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Camping near Monroe Lake, IN
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Monroe Lake in Indiana offers multiple camping options within the Hoosier National Forest and state recreation areas. Hardin Ridge Campground provides tent, RV, and cabin accommodations with both reservable and first-come, first-served sites. The region includes established campgrounds like Paynetown State Recreation Area and dispersed camping opportunities in Charles C. Deam Wilderness and along Berry Ridge Road. Yellowwood State Forest, approximately 15 miles north of the lake, offers additional camping facilities with cabin options.
Campground accessibility varies by season, with some facilities operating year-round while others like Hardin Ridge are available from mid-May through late December. "Hardin Ridge is an excellent place to camp in any style you like. There are campsites from walk-ins to drive-ins to FCFS with or without electricity/water," noted one visitor. Travelers should be aware that many campgrounds fill quickly on summer weekends, particularly those with lake access. Monroe Lake campsites provide a perfect base for fishing, swimming and hiking adventures throughout the area. Electric hookups are available at several developed campgrounds, though availability differs between locations. Most dispersed camping areas lack amenities like showers or running water, requiring self-sufficient preparation.
Campers frequently highlight the privacy and natural setting of sites throughout the area. "The campground is heavily treed and the sites are spaced nicely for privacy," mentioned one review of Bluegill Loop. Family-friendly options include Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, which features splash pads and organized activities geared toward children. For those seeking quieter experiences, the more remote locations in Charles C. Deam Wilderness offer peaceful surroundings with fewer amenities. Water access represents a significant attraction, with many campgrounds providing boat ramps or swimming areas on Monroe Lake. Most established campgrounds maintain clean facilities with regular maintenance. During peak summer months, advance reservations are strongly recommended for developed sites, while dispersed camping areas typically remain less crowded.
Best Campgrounds near Monroe Lake (132)
1. Paynetown Campground
"It's a bittersweet type of situation."
"This is one of the largest campgrounds in all of Indiana. It includes hundreds of campsites. This includes RV hookups, standard campsites, and primitive campsites."
from $20 - $45 / night
Check Availability2. Hardin Ridge
"This campground is on the south side of Monroe lake and has beach access. I tent camped solo and everything went great!"
"It is part of Hoosier National so there are unlimited trails, Monroe Lake, a beach and all kinds of playgrounds."
from $24 - $64 / night
Check Availability3. Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest
"The ground is level and all grass with less bugs than sites directly off trail. We just have a simple backpacking tent set-up and we had a great campfire."
"Site is a wide open and well-groomed, with trails just a short walk (or ride) away. Toilets and covered picnic tables nearby."
4. Taylor Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
"We have visited Nashville Indiana several times but this is our first time camping nearby. My wife loves to visit Nashville and all the little shops they offer."
"It was backed up to the edge of the woods which made for a lovely view. Driving through the campground it looks like there are some sites pretty close together but ours wasn’t too bad."
from $20 - $43 / night
Check Availability5. Charles C. Deam Wilderness
"A staple of our state here in Indiana. Unfortunately due to some storm damage, trails were rerouted or straight up inaccessible. Great places to find and set up camp."
"Tent camping only although there are both hike in and drive up sites in the wilderness area. Great place to get away from it all."
6. Buffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
"This is a beautiful State Park situated in the rolling hills of southern Indiana."
"I make multiple visits here every year, mainly for the mountain bike trails. There are almost 30 miles of trails inside the park with new trails every year for the past 3+ years."
from $43 / night
Check Availability7. Yogi Bears at Lake Monroe
"Great location and clean camp ground."
"I had to nearly lower my tongue to the ground to get it level. The splash park was fun, even for the teen kids, but the pool was tiny and shallow and disappointing."
8. Peninsula Trail
"The Peninsula Trail and Grub Ridge trails both have marked campsites that are very far apart and totally private. These are dispersed/primitive sites with a fire ring only. "
"this was a wonderful scenic hike meant for the beauty of indiana"
9. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping
"If you are into boondocking at all defiantly check out berry ridge it’s just south of brown county Indiana beautiful country mostly hills tons of camp spots sometimes half mile or more apart haven’t seen"
"I have lived in Indiana for ever and have made many trips this way, but I never knew sites like this existed."
