Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near New Paris? Finding a place to camp in Indiana with your horse is easier than ever. These scenic and easy-to-reach New Paris campsites are perfect for equestrian campers.
Nine connecting lakes will be the center of your adventures at Chain O’Lakes. This is lake country and a small boater’s paradise. Paddle through the chain of serene kettle lakes, hike the 23 miles of forested trails, fish the electric-motors-only lakes, stay overnight in a forested hillside family cabin, visit the park's historic one-room Stanley Schoolhouse, or explore the Nature Center. Other facilities available for visitors to enjoy include Chain O' Lakes Campground, beach and picnic shelters.
$20 - $25 / night
Legend
Little four site camping area on the shore of Rivir Lake (not a typo). It can be accessed either by parking and walking in on the wide, well tended trail (#4 on maps) or by boating. The nearest boat launch is Miller lake, a mile west. Sites 3 & 4 are right on the lake with the best access, Sites 1& 2 are across the trail which is along a raised berm with a bridge over the passage to Mud Lake. I'd give this a higher review, but most people wouldn't appreciate the primitiveness of the sites. It's distance from most amenities could be a turn off, but also could be perfect for others
LegendLittle four site camping area on the shore of Rivir Lake (not a typo). It can be accessed either by parking and walking in on the wide, well tended trail (#4 on maps) of by boating. The nearest boat launch is Miller lake, a mile west. Sites 3 & 4 are right on the lake with the best access, Sites 1 & 2 are across the trail which is along a raised berm with a bridge over the passage to Mud Lake.
I'd give this a higher review, but most people wouldn't appreciate the primitiveness of the sites. It's distance from most amenities could be a turn off, but also could be perfect for others
LegendWe were a bit surprised that despite having a paid reservation , we still had to pay a $20 Day usage fee to enter the park, but no matter. This is a sprawling and sometimes confusing campground to find your way in. But the sites are generally shady if a bit close together. There are five facilities with showers and running water and six pit toilets. drinking water is accessible throughout the park.
The majority of sites have six person tables, though some, especially in the new 385-416 loop have little four person tables. These are also the least shaded.
Campground and facilities are clean and well maintained.
The General Store is one of the most impressively well stocked I have ever seen. Equipment, toys, tools, food souvenirs, you name it. Good dry firewood is $6.50 a bundle in the store, $7 on the honor system after hours. It burns fast, so you might want to buy more than you think. The store is open until 9:00 Friday & Saturday, but only 2;PM on Sunday and never on Monday. Keep that in mind if you're doing a 3-day weekend as we did. When checking out, look up to see the beautiful wooden canoe with wildlife inlaid wood.
Fire pits are mostly round iron with non-adjustable swing-away grills. Booking is through Indiana DNR/ Reserve America so you can see photos of the site you pick.
This was our second experience with an Indiana state park, and like our first (Pokagon, in the winter) we were impressed with the clear marking of the hiking trails (and canoe trail for that matter) there was a map and guidepost at every junction.
There's a beach, concession stand and boat rentals on Sand lake, the Park's largest. Lastly, there's a fish cleaning shed with running water outside the campground entrance that anyone in the park can use, something I wish more parks would provide.
Guide
Small campground. 13$. No reservations, but sites seem readily available, even on weekends in the summer. Spacious sites. Fairly wooded. Firewood only available Mon - Friday 8-3.
Guide
We arrived late, and the friendly park security directed us to the campground.
The vault toilets were acceptably clean. Spots were close to the river. The campground has cabins, trails for hiking and horseback riding.
As other reviews have stated….the mosquitoes are prolific and abundant! We left early.
Scout
They have good hiking trails, nice refreshing waters, good food options at certain places
GuideOur site was 21 inches unloved from front to back and 7 inches down on the passenger side! With poison oak all over the back of our site so bring a lot of leveling block and no kids! Other that that it was a decent park with lots of activities but a very hard campsite to navigate and a busy weekend forget about dumping lol your gonna be there a while. Also no Verizon signal but our friend had T-Mobile and he was ok signal.
GuideWe visited this park twice (once in Sept 2020 and again in June 2021). Both times we stayed in the cabin campground and both times had very good experiences. Each time we went mid-week so there was hardly anyone else there, and that was great. The cabins are small but perfectly fine for our group with two bunk beds, a small loft, and a small table inside. They have electricity so charging phones and devices is not a problem. Cabins 4 and 5 are up this small driveway and are slightly separated and I would recommend those if you can. We never had to go to "town" so not sure how far it is to any stores.
Each time we rented a canoe and did a paddle/float trip on the river that ended at the canoe rental location. Would not hesitate to stay here again.
