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This recreation area is part of Cecil M. Harden Lake
As Indiana’s second state park, Turkey Run Campground was established in 1916. The story behind its name suggests that local hunters would find herds of wild turkeys gathering in the area’s narrow canyon bottoms—called “runs”—and funnel them out for easy harvesting. The area’s natural history goes back a little father—upwards of 600 million years. It was around this time that the sandstone and coal deposits seen in the park were being formed and compacted in a vast, swampy plain. Fast-forward several million years, and Ice Age meltwaters cut and scoured the creeks, canyons, and potholes seen today. Some of the glacial erratics (boulders) seen in the park are actually pieces of bedrock that were transported from as far north as Canada. Visitors to Turkey Run can explore these unique canyons, enjoy the park’s natural scenery, fish and paddle in Sugar Creek, and see several historic sites.
Located 10 miles north of Rockville, and 70 miles west of Indianapolis, Turkey Run State Park is year-round nature and recreation area covering nearly 2,400 acres along Sugar Creek. The campground at Turkey Run features more than 200 tent and RV sites with electrical hookups, picnic tables and fire pits with cooking grills; some sites are ADA accessible. Most sites are back-in and can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 45 feet; a few pull-throughs can accommodate larger. All sites have access to drinking water, flush and vault restrooms, and showers; two dump stations are available onsite. There are also two primitive tent camping areas for youth groups, several cabins for rent, and the historic Turkey Run Inn, which offers 61 lodge rooms, a dining room, and meeting spaces. Dogs are permitted in the park, but must remain leashed. Campsites raters are $23–$33/night; other accommodations range from $67–$110/night; reservations accepted.
Besides exploring Turkey Run’s canyon runs, the park offers a variety of hiking trails, picnic areas, and sports courts. The park’s nature center showcases a variety of exhibits and interactive activities to educate visitors about the park’s geology, flora and fauna. Park naturalists offer guided hikes and nature walks, animal talks and campfire programs. Swimming is not permitted in Sugar Creek, but anglers can fish for bass and bluegill, and paddlers can head out in canoes and kayaks. Swimmers are invited to enjoy the park’s Olympic-sized swimming pool for cooling off during the warmer months. The park also offers hayrides and guided horseback rides. For a blast from the past, visitors can also tour the historic Lusk Home. Built in 1841, this restored European home displays a lifestyle from a bygone era. Watch out for the resident raccoons.
$25 - $55 / night
$10 - $30 / night
$25 - $40 / night
ScoutThis would most likely be a last resort for us. Went to our campsite only to find someone else using it. Not what you need after driving 400-500 miles. Had to go back to the office and ultimately took a different site after dirty looks from the poachers.
Then the staff told us there was music that night after we told them we just wanted a peaceful nights sleep so we moved to another site further away from the jam session. Whew a lot of work to be here. Cannot recall being impresses with the bathrooms/showers.
Guide
Spacious sites. Beautiful forest. Quiet, but only 5 minutes small town with gas stations, grocery, etc. Not many amenities. Only pit toilets and water spigots. Firewood was not available during our visit. No reservations. First come first serve, but even on a "busy" Saturday in July less than 1/3 of the sites were full. Two "loops" one in a pine forest below the small lake and one at the lake/up the hill. Multiple playgrounds. Great trails to hike. Cool CCC construction. Highly recommend.
Guide
We have been coming here every year since 2016. Most of the sites are shady. Our favorite site is 72. It is close to a water hookup if you need to top off your fresh water tank, shady, and not too close to other sites. They added a new shower house close by in 2022 or 2023.
Guide
This was my first time at a campsite, so I don't have other sites to compare to. Overall, my experience was great. Clean area with lots of amenities. They stack free firewood at your campsite to burn. I'm military, so the gunfire, canon fire, and helicopters didn't bother me at all. Those things don't happen all the time though.
Traveler
We stayed pretty much on our site. Generally, we aim to do a bit of exploring, but we used their camping as a rendezvous. I was slightly disappointed by the site selections being mostly on a slant, but we did find one on the overfill site that suited our needs and we ended up loving it. I do plan on returning specifically to update a better review on the available views.
Guide
Turkey Run is a fabulous state park with a nice campground. My only complaint about the campground is that many sites are in an open, level area without a lot of trees or bushes between them. You don’t have a lot of privacy. Two sections of the campground, with the higher numbered sites, are much more wooded. If I go again, I will try to be there!
