Best Glamping near New Pekin, IN

Clark State Forest and nearby Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA represent the primary glamping destinations near New Pekin, Indiana. These locations offer elevated outdoor stays with accommodations ranging from luxury canvas tents to fully-equipped glamping cabins that feature electricity, comfortable beds, and climate control systems. A recent visitor noted, "The sites have mature trees, variety of singing birds, and the lake is GORGEOUS," highlighting the natural setting that surrounds these upscale outdoor accommodations. The Raintree Lake property particularly stands out with its deluxe cabins positioned with lake views, offering guests a perfect blend of natural immersion and comfort with amenities like high-speed WiFi, private fire rings, and picnic areas.

Charlestown State Park Campground and Marengo Cave Campgrounds provide unique glamping experiences with distinctive natural features. The glamping pods and domes at these locations allow guests to enjoy on-site activities including cave exploration, fishing in stocked lakes, and hiking along established nature trails. According to one camper, "The campground is small and intimate, with lots of activities and of course the cave." Visitors can easily access the Knobstone Trail from Delaney Creek Park for day hikes, while Marengo Cave offers the rare opportunity to explore a National Natural Landmark just steps from luxury canvas accommodations. Both locations maintain modern bathroom facilities with continual hot water and heated spaces, ensuring comfort even during cooler months when the surrounding forests display vibrant fall colors.

Best Glamping Sites Near New Pekin, Indiana (29)

    1. Charlestown State Park Campground

    37 Reviews
    Charlestown, IN
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 256-5600

    $23 - $30 / night

    "All have electric hookup...others are full service. Many relatively secluded sites. Bath houses clean. Multiple hiking trails which can be mixed and matched for longer hikes..all moderate."

    "We biked throughout the park and hiked 4 of the trails, 3 of which were pretty rugged and all had elevation changes for a good hiking challenge. "

    2. Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground

    25 Reviews
    Vallonia, IN
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 358-3464

    $23 - $52 / night

    "Starve Hollow offers camping from full hookup, electric only (by the lake), tent camping, and cabins.  The lake has a swimming area (no lifeguards), playgrounds, and bathhouse. "

    "There are full hook-up sites and electric. Regular electric sites on the water are beautiful but not sure we could park our 41 ft fifth wheel on a water site."

    3. Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA

    9 Reviews
    Scottsburg, IN
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 752-4062

    $45 - $125 / night

    "Lake was beautiful and staff are always so helpful. They even have an on-site RV Tech that works for them who helped us fix our hot water heater. Very professional young man."

    "The lake is GORGEOUS. Sites have mature trees, variety of singing birds. Really nice stay here as we were passing through."

    4. Clark State Forest

    2 Reviews
    Borden, IN
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 294-4306

    5. Delaney Creek Park

    7 Reviews
    Vallonia, IN
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 883-5101

    "Each lot has water and electric. There is a dump station at the exit. The only negative comment about this park is, every lot slopes down towards the lake."

    "Great place to camp, 20/25 mins down a heavily wooded country road so it’s secluded and quiet. The place was pretty full of campers, both tents and campers."

    6. Marengo Cave Campgrounds

    8 Reviews
    English, IN
    20 miles
    Website

    $27 / night

    "Sites equipped with electricity, a gazebo & picnic table, and fire pit. Camp store, cave tours, gift shop, and other pay activities are within steps of camping, but only open until 5:00."

    "The campgrounds are all equipped with a nice fire pit, picnic table, lean to, and the availability of electric hookup. The campgrounds also has a couple newer cabins that look really cute."

    7. O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Leavenworth, IN
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 738-8232

    $19 - $496 / night

    "The staff was fairly nice, and even helped us out with a bit of a Karen camper. The sites have an asphalt pad that are mostly level. 50,30,20 amp service in one box."

    "Bathhouses feel luxuriously clean and large compared to most campgrounds. There are multiple play areas for children and beautiful hiking trails within and around the campground itself."

    8. Youngs Creek Horse Camp

    8 Reviews
    Paoli, IN
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 547-7051

    "Site accommodates both horse, drive in and walk-in camping. There’s a privy and water on site. Campsites have fire rings and picnic tables."

    "It sports a good-sized pavilion and well-maintained his and hers vault toilets. The camp sites were generous in size with gravel parking, fairly level pads, picnic tables, and a fire ring."

    9. Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    18 Reviews
    Fairdale, KY
    32 miles
    Website

    $15 - $30 / night

    "overall a good place, the group site are fairly large and have running water and compost latrines. Parking is not on site but only a short walk."

