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Tent Camping near Paoli, IN

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    Tent campgrounds in the Hoosier National Forest near Paoli, Indiana offer a mix of established and dispersed camping opportunities for those seeking outdoor experiences. Springs Valley Recreation Area provides tent sites near Paoli, though recent reviews indicate it may be closed for overnight camping while still offering day-use activities like hiking, fishing, and kayaking. Mitchell Creek Road offers primitive dispersed camping options with no facilities, providing a true backcountry experience for self-sufficient tent campers.

    Most tent-only sites in the Paoli area feature basic accommodations with limited amenities. The dispersed camping areas require campers to bring all necessary supplies including water, as potable sources are scarce. Fire rings are available at some locations, but proper fire safety is essential, especially during dry periods. A visitor noted, "This is NOT a campground, but just roadside pull-offs on public land. There are no restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, or other amenities." Many sites are accessible via gravel roads that may become difficult to navigate after rain, and several areas lack cell service, requiring advance planning.

    The tent camping experience near Paoli provides opportunities for solitude and nature immersion. Sites along Mitchell Creek Road offer peaceful surroundings with minimal traffic. "Very quiet, only 2 vehicles passed by in the 36 hours I was there," one camper observed. The Charles C. Deam Wilderness area, located within driving distance, provides additional backcountry tent camping with beautiful hiking trails and creek-side primitive sites. Tent campers should be prepared for wildlife encounters and changing weather conditions. Bug spray is recommended during warmer months, as ticks and mosquitoes can be prevalent, especially near water sources. Many locations offer shaded tent sites under forest canopy, providing natural shelter from summer heat.

    Best Tent Campgrounds near Paoli (20)

    Filters    Tent onlyRVDispersedCabinGlampingPetsEquestrian

      1. Happy Hollow Homestead

      4.8(5)13mi from Paoli3 sitesTents, Cabins

      "He has firewood for purchase and will set up your fire for free with his propane torch, which was very helpful for us after a rainstorm."

      "We were nervous about bottoming in the dry creek bed on way to Walnut Grove area, but no problem. Great stay. 20' Ford Transit ModVan. One bar with cell booster."

      Available this weekend

      from $40 - $65 / night

      Check Availability

      2. Springs Valley Rec Area

      4.0(1)7mi from PaoliTents

      "the campground is closed for overnight camping, but this is still a beautiful lake for hiking, fishing, and my favorite, kayaking. electric motors only, so nice and quiet."

      Check Availability

      3. Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping

      4.3(3)15mi from PaoliTents

      "Sites are relatively close but you still have plenty of your own space. Each site comes with a fire pit and picnic table. Plenty of trees to hang up a hammock and empty space to pitch a tent."

      "Nice size site with fire ring and picnic table. Lots of trees- so great tree canopy and plenty of hammock. Nice size pieces of wood and large bundles."

      from $20 / night

      Check Availability

      4. Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed

      3.0(7)20mi from PaoliTents

      "This is NOT a campground, but just roadside pull-offs on public land. There are no restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, or other amenities."

      "There’s not a lot of designated camp spots but there’s not many people around. Very peaceful"

      5. Newton-Stewart

      4.0(1)14mi from PaoliTents, Glamping

      "Primitive. 45 spots."

      Check Availability

      6. Woodland Hills Campground

      Be the first to review11mi from PaoliTents

      7. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

      4.8(18)38mi from PaoliTents

      "So much space, existing fire rings, there was wood left behind from previous campers so that was nice! We have a reactive pup and she is able to live her best life there!"

      "Decent sized space to park for 2-3 vehicles."

      Check Availability

      8. Charles C. Deam Wilderness

      4.6(9)33mi from PaoliTents

      "Being in a national forest dispersed camping is allowed if you follow leave no trace principals, but I stayed in a couple of the official sites."

      "The sites are primitive with no amenities. 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."

      9. Ransburg Scout Reservation

      4.8(4)34mi from PaoliTents, Cabins, Glamping

      "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."

      Check Availability

      10. Pine Loop

      5.0(1)33mi from PaoliTents

      "There are campsites from walk-ins to drive-ins to FCFS with or without electricity/water. Plenty of shade in a very quiet surrounding. Access to Monroe lake as well as a small beach for swimming."

