Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Monroe Lake, IN is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Monroe Lake is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Find the best campgrounds near Monroe Lake, IN. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"It's a bittersweet type of situation."
"Paynetown boasts the second largest beach on Lake Monroe, and the primitive sites include a very nice shower house."
$21 - $55 / night
"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."
"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."
$16 - $50 / night
"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."
"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."
"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."
$23 / night
"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."
"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"
$225 / night
"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."
"Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing.
Lots of fun activities to do, and great hiking trails. Their mess hall is top notch.""Our Boy Scout troop enjoyed visiting this location. It was well maintained and the staff was helpful."
LegendThis was a camping weekend. We've camped here before, but many years ago. It was time to go back.
So, we couldn't remember much about this state park. We were never compelled to go back sooner. Now I remember why. This is a nice park. Not outstanding. Not special. It's just...nice.
There's 7 hiking trails. All are nice walks in the woods. All were muddy in sections. There's an old coal mine on Trail 2. Blocked off for safety.
There's no beach, but they have an enormous pool. It has slides & everything.
This is a fishing park. Boating with electric motors, so a quiet lake. Fishing was fair according to my fishing guy.
The Nature Center was inexplicably closed "for the season". Disappointing!
There's many boat launches & picnic areas. Cabins for rent. Boats for rent.
We stayed at the electric campground. The sites are great- wooded. This is a well established campground.
The sites are all flat- ALL FLAT!!! No inclined sites at all! Unheard of in an Indiana State Park, but there you go.
There's some train noise.
The bathrooms/showers are KOA clean. Also unheard of in an Indiana State Park. I couldn't even find a spider web. Kudos to the park employees& camp hosts!
We had a site by the lake, but there was no lake view & there was a steep incline to get down to the water.
This campground has a beautiful fishing pier just for campers.
Bring an extension cord if you're in a pull through. If you want your door facing the fire pit- the electric box is in an awkward place.
There's also another campground that has a mix of electric/full hookup & non electric sites. They have a beautiful bathhouse.
All in all a pleasant weekend. We camped at Shakamak State Park in a Travel Trailer.
GuideSecluded camping area with horse hitch. 5 - 6 primitive spots with fire rings and tables. Very little privacy. Tents and vans only.
TravelerBest option in the park and quietest. Some spots are uneven and tight, but also some very large (back of loop and some of the spots on side of loop in the front)
GuideA quiet little lake/ big pond in the Hoosier National Forest with a few spots to camp.
At the pond there was a pad of concrete leftover from who knows what. I wouldn’t be trying to pull a travel trailer back into here unless it was very small.
On the weekends, the activity picked up with a lot of partying and hunting.
There were a few pickups that patrolled through here regularly, all through the night too. I was never bothered by anyone, but the area is small and I kinda felt like I was on a stage with every passerby.
TravelerGreat spot to tent camp! The showers and real bathrooms were nice too! Plenty of trails and awesome lookout points. The lakes aren’t bad for fishing and kayaking too! Very glad I went!
ScoutI pulled in at midnight in a sedan in the winter and i was able to safely find my way. Very nice drive during the day, hiking is fantastic!
GuideThis campground is decent if you get one of the few good spots. Many sites are small and can only accommodate a tent. Has water and vault toilets. This campground typically remains available as an overflow camping area but is still a good spot.
GuideI found this place a few years ago and it has become my local go to. It is free camping and first come first serve. There are vault toilets. Plenty of space to spread out.
GuideThe site we stayed in was lovely. 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. I would say pay particular attention to the size of the site you’re booking as some were pretty small. Also, some sites were fairly sloped as well. This site was a slight slope and overall I would book it again. We have a full size truck with a small travel trailer that fit perfectly. Camp store was stocked nicely. Staff was friendly. The campground itself was very quiet and you could enjoy being out in nature. The site was walking distance from showers/bathroom. The park as a whole is beautiful and there’s a trailhead that’s walking distance from the campsite that leads down a beautiful trail to a lake.
Camping near Monroe Lake, Indiana, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to fish, hike, or just relax by the water, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Monroe Lake, Indiana, has something for everyone, whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, Monroe Lake offers a wide range of camping options, with 121 campgrounds and RV parks near Monroe Lake and 12 free dispersed camping spots.
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Monroe Lake is Paynetown Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 29 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 free dispersed camping spots near Monroe Lake.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near Monroe Lake that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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