    "Just a guess, but I would say around 1.5 acres. About 2/3 of this site is open, grassy field. The other 1/3 is shaded."

    10. Jackson Washington State Forest

    6 Reviews
    Brownstown, IN
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 358-2160

    $13 / night

    "There are some awesome hiking trails here, they are very rugged for Indiana lots of hills. J-W offers some real pretty views."

    "I went hiking here and it was sort of rugged. The campsite was right near the lake which provided a perfect view. There was a picnic table and fire ring for only 13 dollars."

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Glamping Reviews near New Pekin, IN

265 Reviews of 29 New Pekin Campgrounds


  • C
    Jun. 14, 2018

    Horine Reservation Camping at Jefferson County Memorial Forest

    Great back woods camping with little ammenities

    overall a good place, the group site are fairly large and have running water and compost latrines. Parking is not on site but only a short walk. Lots of trail access. fishing at a stocked public lake is a short drive.

  • Sarah S.
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Marengo Cave Campgrounds

    Small sites but very clean!

    Camp sites are pretty small, but are aligned along a small stream. Heavy truck and train traffic can be heard at all hours. Sites equipped with electricity, a gazebo & picnic table, and fire pit. Camp store, cave tours, gift shop, and other pay activities are within steps of camping, but only open until 5:00. No security or staff at all after hours. Bath house was heated, extremely clean with flush toilets, and continual hot water. City water access in the middle of the campsite. Play area and 2 large covered areas for get together's. Newer cabins looked very nice from outside. Caves are obviously a must see while there. More caves are within driving distance.

  • Kelsey R.
    Nov. 3, 2024

    O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground

    Shaded and secluded

    Obannon Overall, this is a nice state park to camp in. Staff was very friendly. They have ice and wood. My kids enjoyed the nature center, pioneer village, and one of the easy trails.

    We stayed in 220. It was nice to be right by the playground and bathrooms (which is what we wanted). Some spots near the back would be nice and secluded like the 180s and 190s and they’re still not too far from the bathrooms and playground. The better playground is in loop A.

    I will say, I didn’t see any staff members cleaning up trash, getting campsites ready, or anything the 2 days we were there. Even though we went in November, it was a nice weekend and wasn’t dead, so I was surprised I didn’t see anyone cleaning. Wasn’t the cleanest state campground we’ve been at in Indiana. Certainly wasn’t awful though either.

    My biggest gripe was they were hosting a huge cycling group. Like the whole loop A. We were all the way back in C. They held a concert that went on from like 8-11 pm. Being in a pop up, it was so loud and never ending. Made it difficult for my kids to sleep. If they’re going to hold (or allow) events like these, it should be posted on their website. Even with our sound machine, we still couldn’t block it out. I realize quiet hours aren’t until 11, but to me there’s a difference.

    There is also hardly any signage and spots are difficult to find. No arrows about which way to go, signs saying which loop you’re in, and spots are only marked on the electrical boxes.

    Overall, may stay again and try out the pool since we’re not too far from home, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to stay here.

  • J
    Jun. 17, 2019

    Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground

    Good variety

    Starve Hollow offers camping from full hookup, electric only (by the lake), tent camping, and cabins.  The lake has a swimming area (no lifeguards), playgrounds, and bathhouse.  The lake allows boats with electric trolling motor only. 

    We stayed in the full hookup section (camping facilities: electric, sewer, and water hookup as well as fire ring, picnic table, and parking spur at each site. Modern restrooms/showers(wheelchair accessible) are available nearby. 53 sites available, sites 222, 232, and 234 are wheelchair accessible).  The bathhouse was clean (even though it rained most of the weekend).  these sites are a good size and able to get any size Trailer or RV into these sites.  There is mostly grass on most of the sites in this area.

    The campground also offers electric only sites (camping facilities: electric hookup, fire ring, picnic table and parking spur at each site. Drinking water is available in area. Modern restrooms/showers(wheelchair accessible) are available nearby. Dumping station is available. There are 87 sites available. Sites 28, 44, 65, 75 and 90 are wheelchair accessible).  They have about 20 sites that back up right to the lake allowing fishing from your campsite.  Keep in mind that a lot of the electric only sites are very tight with a lot of trees in the area.  I can probably only get my 36 ft 5th wheel into a third of the sites, but there are many of sites that had shorter units on them.   

