanse of grounds to wander about walking my dog. There is a trail system just outside of the park that allows you miles and miles of walking and biking trails. Downtown Goshen is less than two miles away and has some great restaurants (including Venturi Pizza, Maple Indian Cuisine – which has an awesome buffet, and Goshen Brewing Company). The Saturday farmers market is great with lots of produce, breads, meats, cheeses, and crafts.

    The last time I visited coincided with the Mennonite Relief Fund which was a big fund raiser for their charity that packed the grounds with stuff for sale, food, and activities. It was fun to be there during the event but it meant the campground and grounds were packed.

    Now for the bad about this campground. It is located right next to very busy train tracks that operate 24/7 and blow their horns quite often. They were really annoying in the middle of the night. Sites are close together so if it is crowded and you have a neighbor, you will be right on top of them. There is no shade which can be very miserable.

    Pros:

    · Price - $30/night for a 50 amp full hook-up site

    · Nearby downtown stores and restaurants

    · Sites are not assigned so you can pick where you want to camp

    · Grassy patios

    · Large grounds to meander around

    · Nearby biking/walking trail

    Cons:

    · Very noisy from nearby trains operated at all hours

    · Few trees for shade or privacy

    · Some sites are very tight and close to your neighbor

    · Can be very crowded

    · WiFi provided but not reliable


Guide to Leo

Tent camping near Leo, Indiana offers access to several natural waterways and wooded areas characteristic of northeastern Indiana's transitional forest ecosystem. The area sits at approximately 800 feet above sea level and experiences pronounced seasonal changes with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping months. Winter camping is limited due to below-freezing temperatures from December through February.

What to do

Kayaking on the Maumee River: Independence Dam State Park Campground provides easy access to paddling opportunities. Andy K. noted, "The paved path that goes along the camping sites is very nice and makes for a great walk or bike ride. There is an opening near the middle of the campsite which allows access, along with access for kayaks, which is pretty cool."

River fishing: Multiple tent camping locations near Leo provide fishing access. Amanda M. explains about Independence Dam, "Most sites are on a small elevated bank on maumee river. This park is great for the right kind of trips, we visit here often in the summer to enjoy the river, kayak, and relax."

Shuttle service for water recreation: For tent campers willing to travel 45 minutes from Leo, Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area offers convenient water transportation. According to Whitley K., "Kayak through winding rivers and lakes in Northern Indiana. The shuttle service is convenient and not overly expensive. It doesn't offer the greatest views but offers a great time on the water with friends or family."

What campers like

Access to water features: Many tent campers appreciate the riverside locations. At Independence Dam State Park Campground, Amanda M. recommends specific sites: "Sites 11-15 are the best in my opinion. Site 13 has direct access to the river on a small walking path. Site 15 is our favorite, it has the most room and still has a small path down to the river."

Clean facilities: Despite primitive camping conditions, some locations maintain good standards. Andy K. was "quite impressed with the bathrooms" at Independence Dam, stating, "These were the cleanest port a potties I have ever used."

Well-maintained grounds: Some Leo-area tent camping options feature nicely kept surroundings. At Circle B RV Park and Cabins, approximately 35 miles northeast of Leo, Jeffrey Y. found a "great campground, very well maintained, lots to do, great atmosphere."

What you should know

Limited direct water access: Though many camping sites advertise proximity to water, reaching the shoreline can be difficult. Amanda M. clarifies about Independence Dam, "Sites 1-6 are misleading on the site, they are not on the river bend, there is a gravel trail/road between them and the river bank. It's not a huge deal for access but annoying if your expecting direct access."

Amenities vary significantly: Tent camping options near Leo range from basic to primitive. River Camp Fort Wayne allows reservations but lacks drinking water, toilets, and picnic tables, requiring campers to be entirely self-sufficient.

Road noise concerns: Roadway proximity affects some otherwise pleasant camping spots. Andy K. mentions this drawback at Independence Dam: "The two lane traffic road is within 50-100 yards of the campsite, so the sound of vehicle traffic is quite frequent, especially since this road appears to be a favorite of motorcyclists."

Tips for camping with families

Choose sites strategically: When tent camping with children near Leo, site selection matters significantly. At Independence Dam, Amanda M. advises avoiding certain spots: "Sites 9 and 10 were not bookable in 2020 and hopefully remain that way, they are basically in front of the camp host site, so the camp host is between you and the river."

Weekend reservation requirements: Some locations enforce minimum stays during peak periods. Lee D. experienced this at Independence Dam State Park: "When I tried to make reservations, there was a two-night minimum on the weekends and we were just passing through so I decided to see if we might be able to snag one night if there were sites available."

Pack for primitive conditions: Most tent camping options near Leo lack standard amenities. Independence Dam operates with "no hookups and only porta-potties," according to Lee D., making it essential to bring appropriate supplies for comfortable family camping.

Tips from RVers

Limited availability for larger vehicles: Most tent camping areas near Leo restrict RV access or have limited suitable sites. Lee D. noted at Independence Dam, "There were only a very few sites that had paved pads that would accommodate our van; the rest were clearly for tents only (but there was no way to tell this from the website)."

Self-registration process: Many campgrounds operate without on-site staff. According to Lee D., at Independence Dam "There did not seem to be any staff or rangers on-site and there is self-registration."

Consider off-peak timing: Weekday visits offer more solitude for tent camping near Leo. Andy K. recommends at Independence Dam "staying in another location towards the end of the site, and on a less busy weekend."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Leo, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Leo, IN is River Camp Fort Wayne with a 3-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Leo, IN?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Leo, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.