10. Yellowwood State Forest
"Peaceful little place but unfortunately it rained but we made the best of it, there’s some secluded spots where you can stay away from others or stay in the more general areas, nice lake to fish and we"
"Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope. Bring exact change(cash). Current prices are listed on the Indiana DNR website."
from $225 / night
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Drive Time
- 12 min from Bloomington, IN
- 1 hr from Columbus, IN
- 1 hr 1 min from Indianapolis, IN
- 1 hr 16 min from Terre Haute, IN
Recent Camping Photos near Monroe Lake
184 Photos of 132 Monroe Lake Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Hoosier National Forest Pine Loop Campgroundt
Hoosier National Forest White Oak Loop Campground
Hardin Ridge
Ransburg Scout Reservation
Paynetown Campground
Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest
Charles C. Deam Wilderness
Peninsula Trail
Hickory Ridge Campground — Hoosier National Forest
Free Spirit CampgroundA
Yellowwood State ForestF
BerryRidge Road Dispersed CampingD
Recent Reviews near Monroe Lake
674 Reviews of 132 Monroe Lake Campgrounds
LDS Sister H.
GuideFriends O' Mine Campground & Cabins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Our First RV Home Has Been Such a Blessing!
My husband and I absolutely loved our first few months here at Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins as first-time RV owners with our Class A RV.
We downsized from our 5-bedroom home in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. We sold our home and I followed my Husband back here to Indiana after he received a wonderful career opportunity. My Husband is a Veteran, 🇺🇸 and after moving to Nashville, Indiana, we had immediately fallen in love with this small town - where we respected and admired the way Nashville reminds us of where we had just moved from in Missouri.
We stayed at Grand Wood Suites for six months, after paying for a hotel, all while continuously paying for our two large storage units, as well as our mortgage payment and then rent for most of the beginning of this year; so, we decided to downsize to save money to buy land sooner, instead of continuing to rent. 🏕️ We already loved camping - we started with a pop-up camper on the 🔝 of our Jeep and camped dozens of times, then traded up to a pop-up camper. So we used what we had in savings, bought our Class A RV, donated our pop-up camper, and came to Friends O' Mine - and it was the best decision!
From day one, the other campers have been so friendly, as are the nice employees and amazing owners. They truly make you feel like family. They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding it. It's incredibly cozy and just inviting you to join in.
We've enjoyed live musical singers entertaining us around the campfire all evening, and we were invited to watch a documentary about a local racecar driver in their indoor recreational room, right next to the indoor laundry facilities.
There is also a subterranean pool that my Husband and I enjoyed swimming in almost every day during our first month here - it was very relaxing and refreshing!
One of our favorite parts has been our peaceful, nighttime walks around the large, well-stocked catch-and-release pond. My Husband and I hold hands together and walk around it at sunset almost every evening. It's so serene and calming to hear the sounds of the water and feel the beautiful Autumn breeze.
This has been a very relaxing, enjoyable, and heartwarming experience for us. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, peaceful, and welcoming place to stay - whether for a weekend or for a season - we cannot recommend Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins enough. We are so grateful we found it!
Kaley A.GuideBuffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
We absolutely LOVED this park! It was hands down our favorite of this year. We camped at site 100 and it has a neighbor on one side and behind while the other side was a huge open space. It is in the center of a loop. It was mostly level. There was some minor doming to the site but not bad at all. It was a busy camp ground but not as crowded (sites not on top of each other) as some I’ve been in. The outsides of the loops did have more space between and privacy but could be smaller or more sloped, it just really depended. The bathrooms and showers were cleaner than some of the other state parks we have been to, so much so my 11 year old son mentioned it. The park itself is absolutely gorgeous. The hiking trails (which is what we usually go for) were nice but I believe that the biking trails were actually more scenic than the hiking trails and a lot more rugged. We liked trail 8 starting from the west lookout tower and stopping at Hesitation Point for lunch/break/bathroom. Trail 6 was also a pretty, rugged, shorter trail. The Nature Center was also nicer than a lot of the others we have been to in the state. We did choose to do horseback riding at the stables. We showed up about 5 minutes after opening and were able to pay and told to come back in an hour and 45 minutes. That didn’t bother us since we had the time but if you are on a tighter schedule, the earlier the better. We also went into Nashville and it was a very cute town to visit. Well decorated for Halloween, very walkable, and a little something for almost everyone. Prices were about what I would expect for a tourist town but not terrible. I also have T-Mobile and had pretty good service almost everywhere in the park.
