The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Campgrounds near Ossian, IN

232 Reviews

The Ossian, Indiana area contains several established campgrounds within a 30-mile radius offering varied camping experiences. Ouabache State Park Campground near Bluffton provides year-round camping with electric hookups and fire rings for tent and RV campers. Other notable options include KOA Campground Bluffton with full hookups and cabin rentals, and Camp Timber Lake in Huntington featuring lakeside primitive sites alongside RV accommodations. Chain O' Lakes State Park, approximately 35 miles northeast of Ossian, offers additional cabin and tent camping opportunities within a scenic lake system.

Most campgrounds in this region operate year-round, though amenities and activities vary by season. KOA Campground Bluffton maintains all-season access with heated facilities, while state parks may have reduced services during winter months. "Nice little State Park. Nice clean camp sites. Plenty of trails to hike and a nice little lake to enjoy," noted one visitor about Ouabache State Park. Water access points and hiking trails generally remain open throughout the year at most campgrounds, though swimming beaches typically close after Labor Day. Several locations, including Johnny Appleseed Campground in Fort Wayne, operate on seasonal schedules from April through October, requiring advance planning for off-season visits.

Campers frequently mention the relatively flat terrain and accessible nature of campgrounds in this area. While some sites offer lakefront positioning, others feature wooded settings with varying degrees of privacy. At Camp Timber Lake, "Campground is located on private property and all of the primitive spots are right on the lake or very close to it," according to feedback on The Dyrt. Visitors to Ouabache State Park highlight the paved bike trails connecting to the Wabash River trail system as a significant attraction. Bison viewing areas, fire towers, and family-friendly amenities receive positive mentions across reviews. Some campgrounds in the region experience occasional flooding after heavy rains, and several reviewers note train noise near the Bluffton KOA location as a potential consideration when selecting camping sites.

Map showing campgrounds near Ossian, IndianaExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Ossian, Indiana (68)

    1. Ouabache State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Bluffton, IN
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 824-0926

    $20 - $23 / night

    "The paved bike trail in the park starts near the campground, and connects with a bike trail along the Wabash River that goes into nearby Bluffton, and is an easy ride. "

    "Plenty of trails to hike and a nice little lake to enjoy. Will definitely come back here"

    2. Johnny Appleseed Campground

    15 Reviews
    Fort Wayne, IN
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 427-6720

    "Easy access to downtown, the Coliseum, IPFW, and shopping. The River Greenway path cuts right through the park, and there is also a boat launch for the river."

    "For $24, we got a day of drive in spot with electrical + water hook-ups and wifi. The campground is well-maintained and very clean."

    3. Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake

    11 Reviews
    Huntington, IN
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 468-2165

    "It was very relaxing and I also enjoyed walking on different paths to enjoy nature as it was. I would highly recommend this campground to anyone. It is also family friended"

    "Kil-so-qauh, used to be a little hidden gem right outside of town but has turned into quite a popular place, but for good reason."

    4. KOA Campground Bluffton

    4 Reviews
    Bluffton, IN
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 824-0127

    5. Kilsoquah Camp

    7 Reviews
    Huntington, IN
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 468-2165

    $12 - $15 / night

    "Some sites around the back are more private than others. There are not trails to hike but some space to bike. Access to the lake is quite a distance from the actual campground."

    "We found a cozy camp site along the back ring near the river. We didn’t have a view but there was an area to go walk over to that had a very picturesque."

    6. Camp Timber Lake

    4 Reviews
    Roanoke, IN
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 672-3251

    $20 - $25 / night

    "Escaped to this little place on the outskirts of Fort Wayne, Indiana and it was absolutely worth it. Everyone was nice including the neighboring campers."

    "Campground is located on private property and all of the primitive spots are right on the lake or very close to it. "

    7. Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    53 Reviews
    Albion, IN
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 636-2654

    $12 - $90 / night

    "Met up with 18 other skoolies our first Indiana meet. Met great people had a fantastic time. Great park kids swam, showers are clean. Electric at sites but water isn’t but very close by."

