Looking for an adventure where you can explore Leo and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Leo with tent camping. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Each site is in a wooded, shaded area with a flat area on the ground to place a large tent. Each site has its own fire ring and a small wooden table. There is cut firewood in several locations in the woods for all to use, and ample twigs etc on the ground for kindling (do not cut any trees or branches off trees). There are maintained trails with river access for kayaks. There is a single bathroom with flush toilet and sink with running water that is a short walk away. There is an outdoor shower at bathroom, with a water hose available as well. Foster Park is a short bike ride away where you will find greenway trails that run throughout Fort Wayne (ride your bike to downtown!!)
Link to Trails Maps
fwtrails.org
Need to rent a bike or kayak:
fwoutfitters.com/#
$18 - $25 / night
We took I-80 all the way to near Shipshewana where the roads took us about 7 miles into the campground (CG). Check-in was quick and easy because we had paid ahead online. We proceeded to pull through site 37 with FHUs. The utilities were in the center, which made it nice to dump our two black tanks in order to go to the Brinkley Service Center the next morning. Water pressure was good at about 50 psi. It was nice that the utilities were on the center of the pad. We got 4 bars on Verizon. If we wanted to put out satellite, we could have as there are not many trees in the central area to block the signal. We tried to sign into the free Wifi with no luck. The website wanted us to sign up for paid internet, which we did not do. The sites in the CG are for the most part very close together. We were here overnight to take our rig into Goshen for warranty work. Coming from the West, stay on I-80 to IN-13(exit 107) as it makes for an easier route than on the local roads versus following your GPS or Waze which may have you exit off in Elkhart. Check out the great selections at Yoder's Meat& Cheese just down the road. This CG was okay for an overnighter or short stay.
Our first time at this park and got lucky with our site. The pad was a little unlevel but easy to fix. The fire ring was fantastic and had pea gravel around it so if it rained it wasn’t a muddy mess. Great site with grass for tents and no one behind us besides a cornfield. We had a sidewalk next to us to the bathroom but there were so many bathrooms we didn’t have very many people pass by. It had pretty decent shade but unfortunately a sweet gum tree nearby so watch out if you’re barefoot. The shower house was nice but no benches in the stall and only had curtains. They were very clean and the camp hosts were friendly. We are headed back in September!
The sites in the tent-only section were well sized and shady. We were on the lake side and were able to get some nice views of Harrison Lake. There were families on either side of us with little kids who were well behaved, albeit a little noisy (i.e a really young child was screaming for about 2 minutes straight non-stop at 9 am until finally the parents said something). Bathroom facilities (single occupancy with shower) were about a 3 minute walk and were clean. Good stay!
just being here for an one night stop. Restrooms are very clean and comfortable. Nice place and very friendly camp hosts
They have good hiking trails, nice refreshing waters, good food options at certain places
This is a nice campground for visiting Shipshewana, the restrooms and showers are just inside a “sitting room “ and they’re clean and modern. You can listen to the clopping of horse hooves as the Amish buggies go by, unfortunately there is also some traffic noise. The other reviewer must have been at the campground next to the flea market because this campground has trees and no way resembles a fairground site.
Haven't been yet
Our site was 21 inches unloved from front to back and 7 inches down on the passenger side! With poison oak all over the back of our site so bring a lot of leveling block and no kids! Other that that it was a decent park with lots of activities but a very hard campsite to navigate and a busy weekend forget about dumping lol your gonna be there a while. Also no Verizon signal but our friend had T-Mobile and he was ok signal.
We made an last minute stop here on a Sunday night. The owners were helpful and went out of their way to help us. The campground looks awesome and makes you feel at home. They are also big rig friendly. We will stop back here again.
Small campground good for a visit to Shipshewana or stopover on a long trip. Staff are very nice and helpful, facilities are decent. There is occasional traffic noise due to being close to the road, but not so bad as to keep you from getting sleep. It’s nice to hear the clopping of the horse drawn carriages of the Amish every so often.
There is a Waterpark, pool, and hot tub at this campground you can access for an additional price. I camped in a tent next to the cabin that my sister rented so I'm not sure about the tent sites that are available. There are ALOT of full time campers here so I was under the impression that a good site will be hard to find here, but the bathrooms were good and there were things to do so I will try this place out again.