- JJacob S.Scout
Ogala Horse Camp
Little loop pull off with a stone fire pit in the middle. Walking trail goes down to a swampy pond.
Mark T.ScoutIrwin City Park
Nice little city park/campgound
Clean paved sites, rigs under 35 feet will fit. Water and electricity 50/30 (water is in the ground.
SkywaystoHighways.com Y.
LegendBill Monroe Memorial Music Park & Campground
Fun Event Location
We stayed for the weekend during a Campout event. Lots of fun seeing all of our camping buddies. I don’t think we would camp here otherwise as it isn’t really our type of camping. Sites are close together, so don’t expect privacy. Porta potties had not been serviced from their previous event… needless to say, it was foul. The country music museum was pretty cool. The guide was very knowledgeable!
- TTanner P.
TravelerMitchell Creek Road Dispersed
Peaceful!
There’s not a lot of designated camp spots but there’s not many people around. Very peaceful
- JasonGuide
Camp Atterbury Campground
Host is great, park is nice, MWR needs help
Great place to stay. Full hook ups, about 90 percent level sites. 33 RV sites and 3 or 4 primitive camp sites. The main bathhouse is pretty clean, included laundry, and a great host and hostess (Mark and Denise). The only bad is the price hikes here. One would think MWR would throw money towards some things...like a dog park, some leveling, lights at the kids playground, and MWR sponsored and paid for holiday parties/outings for vets, retirees, and all the active here on base. But nope, just collecting revenue without any beanies. Anyway, the host keeps it grounded.
Jeff C.ScoutShale Bluff Campground — Hardy Lake State Recreation Area
My favorite spot
Love taking the kid to hardy lake. Smaller lake to fish on with a trolling motor canoe but big enough they allow gas motors. Have a few favorite sites for the camper.
Guide to Monroe Lake
Monroe Lake offers camping opportunities across Hoosier National Forest with sites set among mature hardwood trees at elevations between 500-700 feet. The 10,750-acre reservoir borders Charles C. Deam Wilderness, creating diverse camping environments from lakeside to ridgetop settings. Campgrounds typically receive 45 inches of annual rainfall, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F.
What to do
Water activities at Paynetown: Paynetown Campground offers multiple options for getting on the water. "We live a couple of hours away from the lake but find it's worth the drive for a day of boating. If you don't have a boat they offer pontoons, canoes and kayaks for rent," notes Jennifer H.
Mountain biking at Brown County: Trails at Taylor Ridge Campground provide excellent riding opportunities. "The mountain bike trails are fantastic, something for every skill level. Nashville is just down the road and has a lot of small shops to go through and a micro brew/distillery that has good beer and food," says Dave S.
Hunting for geodes: Explore creek beds near Charles C. Deam Wilderness for rock collecting. "I walked the creek for hours just looking at all the rocks on the sandbars. I have never encountered so many geodes in my life. Truly magnificent to encounter," reports Sarah R., though she cautions, "We came after a lot of rain. So everything is permanently wet and mosquitos/ticks abounded."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many Monroe Lake campgrounds offer well-spaced sites. At Buffalo Ridge, campers appreciate the layout: "The campground is heavily treed and the sites are spaced nicely for privacy," while at Hardin Ridge, "The campsite was really big with lots of shade. The fire pits are sinked into the ground," according to Adam K.
Clean facilities: Blackwell Campground maintains good standards despite being a free site. "Open areas with pit toilets and water available. Shade and sunny locations. Pick a spot and set up with hammock-large rvs spots. No fee, no reservations, no problems," writes Betsy W.
Diverse camping styles: From rustic to developed options, campers enjoy variety. "Hardin Ridge is on the south side of Monroe lake and has beach access. I tent camped solo and everything went great!" shares Christine C., while at Berry Ridge, "Multiple campsites in the area, I've stayed at two both of which were away from others, clean, fairly flat and had plenty of dead wood around to burn."
What you should know
Seasonal water access: Water availability changes throughout the year. "I do not know if water is turned on year-round," notes one Yellowwood State Forest camper, while others report primitive sites requiring self-sufficiency during colder months.
Reservation systems vary: Berry Ridge Road operates on first-come, first-served basis. "No set camp spots but great to set up and have no light pollution! Close to town but also right off some amazing trails!" reports Emily H. Meanwhile, Yellowwood State Forest operates similarly: "Yellowwood state forest campground does not accept reservations. It is first come, first served. Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope," explains Daisy C.