    "Chain is perfect for kayaking and canoeing with 9 connected lakes and 11 total. A couple lakes are perfect for boat fishing as long as you have an electric motor only."

    8. River Camp Fort Wayne

    1 Review
    Fort Wayne, IN
    9 miles
    Website

    9. Lost Bridge West State Recreation Area Campgrounds — Salamonie Lake

    11 Reviews
    Andrews, IN
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 468-2125

    $12 - $22 / night

    "This is one of the best parks we have been to in Indiana. We Volunteer all over our the USA at State Parks and National Forest. So we know what to look for."

    "Sites 221- 243, 202-204 offer lake views. I say VIEWS, not access.  Sites 228& 232 have sites with good access to the lake. Scattered throughout the park are sites with 50amp service."

    10. Mendenhall RV MHP

    Be the first to review!
    Bluffton, IN
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (260) 824-5365
Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 68 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Ossian Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Camping Photos near Ossian, IN

41 Photos of 68 Ossian Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Ossian, IN

232 Reviews of 68 Ossian Campgrounds

  • Kimberly T.
    Nov. 20, 2025

    Chain O' Lakes State Park Campground

    A campground with a little bit of everything for everyone ...

    PSA, this was my first time camping.  EVER.  I came here with a few family member to hike and get away from the rat race of life and that's exactly what I got. An awesome 1st time experience.  My site was NOT fully shaded and was level, a plus because I slept in my vehicle.  Our camp neighbors were friendly.  So many people, kids and well behaved dogs.  The quiet hours were quiet with exception of the couple loud drunk guys who ended up laying in the road near our sites.  I thought it was funny, but my experienced camping family members not so much.  Bathroom was clean and stocked.  Didn't use the available free showers, next time.  Water water everywhere and no mosquitos.  Trails were well kept.  They do have an enclosed fish cleaning station which looked nice.  Everything is within walking distance from your campsite.  Boat & kayak rentals are available, but closed after Labor Day.  The camp store has everything and anything you would need or need including souvenirs.  My late September weekend was cooler than normal, lows in the 40's and highs in the 60's.  The campfire smoke that hung in the air like ground fog.  Not a deal breaker.  I will be back in April 2026.  Going to give the cabins a try and do some fishing.  I will come back here !

  • M
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Indian Springs Campground

    500 Campsites and ONE BATH HOUSE!

    This campground has around 500 sites and ONLY ONE BATH HOUSE! It is cramped and is full of long term campers. It is geared toward kids with all kinds of bounce houses, etc. It is listed as a reaort but this is no resort. We paid more than the other sites we have stayed at in this area. So sorry we did but we did have trouble finding places in Indiana.

  • S
    Sep. 10, 2025

    Kil-So-Quah - J. Edward Roush Lake

    No Lake access from campground

    Forest settings, electricity for only $15/night. Lots of traffic in and out. A lot of older rigs.

  • Matthew H.
    Aug. 31, 2025

    Art's Country Park

    Arts country Park

    Quiet,kid friendly, fur babies friendly (dogs),nice place, friendly and accommodating staff, fishing and swimming,hot showers and lots of activities in summer 👍

  • Megan M.
    Aug. 27, 2025

    Grand Lake St. Marys State Park — Grand Lake St Marys State Park

    Campground is fine but the lake reeks of POO

    First the good: the campground is big and spacious. Some areas were like RV parking lots- no trees, no shade, but there was a grassy area in the middle with nice big trees and shade. There is a nice pool and splash pad. Weirdly, the pool closed from 4 to 5, leaving us with nowhere to go on a 90+ degree day. 

    Now, the not-so-good: we stayed in a camper cabin and it was very shabby and dirty. It had bunkbeds, a full size fridge, and a folding table and folding chairs, which was nice (and rare in Ohio state park camper cabins). The bathrooms were average. Not new, not especially sparkling clean, but fine. Not gross, at least.

