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Camping near North Salem, IN

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    The North Salem area of Indiana provides a blend of camping experiences ranging from modern state parks to primitive lakeside sites. Within a 30-mile radius, campers can access multiple established campgrounds including Turkey Run State Park, Shades State Park, and Lake Waveland Park. These mixed-use campgrounds accommodate tent and RV camping, while some like Turkey Run also offer cabin rentals. Cecil M. Harden Lake at Raccoon State Recreation Area and Lieber State Recreation Area provide additional developed campgrounds with waterfront access. Most camping areas feature electric hookups, drinking water, and modern restroom facilities, making them suitable for family camping trips.

    Seasonal considerations significantly impact camping in central Indiana. "Turkey Run is my all time favorite State Park in Indiana. It has great camping with both reserved and walk up options (get there early for walk up options)," notes one visitor. Many campgrounds operate on limited schedules, with Lake Waveland Park open from May 15 to October 15, while others like Turkey Run State Park and Lieber State Recreation Area remain open year-round. Summer months typically see higher occupancy levels and require advance reservations, especially for weekend camping. Spring and fall offer milder temperatures and less crowding, though some amenities may be reduced during shoulder seasons. Cell phone coverage varies throughout the region, with several reviewers noting limited connectivity in more secluded camping areas.

    Visitor experiences highlight the wooded terrain and water recreation opportunities as key attractions. Shades State Park receives praise for its "spacious sites canopied by the big beautiful Indiana trees" and proximity to hiking trails. Campgrounds near Sugar Creek provide opportunities for canoeing and fishing, while primitive sites at Lake Waveland offer more seclusion. Several campers mention the family-friendly atmosphere at Turkey Run State Park, though this can mean more activity and noise, particularly during summer weekends. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, Lieber State Recreation Area features "over 200 sites in this park" with "each campsite spacious and has plenty of space away from your neighbors." Most developed campgrounds in the region feature fire rings, picnic tables, and access to hiking trails, creating versatile outdoor experiences within an hour's drive of Indianapolis.

    Best Campgrounds near North Salem (86)

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      1. Shades State Park Campground

      4.1(29)21mi from North Salem120 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Canopied by the big beautiful Indiana trees. Close to some good hiking trails."

      "Located north of turkey run state park shades offers all the hiking and scenic terrain with less amenities and less crowds. Sugar creek cuts through the ancient sandstone floor creating canyon walls."

      from $14 - $22 / night

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      2. Turkey Run State Park Campground

      4.5(73)30mi from North Salem212 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons."

      "Much enjoyed hiking some of the trails at Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, Indiana. This is Indiana's 2nd oldest state park, now 100 years old (1916-2016)."

      from $20 - $45 / night

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      3. Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area

      4.6(34)24mi from North Salem317 sitesRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Raccoon State Recreation Area | Cecil M Harden Lake is located in the heart of historic covered bridge country just 50 miles West of Indianapolis."

      "There are multiple boat ramps for easy access to the water. I met a friend there who is a resident of Indianapolis and we had a great time on the water."

      from $14 - $52 / night

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      4. Crawfordsville KOA

      3.8(14)20mi from North SalemRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "We arrived at 2am, but they had us all situated for late checkin. The campground itself was very lovely and quiet."

      "Really cute little park with lots of shade and convenient access to Crawfordsville. We were here for a quick stopover, but made friends with several locals spending time here."

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      5. Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental LLC

      3.9(12)19mi from North SalemRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "There are few trails looping around for the walks. Most of tent sites got shade. Rv sites all seem to be level, although kind of close together. Nice and clean bathrooms and shower facility."

      "The campsite it very spacious and there’s a decent amount of distance between each site. Sites by the river are especially nice."

      from $30 - $45 / night

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      6. Sugar Creek Campground

      5.0(7)20mi from North SalemRVs, Tents, Cabins

      "It's a nice place to walk around, though we were wandering past empty tent spots so in the busy season it might be less free-form on where you can roam."

