The Waveland area sits at around 700 feet elevation in west-central Indiana, characterized by mixed hardwood forests and rolling terrain with sandstone ravines. Camping spots near Waveland, Indiana offer diverse landscapes including wooded ridges and lakefront options. Summer temperatures typically range from 60-85°F with humidity levels increasing from July through August.
What to do
Creek activities: Sugar Creek runs through several campgrounds near Waveland and provides excellent recreation opportunities. At Sugar Creek Campground, "the creek is loaded with small mouth bass, some large mouth, gar, bluegill, and carp. The campground offers tubing excursions, but I advise booking that in advance, as they sell out of spots often," notes Ryan H.
Disc golf: Multiple campgrounds feature disc golf courses for campers seeking additional recreation. At Rockville Lake County Park, "Disc golf course is awesome, in the woods, up and down ravine. 18 holes plus practice basket. Hole 1 starts by primitive sites closer to beach. Ask for a disc golf map at gatehouse," shares Smeeta T.
Fishing: Waveland area campgrounds frequently feature stocked ponds and lake access. At Lake Waveland Park, "If fishing is your way of relaxing, you should have a good time here," mentions Randy A., while Peaceful Waters Campground has "a nice pond in the center of the campground where they have paddle boats and canoes; also saw people fishing. The folks here are very nice."
What campers like
Privacy options: Many campers value sites with adequate separation from neighbors. At Shades State Park Campground, "We had a blast hiking Shades State Park and nearby Turkey Run State Park. We enjoyed that not every site was packed and we had some privacy," reports Micah N. Another camper noted it has "nice quiet campground with spacious sites. Canopied by the big beautiful Indiana trees."
Clean facilities: Campgrounds near Waveland maintain good standards for restrooms and common areas. Peaceful Waters campers report that "The outhouse near our site was very clean, as was the shower house," while at Turkey Run State Park Campground, "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure," according to Samantha S.
Kid-friendly amenities: Family camping options abound with playgrounds and recreation areas. At Peaceful Waters, there's "a playground for the kiddos if you have them, a volleyball net, and horseshoes," while Sugar Creek Campground features "a great pond for fishing, and there are lots of fish to catch! The sites are a great size, and very well maintained!"
What you should know
Site variability: Campground quality and amenities differ significantly between sites. At Turkey Run State Park, "watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything. Also, the open, grassy area sites don't offer any privacy. If that's what you're looking for, try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods," advises Samantha S.
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds in the Waveland area have specific operating periods. Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area operates year-round with "nice place to camp, can be flooded at times, some of the sites have huge inclines or declines, allot of sites reserved way in advanced. There is a few pull throughs, no water hook ups at site," according to Dave R.
Cell service variability: Connectivity can be limited at certain campsites. Monica C. reports from Turkey Run State Park: "I have AT&T service and had no problem with cell service, my husband has Verizon and his was spotty." Similarly, at Raccoon Lake, Joe M. notes: "No cell service but who needs it!"
Tips for camping with families
Primitive site selection: For families wanting a more secluded experience, certain areas provide better options. At Peaceful Waters Campground, "Our primitive tent site was in the very back isolated from the rest of the grounds. A port-a-potty was near by, but the shower house was a short drive away. Also, the site, 27C, was alone with timber separating it from the nearest site."
Avoiding crowds: Strategic planning helps navigate busy periods at popular parks. For Turkey Run State Park, "In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon. Saturday we rented a canoe from a canoe place right down the road from the campground. It was great and once we saw the crowds at the beach area of the park on Saturday afternoon, we were super glad we had been canoeing all day instead of fighting crowds at the park," shares Samantha S.
Water activities for kids: Multiple campgrounds offer water recreation suitable for children. At Crawfordsville KOA, "the family that runs the campground is wonderful and extremely helpful. The little restaurant has great food at good prices, and many ice cream flavors for those hot summer day's! Great pool and a place to let your dog run!"
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the area have uneven sites requiring preparation. At Rockville Lake County Park, "The sites range from very uneven to moderately uneven in this section. The full hookup site section is flat but with less tree cover. The sites in modern electric water only can be awkward to back into with no room to pull forward due to a ditch in some areas."
Hookup considerations: Electric and water connection placement varies across campgrounds. At Turkey Run Canoe & Camping, "The electric is shared with another site which could be a problem if you have the same type of service since there is only one 50 amp, one 30 amp, and one 20 amp service per hook up. There is portable water at the entrance but the road coming and going to the campsite is only wide enough for one rig."
Extension cord preparation: Some sites require additional equipment for proper hookups. At Rockville Lake County Park, prepare for "sharing of water and electric between two sites, so come prepared with extensions for water and electric," advises Smeeta T., while several campgrounds note variations in electric service types from 20-50 amp connections.