Legend
We wanted to explore the “RV Capital of the World” and Notre Dame University while passing through. This park fit the bill. Arrived Thursday with the campground maybe 25% full. By Friday night it was full! Great spacing between sites and offers miles of hiking and biking trails. Verizon signal essentially nonexistent, but air TV reception not bad. Fresh water fill and dump stations were the best we’ve seen anywhere.
TravelerOur first time here with our pop-up. It's a beautiful park. So much nature to explore, so we'll have to come back again. Note that my four star rating is based on five stars being perfection, so I would still definitely recommend it.
Our site was purposely located close to a bathhouse, but was not too close to have any bothersome noises. The bathhouse was a bit dated, but pretty clean. Individual stall showers with inner and outer curtains. Curtains could have been a bit longer, because the inner one allowed lots of spray into the outer "dry" part of the stall.
Great playground on the east side of the first loop. Kids seem to play there for hours and enjoy riding bikes around the loops. Very well manicured grounds, including paths from the sites to the bathhouse.
Nice little store that had a little bit of everything attendants were friendly. Firewood available. Cheaper outside the park, but don't mind supporting the park. Was open till 9PM even on Sunday.
Beach was small, but seems adequate for the number of people there. Could use a little sand cleaning, but not bad. Swimming area roped off to keep boats out. Bathrooms have showers.
Already planning our next visit!
LegendThis state park was established in 1925, so almost 100 years old. The campground must be the original layout. There's a maze like quality to it. The roads are narrow & you may be driving off the road for a big rig.
Some sites are level, some aren't. Some can accommodate larger rigs, most can't. Check the site descriptions carefully & to be doubly sure, call the office & ask.
There's water stations that look very old. They have wooden, shingled roofs. There's 2 dump stations located in loops 3 & 4. IN THE CAMPGROUND! NEXT TO CAMPSITES!!!!
There's 5 loops to the main campground.
100 loop is small & closer to the lake than the other loops. It's the loop we chose this time.
The sites are on the small side. There's 3 campsites that are close to the lake. 115, which is a larger site. 117 & 119 which have clear views of the lake. 117 is more a tent or popup site & is small. 119 is the best of the bunch. A large pad & a large site. There's no privacy bushes. These sites have a view of the lake with trees & brush & are on a ridge overlooking the lake. They aren't ON the lake.
On either side of 117 & 119 are 2 trails that lead to the lake. There's benches & a dock to tie up your boat.
The rest of the sites are a mixed bag. Some are level, some have an incline. If you have a big rig, be aware that the road to the 100 campsites branches into one way. Leading into the campsites, the road is narrow & has a ravine on one side!
200 Loop is non electric
300 Loop is the biggest loop & seems like the best bet for larger rigs. As stated above, some sites are better than others. There's a uniformity here that's missing from the other loops.
Stay away from sites 393& 395!!! These sites are literally right on top of the dump station! As always watch for pit toilets near the sites.
400 loop is a smaller loop next to the 200 loop. There's only one shower house for both loops. Avoid site 444 & probably site 454. These sites are VERY close to the dump station.
500 loop is also smaller& has some nice sites tucked by themselves in the trees. There seems to be more privacy brush on this loop with SOME sites.
512 is close to the shower house. 511 & 513 were somewhat secluded.
If you have a boat you want to tie up at the dock, go for the 100 loop. If you can't get it, be aware there's no parking near the trails to the lake. You can park by the bathhouse & walk.
The shower & restrooms are atrocious!!! Worst looking buildings since Spring Mill SP! Dirty & need an entire overhaul. In fact, raze the buildings & build new ones! They're "cleaned" once a day. Suuuuuure they are. There was actual poop on the door of one of the women's toilet stalls the whole time I was there. Mold & spiders& dirt in the corners. Looks like the last upgrade was in the 50s.
GuideWe love Potato Creek! The paved bike trails are amazing. The sites are large and private. There are great and there is a good selection between shaded and sunny. With a selection of fun things to do (bike and boat rentals, hiking trails, a wonderful nature center, playgrounds) our family never runs out of things to do here.
GuideQuiet and peaceful. Camp host are very nice couple. Everyone was very friendly. Fishing, kayaking on the lake.
GuideLovely little quiet campground and spacious park with plenty to do for 1-2 days. Staff is non-intrusive, and the site has plenty of room to camp about and roam. Find your own little quiet corner and unplug for a few days. It's better than Ohio's only National Park!