But the campground has two large modern bathrooms that are cleaned regularly. It also has clean well maintained vault toilets throughout the campground. Best of all, from the back of the campground you can access Trail 7, a moderate level trail that leads unexpectedly to a small stream running past a recessed cave. It’s a peaceful spot.
Be advised that a “moderate” hike at Turkey Run can be challenging, with plenty of steps up and down the hillsides. Many of the trails go along stream beds, so you often need to make your way across the rocks to avoid wet feet. Be prepared with hiking boots and sticks.
There are two covered bridges on the edges of the park. Be sure to check them out!
GuideTurkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons.
It is definitely designed to accommodate RVs, as the majority of the sites are situated in an open field. There are a few dozen sites that are in “loops” that are situated in shaded areas. Some camp sites have zero privacy while others have a little. Either way, if you’re here on a weekend, you’ll definitely have neighbors close by. You can see the entire campground via google maps street view, just FYI
This is a very family friendly campground and you will see lots of kids on bicycles flying around. I’ve stayed here a few times, and no matter the day of the week or the time of year, there are always lots of kids.
This campground has a raccoon “problem” due to campers having poor camp etiquette and feeding them. They come out of the woods towards dusk looking for food. They will come right up to you without hesitation, so don’t be alarmed if there’s one next to you while you cook s’mores over your fire (ask me how I know, hah). They will take any food that is left out. Do not turn your back to your dinner table at any time if there’s food out.
On my last visit to turkey run (I’ve camped here 3 or 4 times) I arrived to my campsite and someone had left dog food out for the raccoons in little piles all over the place which was super disappointing. Additionally, my neighbors didn’t put their campfire out when they packed up and left.
Perhaps I’m just used to camping in other areas where you have to worry about bears and burning the forests down…But campers here just aren’t as mindful or respectful of the campground.
The restrooms and showers (at least the one I use at this campground) is modernized and cleaned daily but there’s no dish pit/wash room available if you cook. Just be prepared to clean up accordingly and put trash in trash receptacles. There are a few vault toilets in the campground as well.
You can hike from the CG into the state park (highly recommend. It’s gorgeous!) just wear shoes that youre willing to get wet.
Overall, it’s a beautiful state park with a conveniently located campground. It’s not the best campground ever but for Indiana standards, it’s great. Even with my complaints, I always return because I enjoy visiting and hiking through the state park.
Traveler
I stayed by the lake, the spaces there are parallel to the road. Which gives you a beautiful view of the lake. I was there early in April when all the flowering trees were in bloom! Full hook up made it even the nicer!
ScoutThe power and water pressure was just fine. The campsite was muddy and needed maintenance. Let's just say it was" Rustic". Office staff were very polite.
Scout
New owners are great! The whole staff was friendly and helpful. Minutes from state park and downtown. Big rig friendly sites, Tmobile worked perfectly, facilities clean and weekend activities made the stay enjoyable for our kids.
Guide
Electric sites near the lake with several water front sites. Full hook up sites that are well spread out so you are not on top of each other. Very friendly staff. Clean facilities. Quite the hidden gem.
Guide
Well kept campground. Cleanest campground bathrooms I have ever seen. Friendly staff. Our site was directly beside a tiny cabin and could have been a little bigger but that’s what you get often times with RV sites. Unfortunately, witnessed one of the staff members abusing their dog.
Scout
Super easy reservations online, and if it’s a weekday or a Sunday you could likely just roll up. $16/night for a tent site plus $9 out of state car fee. Security is at the main gate until midnight so later check-ins are possible. Great set-up after driving 11+ hours!
Scout
Very well kept, pleasant people. Nice location.
Scout
Booked here last minute for the night on my way west. Beautiful campground with lots of activities for the family. They are all dog friendly with a few small dog runs spread throughout the sites. Primitive is $60 n/, full water/electricity is $80 n/. A bit pricey, but It’s worthwhile due to all that they have; horses, goats (that you can feed), a medium camping store with an ice cream shop attached, showers and running toilets.
GPS will take you to the back entrance that you cannot get in at. Instead of turning at the light, continue going down to the roundabout until you see the KOA sign and it’ll take you to the actual entrance and then office to sign in.