We reserved a spot roughly a month in advance and really enjoyed our spot. Had partial shade and picnic table at our site. The bathrooms/showers were large and private (one occupant at a time). River access at this campground so you can kayak about 5 hours to the public access and drive back. Or you can also rent kayaks near the public access and they will transport for you.
Great little campground but it is no longer open.
The shower are unisex, and there is a train that blows its horn all night long
We stayed in the Turner lake south loop, which has nice and private sites. This is in contrast to Honeysuckle hollow which is open and row after row of RV sites. Fox den and Prairie view loops are nice as well with mostly primitive sites. Be aware that the map on www.ExloreMoreIL,com (where you make your reservations) doesn't show where the restrooms are. In the Turner loop, the pit toilets are next to the path to the fishing pier, while the showers and full restrooms are between Turner and Fox den, there is a short path between sites 60 & 61. Facilities are clean and well lit.
Fire pits are slightly raised steel troughs with a heavy adjustable grill.
This is a BIG park, the campgrounds are two miles from the front gate, and it's a drive to the main boat launch at Maple Grove, where you have access to the Fox River and Grass lake. This location has a huge parking lot for boat trailers, a very well stocked general store with fishing supplies, a cafe, boat rentals and good firewood.
To get away from the crowd if you're a canoeist or kayaker it's nicer to leave the park and go back in at Oak Point picnic area and boat launch at the northern border. This will put you on the Fox river with developments to the north (including a bar & grill) or to the south which is all nature. I think the distance by boat between the two launches is 4-5 miles, but I'm not sure, Halfway there you'll meet up with the Goldfinch trail which is the shortest loop and the most diverse in term of flora.
There are horse/ snowmobile trails, but no equestrian campground.
Chain o' Lakes is one of the busiest waterways in Illinois, with motorboats everywhere in the height of the summer season. We canoe, and both times we stayed there it was October, so I can't tell you how crowded, but the vast number of picnic areas must be there for a reason.
An odd thing is that you can hear a Steam Train whistle quite often, this is from Richardson's Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. We don't have kids so we went to Stade's Farm & Orchard (which is also large and kid friendly) because they have an orchard and vegetable market.
One last thing, the gates close at 10:PM and there are tire shredders, you can leave but you can't get back in... unless you want to walk 2+ miles in the dark :)
The owner was wonderful, friendly, and responsive!
The site was good for an overnight stay.
It seems most sites were seasonal and those folks were very friendly.
We would definitely stay again when going through the area.
Lots of things happening...and even though we were just a one-night stay, passing through, we were invited to take part in everything going on. We felt very welcome.
All full hookups, no pool but there is a small pond to swim in and a lake as well. Nice staff.
Really, no thrills, quiet campground. Great place to stay for all your Shipshewana needs.
It had the facilities, but we were unimpressed with the service when booking, price quoted at reservation and online was different to price charged and we were placed right by the dump ground
Let me start out by qualifying my 5-star review by saying it is site specific. Our site was one of the more private which earned the 5-stars. But, even in a different site it’s a great place to stay for a few nights as you explore the area. Easy in and out, good electric service, water at the site, good Verizon signal, easy dump station access, and friendly camp hosts. Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) burial site is next to this county park. And he is celebrated each Fall within the park with a festival.
Ok where to start. I could see this place could be better in an rv or if you are here for a festival. For me it was a little creepy and run down and dirty.
But I want to start and say people were very nice! This is def an rv place and as such the bathrooms were not very clean. I could not find the showers but was told they existed.
Places is full of history and he loved it for that. Considered the Nashville of the north and it prob was 50 years ago. I’m sure it was amazing then - they built a little Main Street. But now it’s pretty much run down. We had a good time taking pics. The lake is nice but seems more like a pond - not a swimming place but I saw people fishing.
Lots of cool photo spots and pretty grounds. It’s just the buildings were kind of run down and bathrooms were dirty - looked like the toilet hadn’t been cleaned in months. People overall were having a good time but mostly it was all RV’s.
Good enough for a quick trip but overall the campground was a little dumpy. You have to use a passcode to enter the bathrooms. Pool was very small. Easy access to highway.