Note: the DNR trail maps are inaccurate but well worth your time, so research your trials well or you'll get a bit lost. Trail signs are also very confusing. Bring plenty of water as posted 'mile' hikes quickly turn in 5 mile hikes. I recommend walking the 'Wetlands' trail around dusk.
ScoutFirst time taking out my 1988 pop up and it was a blast. Our site was HUGE! Plenty of space to play bags with good canopy coverage and have many guests at our fire and a short drive to the kayak launch. Kayaking the 13 lakes can easily last from morning to sundown. All in all it was a great weekend with the family!
ScoutThis is my very first time and camping and I loved it they had very natural and they had very nice night and they had very nice areas for tents
LegendThis is a North Central State Park in Indiana. Not one of the better units, but it has some charms. The mosquitos get bad in the summer, so come prepared. We camped the end of May& they were just getting going. Spring& late fall would be a good time to visit.
None of the campsites have a view of the river. Only 112 campsites in the electric side. There's a primitive tent campground by the river, with a few sites. There's also a horsemans campground, which we didn't look at. This is a well established campground& has nice shade trees in all the sites.
Get water before setting up at the water station after the small gatehouse. There's 2 sides at the dump station. In the campground there's 2 comfort stations. Station A looked like it had been totally rehabbed in the last 5 years. Everything looked nice& the showers could be turned to your preferred temperature. Cleaner than the last state park we were at for sure!
Handicap accessible sites are 109/110/111/112. There are 2 pit toilets in the campground, though I don't know why. The modern bathrooms are right across the road. Stay away from sites 73/75& 105/106. Right by the pits, with a sidewalk between them. The sites are typical state park. No privacy for most. There's gravel for your camper pad. Not dirt.
The best sites are site 1- right on the main drag, but the most private site in the place. If you enjoy watching the rigs come in& leave, this is your site! Vegetation separates you from site 2. Site 58 is the only pull through in the campground. Site 63 is also a pretty good site. All sites are not too far from the bathrooms.
For the playground, sites 2,3,4,6,&7 have direct access to a playground& you can watch your children from your site. All the interior sites by comfort station B have direct access to the playground from your site & you can watch your children from your site. Avoid if you dislike the sound of children playing.
We stayed in site 102, which is right across from bathroom A. All the outer sites are pretty good. Our site ponded water after a rain, but soaked in fast.
There's some trails that can be accessed from the campground- Trails 1,3,4&5.
All in all an average park. Nothing really special except for the river. Fishing was poor according to my husband.
ScoutI've gone camping here multiple times and each time has been a fantastic trip. Can't recommend enough.
GuideEquestrian trails and campgrounds are popular here. Horse rides sold on site. There is a nice hotel that sometimes hosts events actually located in the park. Come tobagginging and ice fishing in the winter and then pamper yourself in the hotel, or visit in the summer and have a beach day or easy hike with the family. Great spot for Pokémon Go because of the available cell service.
GuideThis is only meant as a fair ground and place for events. People that are participating in local events may bring RV here but not for public use.
GuideAs far as Indiana parks goes, this is a hidden gem. We have camped here many times. Even the trails we frequent always seem new because each season offers a different kind of beauty.
GuideMy family and I go to Chain O Lakes for short hikes, kayaking and camping. We come here out of convenience, since we live twenty minutes away. The campground is decent. There are no backpacking spots. There are a handful of paddle up camping spots that are very hard to reserve. The beach is often overcrowded with local partiers, drinking and smoking, and leaving trash everywhere. After peak hours these people clear out and usually aren't actually camping there. Overall, a great place for families hiking with small children or those who camp just to relax.
ScoutGood for basic family or friend camping! We have stayed here loads of times over the years and we’ve always had fun. The only downsides are you are very close to the other campsites so it’s pretty noisy and bright!
GuideIt was my first time camping with my bf's family and we had a blast! We booked several sites and the sites that we got had a good amount of trees caving in so it was nicely shaded. There was a nice dock for fishing and the bathrooms were clean. We found a cave as well so some of us went to explore it!
ScoutHorseback riding, swimming at the beach, fishing on the dock. Took my children and their friends they looked it
ScoutWe took the family several times during the summer we had a ball there is so much to do
GuideThis campground was nice enough. Clean bathrooms and convenient access to trails from the campground. However, the mosquitos are absolutely terrible due to the campgrounds proximity to the Tippacanoe River. Yeah, I know there will be bugs when camping but the amount of mosquitos at the park was like nothing I have ever experienced. I would not go back unless it was in the late fall/winter.
Horse camping in Indiana offers a unique way to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With a variety of campgrounds that cater to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near New Paris, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near New Paris, IN is Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 50 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near New Paris, IN?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near New Paris, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
