Tent campgrounds around Mount Vernon, Indiana include both established and primitive options within a drivable distance. Lake Mauzy East in Kentucky offers spacious tent campsites with direct lake access, while Camp Cadiz Campground in Illinois provides quiet, remote tent camping with just eight sites available. These tent-only camping areas sit within the broader Shawnee National Forest region, providing access to natural attractions like Garden of the Gods.
Most tent campgrounds in this region feature basic amenities suitable for self-sufficient campers. Sites typically include fire rings and picnic tables, though hookups are absent, making them ideal for traditional tent camping experiences. Vault toilets are standard at most locations, with Camp Cadiz offering potable water from a spigot. Lake Mauzy East provides free camping with tent pads positioned right by the water. Seasonal considerations apply, with Tower Rock Campground open from May through mid-December and occasionally subject to closure during Ohio River flooding periods.
The tent camping experience near Mount Vernon emphasizes natural settings and quiet surroundings. Lake Mauzy East offers tent sites with stunning lake views and basic amenities including fire rings and picnic tables. Camp Cadiz provides wider open spaces suitable for multiple tents per site, with easy access to hiking on the River to River trail. Tower Rock Campground offers riverside tent sites with good spacing between campers. The region features dark night skies ideal for stargazing from tent sites. One camper noted, "This is a very cool little basic campground with two stone fireplaces and several other sites with shade. This is a campground you want to use if you like being off the beaten path out on your own."
"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."
"Lake mauzy is very quiet. No hookups but if you want to boondocks this is a great place."
"There is a dump station and potable water at the entrance to the campground. There are also some water spigots sprinkled throughout the campground."
"This was a great campground with fantastic views of the lake. We also hiked Garden of the Gods and Burden Falls in the Shawnee National Forest. The hikes were great."
from $8 / night
"Campground is smaller but the sites are spread out well, most have fire ring with grill stand and table, firewood available to gather onsite when I was there, vault toilets, right on the river so may be"
"There is a pit toilet, but no water. "
GuideQuiet clean campground, 8 sites, one water spigot, pit toilets, hiking and biking, 9 miles to Garden of the Gods. Campground is right next to road. Local traffic is minimal, most sites will accommodate 30ft trailer or motor home.
ScoutThe site would not let us book a reservation. I called and spoke to someone in the main office. She said Tent sites were available and since the site was not working to check in with security when we got there. I asked how late they would be there, she said all night. We got there at 5 pm. No one was camping office. Plenty of tent sites available. We called explained the call from earlier. The lady transferred us to the security line. I then reexplained everything. The security officer told us to come back tomorrow when the office opened there was nothing we could do tonight. He told us we couldn’t stay the night even though we were told earlier we could. Very disappointed by the management of this place.
GuideVery small, maybe 10-12 sites that are first come first serve. $10 per night as of September 2026. Solid Verizon cell coverage. Very quiet.
GuideNice quiet wooded campground. We were only here 1 night, but it was very enjoyable. Very large campground with shaded & sunny spots, mostly level, showers & bathrooms were clean, but no locks on the doors in women's & no doors in the men's, only curtains. Double lane dump station well laid out & good water pressure. We were here 2nd week in September on a Friday so it was not crowded, but I suspect during the summer it would be. The mosquitoes were bad so be prepared. All in all we would stay again.
ScoutVery family oriented place to camp and adventure with the kiddos
GuideThe campground is convenient to the interstate but not close enough to be noisy & is a short drive to Evansville. It has well maintained restrooms & easily accessible sites around a big loop. It looks like it would be a great event camping spot.