WORST CAMPGROUND WE'VE VISITED.
To start with, the gate staff was curt, indifferent, and almost mute. We got the impression they couldn't care less if we stayed there or not.
After checking in, our guide took us to our site. As soon as we got into the park, it was evident that this campground catered mostly to seasonal "campers", with most sites occupied with permanent campers and RVs set up with sheds, porches, and other permanent buildings. The streets were exceptionally narrow, with tree limbs scraping the sides and top of our coach.
When we arrived at our site, we were unable to make the turn into our site, as the site next to us had a white picket fence right on the "property" line. Our guide was able to get us moved to another site, with more narrow streets and tree limb scrapes. Even then we had to cut across the grass to get into our site. The site itself was very uneven, but we were able to finally get the coach level.
Our grandkids tried the playground equipment, but most of it was rusted and semi-operational. The jump pad appeared to be functional, but an older guy in a site next to the jump pad was chasing and yelling at kids, so our grandkids quickly left.
Stay here only if no other options are available. In fact, just skip it, you're better off going right on by.
The papers were friendly ans helpful. Friendly patrons throughout the park. Clean saltwater pool, a park and a clean pond with a swimming beach. Catch and release fishing allowed. Bingo on Saturday evening! We all enjoyed our stay.
This state park was established in 1925, so almost 100 years old. The campground must be the original layout. There's a maze like quality to it. The roads are narrow & you may be driving off the road for a big rig.
Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't. Check the site descriptions carefully & to be doubly sure, call the office & ask.
There's water stations that look very old. They have wooden, shingled roofs. There's 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4. IN THE CAMPGROUND! NEXT TO CAMPSITES!!!!
There's 5 loops to the main campground.
100 loop is small & closer to the lake than the other loops. It's the loop we chose this time.
The sites are on the small side. There's 3 campsites that are close to the lake. 115, which is a larger site. 117 & 119 which have clear views of the lake. 117 is more a tent or popup site & is small. 119 is the best of the bunch. A large pad & a large site. There's no privacy bushes. These sites have a view of the lake with trees & brush & are on a ridge overlooking the lake. They aren't ON the lake.
On either side of 117 & 119 are 2 trails that lead to the lake. There's benches & a dock to tie up your boat.
The rest of the sites are a mixed bag. Some are level, some have an incline. If you have a big rig, be aware that the road to the 100 campsites branches into one way. Leading into the campsites, the road is narrow & has a ravine on one side!
200 Loop is non electric
300 Loop is the biggest loop & seems like the best bet for larger rigs. As stated above, some sites are better than others. There's a uniformity here that's missing from the other loops.
Stay away from sites 393& 395!!! These sites are literally right on top of the dump station! As always watch for pit toilets near the sites.
400 loop is a smaller loop next to the 200 loop. There's only one shower house for both loops. Avoid site 444 & probably site 454. These sites are VERY close to the dump station.
500 loop is also smaller& has some nice sites tucked by themselves in the trees. There seems to be more privacy brush on this loop with SOME sites.
512 is close to the shower house. 511 & 513 were somewhat secluded.
If you have a boat you want to tie up at the dock, go for the 100 loop. If you can't get it, be aware there's no parking near the trails to the lake. You can park by the bathhouse & walk.
The shower & restrooms are atrocious!!! Worst looking buildings since Spring Mill SP! Dirty & need an entire overhaul. In fact, raze the buildings & build new ones! They're "cleaned" once a day. Suuuuuure they are. There was actual poop on the door of one of the women's toilet stalls the whole time I was there. Mold & spiders& dirt in the corners. Looks like the last upgrade was in the 50s.
Camp sites are tiny. We had site 88 and it was supposed to be full shade. It was full sun and they have it set up so the camp side of the trailer faces the road. The fire pit is also three feet from the road. Who wants to have a fire next to the road?
Very nice, quiet and clean campsite. The owner Mark was a very nice gentleman Great for a stop over
Camping near Leo, Indiana, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From serene lakes to family-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone in this beautiful region.
Camping near Leo, Indiana, has its perks and quirks, but with the right preparation, you can enjoy a fantastic outdoor experience!
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.
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TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Leo, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