Wildlife awareness: Prepare for local fauna. "Watch for timber rattlesnakes," warns one Peninsula Trail camper. Another visitor at Berry Ridge notes, "Did see a rattlesnake dead on the road."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park offers dedicated children's amenities. "We came here in 2017 with a group of friends and camped in the primitive camping area. The kids participated in a costume contest, pumpkin decorating contest, and trick or treat. The water park was a huge hit with the kids," reports Ryan G.
Beach access for children: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas. "My family and sister in laws family camp here every year. Our kids love it and we all have a great time. They always have something to do even if it's just going down to swim at the beach," says Kathryn F. about Paynetown.
Nature programming: Look for educational opportunities. "The nature center is really fun with animals and a bee hive that the children really enjoyed! There are a lot of diverse hiking trails for all," shares Jessie W. about Brown County State Park.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for leveling: Pay attention to terrain. "I had to nearly lower my tongue to the ground to get it level," reports Joe M. about Jellystone Park. At Buffalo Ridge, campers note: "For more secluded and wooded setting, chose Taylor Ridge (careful with larger RVs)."
Size restrictions: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger rigs. Yellowwood State Forest campers advise: "This park is perfect for tent camping or smaller units; we would not recommend for larger units as most sites are small and unlevel and may challenge your maneuvering skills!"
Access routes: Some areas have restrictions. "Large rigs must access the park through the West entrance due to a low clearance covered bridge at the North entrance," advises a Brown County State Park visitor, while another notes, "It took a bit to find our site which needed level blocks and is just wide enough for the RV."
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping options are available at Monroe Lake in Indiana?
What camping options are available at Monroe Lake in Indiana?
Monroe Lake offers diverse camping experiences to suit various preferences. Hardin Ridge on the south side of the lake provides tent and RV sites with beach access, trails, and both electric and non-electric options. For a more rustic experience, Charles C. Deam Wilderness offers dispersed camping with primitive sites. Other options include Paynetown Campground with standard amenities, and specialized camping at Ransburg Scout Reservation which offers cabin and tent camping with water activities. For RVers, there are several campgrounds with full hookups and big-rig friendly sites. Most campgrounds around Monroe Lake are open seasonally with peak availability from spring through fall.
What amenities does Paynetown Campground offer at Monroe Lake?
What amenities does Paynetown Campground offer at Monroe Lake?
Paynetown Campground offers a range of amenities for campers seeking comfort while enjoying Monroe Lake. The campground provides electric hookups at many sites, clean restrooms, and shower facilities. While Paynetown can get busy during peak season, it offers a balance of natural surroundings while maintaining access to essential services. Recreational amenities include direct access to Monroe Lake for swimming, fishing, and boating. For those seeking alternatives with similar amenities, Ransburg Scout Reservation nearby offers access to Monroe Lake with canoeing, rowing, sailing, and motorboating options, along with hiking trails and meal services for organized groups.
What visitor reviews say about camping at Paynetown Campground?
What visitor reviews say about camping at Paynetown Campground?
Visitors to Paynetown Campground report it can get quite busy, especially during COVID when outdoor recreation surged in popularity. Campers note it can be challenging to find campsites that aren't packed close together while still providing access to nature. For those seeking quieter alternatives with more space, Pine Loop at Hardin Ridge receives excellent reviews for offering various campsite styles including walk-ins and drive-ins, with or without utilities. Campers particularly appreciate Pine Loop's ample shade, quiet surroundings, and easy access to Monroe Lake and a swimming beach, making it a popular choice for visitors seeking a more peaceful camping experience near the lake.
How do I make reservations for camping at Monroe Lake State Park?
How do I make reservations for camping at Monroe Lake State Park?
To reserve a campsite at Monroe Lake State Park, including Paynetown Campground, make reservations through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources website or by calling their reservation line. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance, which is recommended for summer weekends and holidays. For alternative options, Yellowwood State Forest located near Monroe Lake has 79 primitive campsites available. Buffalo Ridge Campground at nearby Brown County State Park also offers reservable sites with both electric and non-electric options. Remember that some smaller campgrounds and dispersed sites in the area may operate on a first-come, first-served basis rather than through reservations.
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