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Best Tent Camping near Lynnville, IN

368 Reviews

Tent camping options near Lynnville, Indiana include several primitive sites within the Hoosier National Forest region. Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed camping offers roadside pull-offs for tent campers seeking a more isolated experience, while Newton-Stewart Recreation Area and Springs Valley Recreation Area provide established tent camping with varying levels of amenities. These locations are situated within forested terrain approximately 30-45 miles from Lynnville.

Access to tent camping areas varies significantly across sites. Mitchell Creek Road features limited pull-offs along a narrow gravel road with no designated tent pads, picnic tables, or restroom facilities. Campers must be self-sufficient, bringing all necessary water and supplies. The terrain consists primarily of ungraded forest floor near creek beds. According to one visitor, "This is NOT a campground, but just roadside pull-offs on public land. There are no restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, or other amenities." Cell service is unreliable throughout the area, making paper maps essential for navigation.

The primitive tent setups in this region offer solitude and natural surroundings as their primary appeal. Springs Valley Recreation Area provides access to a lake suitable for fishing and kayaking, though overnight camping may be restricted. Sites along Mitchell Creek Road are described as quiet and secluded, with minimal vehicle traffic creating a peaceful atmosphere for tent campers. The thick forest provides shade and natural exploration opportunities, with rock outcroppings and creek access available at some locations. Wildlife sightings are common, with one camper reporting hearing "a large band of coyotes in the distance." For those seeking more established tent camping, Lake Mauzy East across the Kentucky border offers tent pads with fire rings and picnic tables near the water, providing a more comfortable primitive camping experience.

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Best Tent Sites Near Lynnville, Indiana (6)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Lynnville, IN

2 Photos of 6 Lynnville Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Lynnville, IN

368 Reviews of 6 Lynnville Campgrounds

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 4, 2018

    Hoosier National Forest South Slope Loop Campground

    Glam ping in the woods

    South Slope Loop At Hoosier National Forest is located second campground in on your way to Celina lake. This is the RV friendly campground with electrical hookups for your toys. You give up some privacy and quiet to have your electric as the sites are closer together and of course your neighbor may not be as courteous with the noise said electronics create.

    There is excellent tree cover and you do have some tree block between sites. A nice large newer showerhouse, water points, picnic tables and fire rings to finish off the homeyness.

    All of the hosts that i interacted with were very friendly and went out of their way to assist when they could. The local Ranger Station is located in Tell City and closed on the weekend.

    We spent our time hiking on the Interpretive Trail (1mi)near Celina Lake and Two Rivers Trail (15 mi) which encompasses both Celina and Indian Lake . You can disperse camp for $5 a night as long as you are 300 ft from the trail. And take your bug spray or you may be nothing but a dried out husk by the end of your visit, ticks are horrible right now!

    We spent time at the lake also. Very peaceful, electric motors only so no waves or tubers flying by. There is a small handicap accessible fishing pier adjacent the parking area. A nice area to visit.

  • Sam H.
    Apr. 2, 2023

    Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

    Average National Forest campground

    13 total sites, 2 of which are tent/primitive only and set 50ft or so back into the trees. No electric or water. A single vault toilet of average cleanliness, but was stocked with 6 partial rolls of tp. Tent pads are all flat and level, but parking pads are definitely not. It's all gravel roads including the "Saddle Lake Road" entrance all the way from Old State Road 37. There is a parking lot and boat ramp further down the hill at the lake, but state law does not permit swimming from the shore without a designated beach. $5/night fee paid by honor system drop box near camp entrance.

  • N
    Jul. 20, 2016

    Newton Stewart State Rec Area - Patoka Lake

    Good campground, bad weather :(

    Campsites had paved parking pads, picnic table, fire-ring, and electrical hookups. Restrooms and showers were clean. Lot's of open space and nothing really separating you and your neighbors. This SRA is right on Patoka Lake, so there's plenty to do on the water - boating, fishing, floating cabins, beaches. There's also a disc golf course, archery range, and plenty of paved & dirt trails. It also has a great nature center. Unfortunately our trip got cut short due to very high winds, but we will definitely be back!

  • Richy R.
    Apr. 2, 2025

    Lake Mauzy East

    Harris-Dickerson WMA (Free) – A Hidden Gem on the Lake!