    View all 20 campgrounds

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    Recent Tent Camping Photos near Paoli, IN

    19 Photos of 20 Paoli Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Tent Camping Reviews near Paoli, IN

    729 Reviews of 20 Paoli Campgrounds

    • LDS Sister H.
      Oct. 20, 2026

      Friends O' Mine Campground & Cabins

      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Our First RV Home Has Been Such a Blessing!

      My husband and I absolutely loved our first few months here at Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins as first-time RV owners with our Class A RV.

      We downsized from our 5-bedroom home in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. We sold our home and I followed my Husband back here to Indiana after he received a wonderful career opportunity. My Husband is a Veteran, 🇺🇸 and after moving to Nashville, Indiana, we had immediately fallen in love with this small town - where we respected and admired the way Nashville reminds us of where we had just moved from in Missouri.

      We stayed at Grand Wood Suites for six months, after paying for a hotel, all while continuously paying for our two large storage units, as well as our mortgage payment and then rent for most of the beginning of this year; so, we decided to downsize to save money to buy land sooner, instead of continuing to rent. 🏕️ We already loved camping - we started with a pop-up camper on the 🔝 of our Jeep and camped dozens of times, then traded up to a pop-up camper. So we used what we had in savings, bought our Class A RV, donated our pop-up camper, and came to Friends O' Mine - and it was the best decision!

      From day one, the other campers have been so friendly, as are the nice employees and amazing owners. They truly make you feel like family. They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding it. It's incredibly cozy and just inviting you to join in.

      We've enjoyed live musical singers entertaining us around the campfire all evening, and we were invited to watch a documentary about a local racecar driver in their indoor recreational room, right next to the indoor laundry facilities.

      There is also a subterranean pool that my Husband and I enjoyed swimming in almost every day during our first month here - it was very relaxing and refreshing!

      One of our favorite parts has been our peaceful, nighttime walks around the large, well-stocked catch-and-release pond. My Husband and I hold hands together and walk around it at sunset almost every evening. It's so serene and calming to hear the sounds of the water and feel the beautiful Autumn breeze.

      This has been a very relaxing, enjoyable, and heartwarming experience for us. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, peaceful, and welcoming place to stay - whether for a weekend or for a season - we cannot recommend Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins enough. We are so grateful we found it!

    • Kaley A.
      Oct. 17, 2026

      Buffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park

      We absolutely LOVED this park! It was hands down our favorite of this year. We camped at site 100 and it has a neighbor on one side and behind while the other side was a huge open space. It is in the center of a loop. It was mostly level. There was some minor doming to the site but not bad at all. It was a busy camp ground but not as crowded (sites not on top of each other) as some I’ve been in. The outsides of the loops did have more space between and privacy but could be smaller or more sloped, it just really depended. The bathrooms and showers were cleaner than some of the other state parks we have been to, so much so my 11 year old son mentioned it. The park itself is absolutely gorgeous. The hiking trails (which is what we usually go for) were nice but I believe that the biking trails were actually more scenic than the hiking trails and a lot more rugged. We liked trail 8 starting from the west lookout tower and stopping at Hesitation Point for lunch/break/bathroom. Trail 6 was also a pretty, rugged, shorter trail. The Nature Center was also nicer than a lot of the others we have been to in the state. We did choose to do horseback riding at the stables. We showed up about 5 minutes after opening and were able to pay and told to come back in an hour and 45 minutes. That didn’t bother us since we had the time but if you are on a tighter schedule, the earlier the better. We also went into Nashville and it was a very cute town to visit. Well decorated for Halloween, very walkable, and a little something for almost everyone. Prices were about what I would expect for a tourist town but not terrible. I also have T-Mobile and had pretty good service almost everywhere in the park.

    • JThe Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 15, 2026

      Ogala Horse Camp

      Little loop pull off with a stone fire pit in the middle. Walking trail goes down to a swampy pond.

    • Jennifer N.
      Sep. 20, 2026

      Hoosier National Forest South Slope Loop Campground

      Great sites

      Each campsite has trees encircling them for mostly shade and a little more privacy. Only thing they could do is add more full hook up sites. Shower houses and restrooms are very well kept.

    • TThe Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 8, 2026

      Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed

      Peaceful!