    Cabins:  Starve Hollow has 13 rent-a-camp cabins available March-Nov.(closed Dec.-Feb.)(NOTE: Local sales only during off season/winter months, contact property for details). Each cabin has a front porch with a swing, outside electric outlet and front porch light. Inside there are two small rooms each providing a ceiling fan with light, a heating/cooling unit and electrical outlets. The front room offers a small table with bench seats, corner shelf, chair, rocking chair, and a loft. The back room offers a bunk bed(single) and a double bed(NO LINENS or MATTRESS PROVIDED). Air mattress recommended.

    Fishing/Boating Starve-Hollow Lake has three boat ramps to choose from, one at the dam and two in the electric campground. Kayak, rowboat and canoe rental is available. A valid Indiana fishing license is required. Rowboat and canoe rental is available from mid April through October. Starve-Hollow Lake is a trolling motor only lake. For campers a fish cleaning station is available.

    Swimming A large beach is available for swimming from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Restrooms, dressing facilities, showers, and food concessions are available to visitors. Wheelchair ramps allow access to beach and concession area.

    Picnicking There are picnic areas and picnic shelters that can be reserved. Both shelters can be accessed by wheelchair. The East shelter has an electrical outlet. Picnic tables and grills are located at the picnic sites. A wheelchair accessible playground, basketball goals, softball fields, horseshoe pits and a sand volleyball court are located on or near the swimming beach.

    Hiking Trails Starve Hollow has several hiking trails to explore that total approximately 11 miles.

  • J
    Sep. 15, 2022

    Louisville South KOA

    Tent sites stink here, $50+, very expensive

    Tent sites: steep hill with rodents living there. Gravel driveway leading to tent sites: a trench sure to rip the exhaust off your car. The RVers and workers: they make it obvious you are beneath them. Pets allowed: you WILL be up all night with the barking chihuaua on the next site. Airplanes flying over head as you are getting ready to sleep. Traverse the lawn to the faraway bathroom to ruin your shoes at 2am. Laundry on-site but the workers will scowl while you use it. Catch all this ire for the grand old price of $50+ per night.

  • J
    Oct. 19, 2018

    Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground

    Great place! We will come back!

    There are full hook-up sites and electric. Regular electric sites on the water are beautiful but not sure we could park our 41 ft fifth wheel on a water site. Trails are rugged at times and you can access them through campground. We are here in the fall but the beach looks like a good size. Boat rentals. Cabins look cute. We peeked in one. Double bed with bunks in room. Theres a loft for kids. A/C and heat but not bathroom. Bring a mattress or sleeping bags or you will sleep on wood. I recommend the water cabins. Playgrounds are sprinkled throughout. DNR dont patrol a lot. Quiet campground.

  • Jill R.
    Jul. 18, 2016

    Louisville South KOA

    Dirty Derby

    WE went to this KOA during the kentucky derby weekend, so of course you can expect it to be packed, we made reservations months ahead. When we got there is was not only packed, but there was no one enforcing the quiet hours, and it seemed like the cleaning staff could not keep up. There were loud people all through the night, and trash was overflowing everywhere. I'm not sure what it's like during other weeks of the year, but during the kentucky derby week it is a hot mess.

  • J
    Oct. 18, 2022

    Lake Shelby Campground

    Fun campground

    Fun little place. RV sites and tent sites lakeside. Fishing, ducks. $5 swimming pool nearby. $20/night tents. Showers and restrooms. Nice parks nearby for equestrian, playground, disk golf course. Huge mall nearby in Simpsonville KY. Drivable to Louisville. Stop at Wings n Rings, yum. Highly recommend. Closes for winter Oct 31 to tents.

  • Cherie B.
    Aug. 28, 2018

    Brown County-Nashville KOA

    Quiet and friendly

    This is our go to campground. Not overly large but it’s clean and quiet. The owners are friendly and helpful. Bathrooms/showers are clean. Laundry on site. Small store and library where you can borrow books. Nice dog walk and small fenced dog area. Sites level and good for big rigs down to tents. Three cabins also available. Owners are relatively new and have been working on improvements continually. Highly recommend!


Guide to New Pekin

Clark State Forest provides primitive glamping options near New Pekin, Indiana with sites available for $13-$18 per night. The forest spans over 24,000 acres of rolling hills and offers year-round access. Nearby campgrounds feature options ranging from tent sites to cabins, with several locations providing lake access and hiking opportunities within a 30-minute drive of New Pekin.