      "Very clean and well kept, smaller but with direct access to an awesome creek. Kids played in the creek all day long. Cheap and plentiful firewood. Really friendly and family owned"

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      7. Acacia Farms

      5.0(1)13mi from North Salem1 siteCabins

      "Acacia Farms is an awesome spot to slow down in the country and enjoy being around some small farm animals.  Check them out and share some pics of your stay!"

      from $58 / night

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      8. Sky Smith

      4.0(21)29mi from North Salem206 sitesRVs, Tents

      "Cagles Mill Lake borders the southwestern side of the area. We arrived to a very quiet campground with few campers."

      "Each campsite is spacious and has plenty of space away from your neighbors. There was plenty of shade even though our pad wasn't tucked back in the woods."

      from $20 - $35 / night

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      9. Lake Waveland Park

      3.7(9)23mi from North SalemTents

      "Nice clean park in west-central Indiana that has a lake and a large number of camping sites along with restrooms and showers."

      "The campground is located within close proximity of both Turkey Run and Shades State Park."

      from $25 - $40 / night

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      10. Old Mill Run Park

      3.8(4)19mi from North SalemRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping
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    Recent Camping Photos near North Salem, IN

    163 Photos of 86 North Salem Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Recent Reviews near North Salem, IN

    524 Reviews of 86 North Salem Campgrounds

    • Jason The Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 6, 2026

      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.

    • Dan L.The Dyrt Pro User
      Aug. 3, 2026

      Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area

      Site 293, Raccoon Lake (Cecil M. Harden Lake), IN

      50A service, no water or sewer at the site. Fill your fresh tank on the way in. There’s a dump station on the property, so emptying on the way out is easy.

      Site is mostly level with partial shade. The approach is the one thing to watch: 293 isn’t angled off the road, so it’s a tighter back-in than most. We’re towing a 33’ Airstream Classic and made it first try with no issues, so bigger rigs can absolutely get in here. Just take it slow. Once parked, there’s plenty of room, and the spacing between sites is better than most state park campgrounds we’ve stayed in. Bathhouse is only a few sites down.

      Cell signal ran about 2 bars. We’re on Starlink so it didn’t matter, but plan accordingly if you work from the road.

      Park staff are the highlight. Stephanie checked us in and could not have been more accommodating. Friendly, quick, genuinely helpful.

    • Grace M.
      Jul. 30, 2026

      3-Point Lake Campgrounds

      Very nice campground.

      The staff here is very friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Each site has water hookups as well as a firepit, electric and sewage. There is a laundry room with a small library, bath house, and a nice short trail, with a game of horseshoes. Unfortunately no more swimming or kayaking in the lake but there are other parks in the area to do so. Very peaceful back in the woods, would definitely stay here again!

    • Gail G.
      Jul. 28, 2026

      White River Campground

      love this place

      Back in site, along the river, has full hooks! Wonderful bike, walking, you could even see horses on the path! Well taken care of campground, owned by the county. Lots of shade trees, clean bathrooms, playground.

    • T
      Jul. 25, 2026

      S and H Campground

      Would stay again

      Great staff, super helpful! Put us in their “VIP” spots on the “hill”. Access to the family fun zone including in the stay. So much for our littles to do! And totally safe and clean.

    • Bob H.
      Jul. 25, 2026

      Johnson County Park

      Johnson County Park

      The good: Hosts are very nice. Bath/shower house clean. Close to the city of Franklin, but rural. Not so good: next to an Indiana National Guard site. Was mostly quiet during the week, but louder on weekend. Revelry playing at 6 am, helicopters, etc. Also, be aware, website does not say, but they do not allow tent camping, car camping, makeshift tent trailers, box truck campers etc. But currently allow pop up campers. I have a Sylvan Sport Go and was told I'd have to leave. Eventually allowed me to stay for my reserved time and decided it was a legit enough camper.

    • Moishe F.
      Jul. 3, 2026

      White River Campground

      Amazing campground

      We made last minute reservations, for tent camping, the staff was so nice. She even brought fire wood to us after they closed the store. They have all amenities. The shower were nice and clean (the water was a bit smelly). The sight comes with outlets and water faucets. There’s a lake right near the sight that u can go into, but that causes a lot of flies to come.