    This is an amazing spot for free camping! The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views. Each site comes equipped with a fire ring, picnic table, and access to toilets—everything you need for a comfortable stay. Despite its remote feel, Walmart is just a 12-minute drive away for any last-minute supplies. We would have loved to stay longer, but incoming storms cut our trip short. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a peaceful and scenic getaway! No electricity or showers!

  • V
    Jun. 20, 2021

    Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

    Straightforward little campsite

    There are 8-10 spots available, all but one of which are drive-in. I think a smaller RV or third-wheel could get into the first and last spots, otherwise, all the spots looked suitable for tent or hammock camping. 

    We had enough Verizon coverage to get emails and make calls but not enough to have worked on for a longer stay. The campsite is near Saddle Lake and it is walkable at a stretch but there is no swimming allowed there. Based on the other visitors, fishing is the main draw here. The sites were somewhat divided by trees and undergrowth but you will see or hear other campers and the occasional truck flying up the nearby gravel road at 2 am. Site #11 is more private and not visible from the drive in, it is on the right as you pull in going toward the lake.

    Collecting firewood is not permitted here. Bring whatever you need out, I did not see anywhere to get ice or firewood between the campsite and I-64.

    The vault toilet was adequately clean. 

    Dry camping (no water). 

    All drive-in sites had a fire pit and picnic table. 

    We had a hook for trash and whatnot. Be advised that bears are only very rarely seen in Indiana but the racoons are ruthless and highly organized.

    I wrote about my visit here: Saddle Lake camping un-fails

  • Tim E.
    Jul. 30, 2018

    Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph

    Not for Little Kids

    We chose this campground due to its proximity to Holiday World and its family friendly atmosphere.

    The Bad: We took our 5 and 3 year old daughters for their first camp out with the plan to do Holiday World the next day. This place has golf carts zipping all over all hours of the day and night. Apparently it is the thing to do to decorate golf carts with bright lights, blairing music, and megaphones. They even has a golf cart parade that went from 8:30-10:40pm and included thrown candy that ran about 30 feet from our tent! There was no privacy between sites, constant noise, and trash all over the ground! As an advocate for leave no trace camping, I was completely disgusted with the amount of trash on the ground at our camp site.

    The Good (there was some): The shuttle to Holiday World was great, the staff were friendly, they have a great mini golf course that the girls loved, a top notch playground, and scheduled kuds activities (many are free). they also have a pool and water slides, but i cant comment on those as we did not try them.

    At the end of the day, we had a great trip. but if i were to stay here again it would have to be a more secluded camp site without the constant buzz of golf carts. And I sure hope the amount of trash we saw was a fluke.

  • Sarah R.
    Jan. 20, 2021

    Saddle Lake Campground — Hoosier National Forest

    Primitive Paradise

    This is a centrally located primitive campground that my siblings and I use often for weekend expeditions. The long winding gravel road takes you away from the highway and deposits you in a serene location that is perfect no matter which season you visit. Each site offers ample space for multiple vehicles and occupants; each site also has a picnic table, double lantern hook, and a nice iron fire ring with a swiveling grate. We have spent many weekends here and have never had any issues with any of the other patrons. Each site is $5 a night, they use the honor system, and they have a pit vault bathroom that is usually in pretty clean condition.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 7, 2018

    Hoosier National Forest Goldenrod Loop Campground

    Meet me at Tipsaw

    Goldenrod group campground at Tipsaw Lake Recreation area Hoosier National Forest is laid out in a lollipop design with no sites at the circle. It is an excellent group camp area cause it’s all you. Reservable and self contained with its own pit toilet , picnic tables and fire rings and you can easily set up a get together area near the entry. However...if you want a shower the showerhouses are a short walk down to the adjacent areas. 

    The beach facilities are also within easy walking distance and the boatramp is right next to the beach. 

    There is the 5.9 mile Tipsaw Lake Trail to hike, pay attention to your map and trail signs, we lost the trail twice and meandered around some before finding it again.

    If you pack everything you need ( I’m never that lucky) you can park your vehicle for the duration of your visit. If, like me, there’s always something that got left sitting on the kitchen floor....then you are in luck! Citgo is south down IN 37 and Tell City with a Wally World and fast food is not to far beyond that.

    And if you want to add some more adventure and hiking to your stay there is a zipline Eagles Wing and additional trail Mogan Trail (24ish miles shared with horse back riders) south on IN 37.