GuideOn an east/west trip and only had an overnight here. Campground is well maintained. Bathhouse clean, plenty of showers, flush toilets. Will need to fill your water holding tank as sites only have electric. Most sites are very spacious. Only negative was our site description and picture. Described the pad as level when it was actually about a 30% grade. We are camping in a truck camper and had planned to leave the camper on the truck but had to take it off to get level. And said the “yard” was grassy but it was only dirt which then became muddy after a bad storm. Great areas to walk your dog. We would definitely stop again but pick a different site. Camp store and ice, other items sold.
ScoutWhile this is always listed among the top Indiana state parks because of its amazing beauty and historic sites, the campgrounds are not up to the same level. The shower houses are old. No sinks, no flush toilets, no solid doors for privacy. Just curtains. So yes, that means put/vault toilets only, and there is no light for a middle of the night visit except the flashlight you will hopefully remember. Other state parks in the area do have modern shower houses. If you are disabled or just prefer better hygiene amenities, camp at Raccoon Lake SRA and take day trips to Turkey Run. I’m not sure of the status of nearby Shades Stare Park comfort facilities since we haven’t camped there yet.
ScoutOur family loves this park. There is plenty to do or not do. Lake is great for fishing, also the beach is very nice. Pioneer village is so neat to walk around. Camper spots are a little small but nothing you can't work around. Park is very clean, personnel is very nice. Can't say enough nice things.
TravelerDecided to try a new campground and glad we did! Staff was very friendly, and overall a cute, quiet, and nice campground! Beach was muddy and shallow, but the lake was beautiful! Bathrooms were decent nothing great nothing bad, bugs weren’t as bad as I expected. We had a great time, renting a canoe and keeping it on our site until we returned it. Highly recommend getting a site on the water! Would definitely return.
ScoutWe booked this location as a one night stop on our way to our destination, but it turned out to be way more than that. The owner, their staff, and fellow campers embraced us as part of the family. Their fire pit fellowship is second to none. It’s places like this that inspire us to continue camping.
TravelerPlace was huge and packed. Really nice and it was quiet to sleep with nice facilities.
Scout
Nice quiet secluded lots of nature great atmosphere family friendly
GuideWe stayed in the modern section of the campground. This is the electric and water only section. The sites range from very uneven to moderately uneven in this section. The full hookup site section is flat but with less tree cover. The sites in modern electric water only can be awkward to back into with no room to pull forward due to a ditch in some areas. We stayed in site 10 which was uneven, no room for a tent, and small. Next time we would try 9. The campground offers a beach and fairly busy fishing lake, some trails. Over all it was less busy on opening weekend than Turkey run or raccoon lake.
TravelerStayed for 5 days , very nice park with lots to do, hiking, biking,fishing, bird watching. Hiked 3 trails all well kept. Trail 3 favorite. Good place to ride bikes. Shower house clean also new one just built. Wi-Fi was ok, was able to download email and get on company site for work, limited Verizon connection but some. Larges sites Staff friendly and helpful. Will go back again
Guide
This is the campground for bringing your battery powered hammock string lights and bluetooth speakers to play Glass Animals or Boy Harsher at a reasonable volume.
We were looking for a quite night away and, without doing any research, booked a tent site close to the pond here. Upon arriving, laughter ensued, when we heard the music and saw the zip lines and paint ball facilities.
We still had a fun night as the bulk of the visitors seemed to be a very large group staying in two cabins. The tent area is on the opposite side of the grounds, by the pond so no matter how many people are in the cabins/paintballing you can't see them or hear them.
The folks working in the registration building were AMAZING. Facilities were clean and worked as they should. Firewood is super dry/stored in a shed.
This would be a rad place to take your kids/teens or if you're into more of a festival camping atmosphere (sites are spaced out though, you're not on top of each other) this would be the perfect place.
If you are looking to be away from people walking to their sites/the pond/trails and you want quiet... this is not the place, from my experience.
I'd probably take my nieces and nephews here for the first camping experience though!
GuideThis was a fun week here! The water park is so fun. But then there were the farm animals, which was so sweet and amazing.
We took over our leftovers on the approved list to feed the horses and goats. The animals were sooo sweet!
The campground is huge with a cool stream separating them. There’s a trail with a bridge to cut across which is fun!
TravelerIf you don’t mind fireing guns 24/7 it’s a great little place
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Paragon, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Paragon, IN is Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area with a 4.6-star rating from 32 reviews.
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