What to do

Explore cave systems: Marengo Cave Campgrounds offers camping just steps from exploring a National Natural Landmark. According to one visitor, "I was really surprised that in my 30 years of living in Indiana, I had never been to Marengo Cave. It's both great for kids and adults...There are extra activities for the kids such as mining and a nice gift shop for any rock lover out there." The cave tours operate until 5:00 PM daily.

Hike rugged trails: Jackson Washington State Forest features challenging hiking with significant elevation changes. A camper notes, "Jackson-Washington State forest encompasses 16,500 plus acres in the rolling hills of south central Indiana...The property offers several stunning hiking trails and some are of the more challenging nature due to the elevation changes." The forest's Skyline Drive provides panoramic views of Indiana's farmland.

Kayak on calm waters: Starve Hollow State Rec Area Campground offers canoe, kayak and boat rentals for the 145-acre lake. "Beautiful lake with geese nesting areas and great fishing opportunities. Calm waters for kayaking," reports one visitor. Rentals are popular, so as a camper advises, "If you want to rent one of the kayaks, get to the office right at 8 or they will be gone for the day."

What campers like

Spacious lakefront sites: Campers appreciate the generous waterfront camping at Starve Hollow. One camper shared, "We stayed in site 21 which was right on the lake. All the lake front spots seem to have a good amount lakefront footage. We probably had at least 40 feet." These electric-only sites provide direct lake access.

Clean bathroom facilities: Charlestown State Park Campground maintains well-kept facilities. One reviewer stated, "Very clean and friendly state park. Quick stop over but would definitely stay again if in the area." Another visitor commented, "The campground is very large and very well kept. All the sites are pretty much the same with good spacing between them."

Privacy between sites: O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground offers secluded camping spaces. A camper noted, "several shaded sites w electric and water hookups. clean restrooms. great nature center w ranger tours. several hiking trails w various difficulties." Another mentioned, "Shaded and secluded...Some spots near the back would be nice and secluded like the 180s and 190s and they're still not too far from the bathrooms and playground."

What you should know

Limited cell service: Some glamping locations near New Pekin have connectivity challenges. At Marengo Cave Campgrounds, a reviewer pointed out "No cell service" while still giving the location five stars due to other amenities.

Uneven camping pads: Several campgrounds require leveling equipment. At Delaney Creek Park, a visitor cautioned, "Sites for RVs are concrete and you will need to level some on all of them. They have electric and water." Bringing leveling blocks is recommended.

Seasonal flooding: Some sites experience water issues during rainy periods. Regarding Starve Hollow, a camper warned, "some campsites flood easy." Check forecasts before selecting a site, especially in spring.

Additional entrance fees: Charlestown State Park requires payment beyond the camping fee. One camper advised, "Be aware of an additional $9 fee at the gate besides the camp fee." Budget for these extra costs when planning your stay.

Tips for camping with families

Multiple playground options: Delaney Creek Park offers family-friendly facilities. A reviewer shared, "Great place to take your scout troop...Lots to do and also nothing to do. Bring whole Family and Friends for a great weekend or just a day." The park includes play areas, a basketball court, and a swimming beach.

Educational nature programs: O'Bannon Woods has ranger-led activities for children. A visitor mentioned, "great nature center w ranger tours" and another camper added, "My kids enjoyed the nature center, pioneer village, and one of the easy trails." These programs run primarily during summer months.

Protection from insects: Ticks can be problematic in forested areas near New Pekin. One camper at Youngs Creek Horse Camp advised, "The chorus frog do roar through the night. 100% worth it, make sure to bring bug spray, and travel carefully up the roads. Lots of wildlife, and kind people." Another reviewer at O'Bannon noted, "Tick were REALLY bad. Maybe the season, maybe the area, not sure."

Tips from RVers

Limited space for large rigs: Many glamping spots near New Pekin have size restrictions. At Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA, a visitor noted, "They were able to accommodate our 44ft 5th wheel and navigating to the site was simple." However, not all campgrounds can handle large units.

Hook-up locations may require extensions: Some sites have utilities positioned in non-standard locations. At Delaney Creek Park, a camper warned, "The electric and water hookups are not in standard locations for RV hookups. Make sure you bring an extension for your electric hookup, otherwise you might not be able to reach the post. Same for water hookup."

Limited full hookup availability: Charlestown State Park offers some full-hookup sites but they're limited. A reviewer explained, "Most are electric only but we got one of the handful of full hookup sites. There is little shade to be found here." Reservations well in advance are recommended for these premium sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near New Pekin, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near New Pekin, IN is Charlestown State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 37 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near New Pekin, IN?

TheDyrt.com has all 29 glamping camping locations near New Pekin, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.