GuideVery nice park with great trails and cute animals in the included petting zoo! I don’t have kids but there were a couple playgrounds I saw. The 2 downsides were I went second week of August and it was 93 degrees but they had just closed the beach area and pool so no swimming. I had taken my paddleboard but had not read all the rules and regulations and no Paddleboard’s are allowed on the lake because swimming outside the beach area is not allowed. I stayed at a primitive site in my van so even though it was crazy hot I still had a great spot by the water-109. Would recommend this park
GuideWe were on our hike in Shawnee National Forest, and we found this campground. And it was an amazing experience. It has a beautiful view of the sunset, and there are ponds. There are horses on the property, and it’s very cheap for tent camping. The staff was amazing. She showed us around with her 4x4 the whole property, the horses, and the pony or a donkey. The showers were pretty decent and cleaned
I would recommend this place for everyone
ScoutTook a road trip in are RV over the summer last year and stumbled across this place they had it all water hookup waste hook up and were very reasonable on price definitely recommend
Tent camping near Mount Vernon, Indiana offers numerous options within the Shawnee National Forest region and surrounding states. Most sites require self-sufficient camping with personal supplies and equipment. While established campgrounds provide basic facilities, primitive sites offer more seclusion with fewer amenities. Tent camping in this tri-state area can be enjoyed year-round with some seasonal closures during winter months or flooding periods.
Hiking the River to River Trail: Camp Cadiz serves as an eastern trailhead for the River to River trail, making it convenient for backpacking trips. A camper noted, "It has easy access to the River to River trail, and I love the CCC stonework."
Fishing at Saline County: The conservation area offers excellent fishing opportunities with lake access. One visitor shared, "This was a great campground with fantastic views of the lake. We also hiked Garden of the Gods and Burden Falls in the Shawnee National Forest."
Exploring historical sites: Tower Rock Campground features remnants of CCC pathways and a river overlook. "A short walk from the campground is Tower Rock that was an old CCC path and overlook of the Ohio River... It is a rock cliff that is, I don't know 100 feet above the river. In my opinion it is worth a look," explained one camper.
Spacious camping areas: Camp Cadiz Campground offers generous sites that accommodate multiple tents. "The spaces are wide open and big for multiple tents. There is well water, a bathroom for pit and picnic table at each site," reported one visitor.
Quiet seclusion: Many campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere away from crowds. "Motorcycle camping across America and I wanted to see Garden of the Gods. What I didn't want was to camp on top of someone else... Cadiz was spacious, quiet, and the other campers wanted to camp not party."
Waterfront access: Lake Mauzy East provides direct lakefront tent sites. "This is an amazing spot for free camping! The tent pads are right by the water, offering stunning lake views," remarked one camper who gave it a five-star rating.
Limited amenities: Most tent campgrounds around Mount Vernon provide only basic facilities. "This is a very cool little basic campground with two stone fireplaces and several other sites with shade. A pit toilet and water source that's about it," explained a visitor about Camp Cadiz.
Supply planning: Remote locations require advance preparation. "On a gravel road, in the back country like most everything else on this side of Illinois, fill your gas tank up and your food locker or you will be driving back out a ways to refill."
Seasonal closures: Tower Rock Campground operates seasonally and can close unexpectedly. "We drove down to camp here and found this campground closed. We walked in past the locked gate to scout it out and there was a line of debris left behind from when the river was higher," warned one reviewer.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Kids can enjoy abundant bird and wildlife watching. "Super quiet, tons of birds, and we saw snake mounds but not yet seen one...birds and butterflies and owls," mentioned a camper at Lake Mauzy East.
Convenience factors: Saline County State Conservation Area offers family-friendly amenities. "There is a dump station and potable water at the entrance to the campground. There are also some water spigots sprinkled throughout the campground," noted a family that stayed a week.
Cell service considerations: Signal availability varies significantly by location. "We were able to get cell signal on the campsites up the hill but not in any down by the water, which is why we stayed up the hill," advised a family camper at Saline County.
Size limitations: Tent camping near Mount Vernon offers limited options for large rigs. "Very small, on the river, vault toilets, seems like people 'live' there and run a generator all night long. Good if you like free, being close to the ferry, and or fish," reported an RVer about Tower Rock.
Boondocking preparation: Lake Mauzy serves RVers who can camp without hookups. "Lake mauzy is very quiet. No hookups but if you want to boondocks this is a great place," advised an RV camper who gave it four stars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mount Vernon, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mount Vernon, IN is Lake Mauzy East with a 4.8-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Mount Vernon, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Mount Vernon, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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