    • cThe Dyrt Pro User
      Jun. 30, 2026

      Lake Waveland Park

      Very disappointing

      Arrived Saturday before the Fourth of July entire campground was overgrown trash in our site. I picked up at least 15 beer bottle lids from previous camper. No host to be found. Apparently she drives through but doesn’t stay here we were told there was 30 and 50 amp service. It was first come first serve. We were hoping that the next-door camper would leave on the 28th as his card on the mirror said he had to be out by the 28th but he’s still here and it’s the 30th there is no 50 amp anywhere. We looked in several empty campsites and could not find 50 amp anywhere. We were told later that there is no 50 A on this campground. Bathrooms are disgusting. They have a trough for the water to drain out. One shower is out of order the other one the door is hanging by one hinge honestly, I wouldn’t even go to the bathroom in bath houses. Definitely the worst shower house we’ve ever seen in camping all our years. Heavily wooden camp sites with many dead trees still standing the potential for this campground is high. It’s too bad the owners don’t see this. Anybody can drive in at any time we saw two different campers come in spend the night and leave the next day before the checkout building opened. They did not have placed cards on their mirrors so we feel like they were probably squatting. Since the lake, the beach and the public campground is open and not patrolled, there is a lot of Co19mings and goings.

    Guide to North Salem

    The North Salem area of Indiana features wooded terrain alongside water bodies like Sugar Creek, offering a mix of primitive and developed camping options. Campers can access hiking trails, fishing ponds, and waterways throughout the region, with most campgrounds open from spring to fall. Several sites provide both tent and RV accommodations within proximity to state parks.

    What to do

    Hiking trails: Shades State Park Campground offers diverse trail difficulty levels for hikers of all experience levels. "The hiking is nothing short of amazing, and be sure to drive a few miles and get some trails in at Turkey Run," notes Caitlin W. The park features ravines and moderate to rugged trails surrounding Sugar Creek.

    Water recreation: At Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area, boating is a primary attraction. "We rented a pontoon boat while we were there and went tubing up and down the lake," shares Rachel W. The lake provides boat ramps for easy access and is particularly popular during summer months.

    Fishing opportunities: Multiple fishing locations exist around North Salem campsites. At Sugar Creek Campground, "The creek is loaded with small mouth bass, some large mouth, gar, bluegill, and carp," according to Ryan H. Many campgrounds maintain stocked ponds for catch-and-release fishing.

    What campers like

    Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate the generous spacing between sites in the area. At Turkey Run State Park Campground, "The sites vary from full shade to wide open out in the sun. Bathrooms are clean, but they are pretty spread out," reports Terri D. This state park provides campsites with electricity, making it suitable for various camping setups.

    Natural water features: The ability to camp near water ranks highly with visitors. At Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental, "We had a great two night visit right on the creek! Rented kayaks for a 3 mile adventure," says Pat M. Several campgrounds offer direct creek access or views of nearby lakes.

    Shower facilities: Clean bathhouses remain important to campers. Lake Waveland Park maintains "modern campsites that have water and electrical hook-ups, and there are some small cabins that can be rented. The bath house was clean, and the grounds crew does a great job keeping the grass cut," according to Mike V. Bathroom cleanliness varies by location and season.

    What you should know

    Reservation requirements: Many campsites near North Salem require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. "We reserved a spot 2 weeks before our vacation. I don't know if it was empty because it was a Tuesday night or if no one knows about this park," notes Lahree C. about Lieber State Recreation Area Campground.

    Site conditions: Prepare for varying terrain and amenities. "Sites by the river are especially nice. There's a small camp store for basic necessities, firewood for sale as well and hot showers!" explains Ivana H. about Sugar Creek Campground and Canoe Rental.

    Seasonal availability: Not all campgrounds operate year-round. "A nice Indiana State Park that has about a hundred basic camping sites (non-electric), along with restrooms and bath house. Note that camping season is April through October here at Shades," explains Mike V.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular campground near North Salem, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near North Salem, IN is Shades State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 29 reviews.

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