      There’s not a lot of designated camp spots but there’s not many people around. Very peaceful

    • Jeff C.
      Aug. 23, 2026

      O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground

      Alright not my favorite park in the area

      Campground seemed like a tight fit coming in near dark fall. Lots of shaded sites. Storm ran through that night and lots of dead limbs came down all over. Got a hole in my roof. Overall decent stay and had a cool neighbor

    Guide to Paoli

    Tent campsites near Paoli, Indiana offer remote forest experiences in the Hoosier National Forest. Most sites sit at elevations between 600-900 feet, with the area experiencing mild springs and falls, hot summers, and cold winters with occasional snow. Many camping locations require gravel road access that can become challenging after rain, with several sites positioned along creek beds that may be seasonally dry.

    What to do

    Kayaking at Springs Valley Rec Area: While overnight camping is no longer available, the lake provides excellent paddling opportunities. According to a visitor, "the campground is closed for overnight camping, but this is still a beautiful lake for hiking, fishing, and my favorite, kayaking. electric motors only, so nice and quiet."

    Explore caves and geodes: Within driving distance of Charles C. Deam Wilderness, visitors can discover unique geological features. One camper noted, "I had the awesome experience to hammock camp on the Patton cave trail, along the creek that winds the length of that trail. The cave is amazing... I have never encountered so many geodes in my life."

    Swimming at Monroe Lake: Many primitive sites are located within hiking distance of Monroe Lake. A visitor to Ransburg Scout Reservation mentioned, "Located on Monroe lake, they have canoeing, row boats, sailboats, motor boats, and skiing. Lots of fun activities to do, and great hiking trails."

    What campers like

    Secluded forest camping: Berry Ridge Road offers true dispersed camping experiences away from crowds. A camper explained, "There are a couple walking trails around, as well each site is fairly far apart. It's really quite only seen a handful of cars drive by and I've stayed here for 2 nights."

    Hammock-friendly sites: Many Old Mill Tent And Hammock Camping locations feature trees perfectly spaced for hammocks. "Nice size site with fire ring and picnic table. Lots of trees- so great tree canopy and plenty of hammock," a camper shared.

    Access to hiking trails: The region offers numerous trail options connecting camping areas. At Charles C. Deam Wilderness, a visitor reported, "The trails are well paved and marked, not too strenuous. So many beautiful trees and plants to see, plus lots of creeks to walk through."

    What you should know

    Limited facilities: Most dispersed camping spots require total self-sufficiency. At Mitchell Creek Road Dispersed, a camper clarified, "This is a bare bones location. There was evidence of a homemade fire pit and a small cleared area. No cell service at the site but there was a bar or two on the road just a few feet away."

    Weather considerations: The area can become muddy after rain, making access difficult. A Berry Ridge camper advised, "I would not bring a RV here especially after rain."

    Wildlife awareness: Local wildlife includes various species that may visit campsites. One Berry Ridge visitor noted, "Just trees knocking, bugs curling and frogs croaking. Did see a rattlesnake dead on the road."

    Tips for camping with families

    Look for established amenities: Happy Hollow Homestead offers more developed options for families. A visitor shared, "We stayed over the Memorial Day holiday with our kid and another couple. We were all impressed with the land and how spaced out the camp sites were. The kids loved the tire swing and tree web."

    Pack insect protection: Bugs can be prevalent during warmer months. A visitor to Charles C. Deam Wilderness warned, "I would also bring bug spray and check for ticks!"

    Water planning: Few sites offer drinking water access. One experienced camper advised, "Refill your water when you come across it; the lake is harder to get to than you think."

    Tips from RVers

    Size limitations: Most primitive tent campsites near Paoli have tight access roads. A Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping visitor noted, "I did not see any pull offs that would accommodate an RV of any size, and nothing large enough to turn a trailer around. One pull off was nearly too small to turn around my small pick up truck."

    Consider smaller conversions: Some vans can access more remote areas. As one camper explained, "I have a promaster conversion and had no trouble making it to this site, however the road was gravel and steep at times."

    Navigation challenges: Paper maps are essential as cell service is unreliable. A camper recommended, "Have a paper map handy, as there is no cell signal and GPS was spotty."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular tent campsite near Paoli, IN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Paoli, IN is Happy Hollow Homestead with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

    What is the best site to find tent camping near Paoli, IN?

    TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Paoli, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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