  • Joe F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 8, 2023

    Buzzard Roost Campground — Hoosier National Forest

    Cliff top camping

    Stayed here one night, got in around midnight. Had no issues locating it, nice hard top the entire way there. The site has 5 camp sites that are pull off spurs with a decent parking space. One could probably fit a small pickup and trailer. Each site has a fire ring and a picnic table. There's a restroom, bring your own TP. The sites are close and there isn't much for privacy between most of the sites. I found site 1 and 2 had the most privacy as one could use their vehicle to block some view. They are marked on bollards that ring the parking spaces. There's a nice trail that overlooks the river and has a cleared vantage point with a bench. All in all I liked it and there was only one other vehicle when I was here. Oh and I didn't see any trash on my site. A little in my fire ring but it was all paper products so free kindling?

Guide to Lynnville

Tent camping opportunities near Lynnville, Indiana include several sites within Hoosier National Forest and surrounding public lands. The area features mixed hardwood forests with elevations ranging from 400-700 feet above sea level. Most primitive sites receive between 45-50 inches of annual rainfall, creating seasonal creek flows and variable ground conditions throughout the year.

What to do

Kayaking on local lakes: Springs Valley Rec Area offers a peaceful lake setting ideal for paddling. One visitor notes, "this is still a beautiful lake for hiking, fishing, and my favorite, kayaking. Electric motors only, so nice and quiet."

Wildlife observation: The forest areas provide habitat for diverse species. At Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed, campers report significant wildlife activity, with one camper mentioning they "heard some loud mysterious crashing in some nearby trees" during their stay.

Rock formations exploration: The terrain features unique geological formations. A camper at Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed mentions "There are rock outcroppings along this road, which follows Mitchell Creek and lots to explore on foot."

What campers like

Natural solitude: The remote locations provide genuine wilderness experiences. A camper at Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed reported "While I was exploring and camping on this road, only two vehicles passed during the entire 16 hours. VERY quiet."

Water access: Many sites are situated near creeks or lakes. At Lake Mauzy East, a visitor described it as "an amazing spot for free camping! The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views."

Bird watching opportunities: The region supports diverse bird species. One Lake Mauzy East visitor observed "tons of birds, and we saw snake mounds but not yet seen one...birds and butterflies and owls."

What you should know

Site limitations: Most dispersed sites have minimal space. A Newton-Stewart visitor described it as "Primitive. 45 spots," indicating the basic nature of available camping.

Road access challenges: Many forest roads require careful navigation. One Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed camper noted "It took me 20 from route 64 to find this place" while another warned "Road south coming in was destroyed some time ago have to w yer from east or west road."

Cell service reliability: Connectivity is inconsistent throughout the region. A Mitchell Creek Road visitor reported "No cell service at the site but there was a bar or two on the road just a few feet away. With a weboost there was att and tmobile service."

Map requirements: Digital navigation often fails in remote areas. A camper advised "Have a paper map handy, as there is no cell signal and GPS was spotty."

Tips for camping with families

Supply proximity planning: Know where to get provisions before heading to remote sites. A Lake Mauzy East camper noted "Walmart is just a 12-minute drive away for any last-minute supplies."

Site amenities assessment: Research what each site offers for comfort needs. Lake Mauzy East provides "a fire ring, picnic table, and access to toilets—everything you need for a comfortable stay."

Weather preparedness: The region experiences sudden weather changes. One Lake Mauzy visitor mentioned "We would have loved to stay longer, but incoming storms cut our trip short."

Vehicle selection: Some areas require specific vehicles. For Mitchell Creek Road, a camper warned "I did not see any pull offs that would accommodate an RV of any size, and nothing large enough to turn a trailer around."

Tips from RVers

Size restrictions: Many forest roads cannot accommodate larger vehicles. A Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed visitor cautioned "One pull off was nearly too small to turn around my small pick up truck."

Boondocking opportunities: Self-contained camping is possible for smaller rigs. A camper noted "if you are camping in a self-contained SMALL vehicle, this is quiet, secluded, and beautiful."

Lake access for larger vehicles: Some water-adjacent sites accommodate RVs. A Lake Mauzy East visitor mentioned "Lake mauzy is very quiet. No hookups but if you want to boondocks this is a great place."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lynnville, IN is Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed with a 2.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Lynnville, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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