    Now, the terrible: the entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo. You feel like you are breathing feces when you approach the water. We were right on the water so we couldn't escape the smell. 

    This lake is notorious for having algae blooms that prohibit swimming. So I did a google search before our trip and the Ohio Department of Health reports that the bacteria level in this lake is dangerously high, and no one should swim in this lake. However, when we walked to the campground beach, there was no sign or warning or anything indicating the bacteria in the water- and people were letting their children and dogs swim in it!! 

    We opted to not kayak or paddleboard in the lake because it was clear that it was full of poop. So we had nothing to do at the park except go to the pool (it was too hot to do anything else). We ended up driving around the country roads and seeing the sights so we could escape the smelly lake and hot poo fumes. Neil Armstrong was born in nearby Wapakoneta so there are some sights to see there, and the towns of Celina and ? one other are cute too. 

    Overall, I will not return to this lake or this part of the state. If you can't get in the water, paddle board or kayak, the only thing left to do is ride around in a boat and hope the water doesn't get anywhere near your mouth or your skin. No thanks.

  • d
    Aug. 19, 2025

    River Trail Campground II

    Just So-SO

    We stayed 3 nights. Our site was a dirt pads. There are mostly full-time residents. There is the smell of a massive Chicken coup at our site. THERE ARE A TON OF FLIES!!!!! We had flies for days!. We kill 3 and 5 more would pop-up in our trailer. I was so happy to leave this fly infested site. 

    It's very hard for me to give them less than 5 stairs because, everyone was so nice. We had them filled up our propane tanks and they actually brought them to us and hooked them up while we were gone. Someone even brought us wood planks for stabilizing our trailer. However, truth be told…. our spot was horrible-right next to the laundry room in direct sun and it stunk! The women's shower was gross too. ( I ended up, not using their shower room.)

    We never used their pool.

  • Shawna T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 18, 2025

    chainolakes

    Camp out

    I loved how neighborly and extremely kind our camping neighbors were. Even though we were close in proximity to eachother, everyone remained respectful of the noise and helped eachother as much as we could. Good little camping trip community. Had a great experience

  • L
    Aug. 18, 2025

    Johnny Appleseed Campground

    Great location, but no privacy

    The campground is almost in the middle of Fort Wayne. Most of the sites are very close and no vegetation to allow any privacy. On the positive side, the bathrooms were very nice and clean. The staff was also very helpful.

Guide to Ossian

Established campgrounds around Ossian, Indiana provide a range of camping experiences within northeast Indiana's agricultural landscape. Ouabache State Park Campground offers year-round access for tent and RV camping with electric hookups and water availability. The KOA Campground in Bluffton, located about 10 miles south of Ossian, provides full-service sites including cabin accommodations and a heated pool. Camp Timber Lake and Kil-So-Quah Recreation Area at J. Edward Roush Lake represent additional mixed-use campgrounds within a 30-minute drive, with varying levels of amenities and waterfront access.

Many campgrounds in the region remain open year-round, though specific amenities may be limited during winter months. "The campground comfort stations are heated all winter long," noted one visitor about Ouabache State Park. Reservations are recommended for most developed sites, particularly during summer weekends and holidays. Accessibility varies significantly between campgrounds, with some like Johnny Appleseed Campground in Fort Wayne offering paved sites suitable for larger RVs, while primitive areas at Kil-So-Quah may require more careful navigation. Several campgrounds provide sanitary dump stations and drinking water, though hookup availability differs between locations. Weather considerations include humid summers and potentially snowy winters that might affect road conditions.

Campers highlight the recreational opportunities available at many sites. Ouabache State Park features hiking trails, a fire tower, and a bison enclosure that receive positive mentions in reviews. "Great little State Park. Nice clean camp sites. Plenty of trails to hike and a nice little lake to enjoy," reported one visitor. Water activities represent a common draw, with Camp Timber Lake offering lake access, though reviewers note pets aren't permitted in water areas. Several campgrounds provide family-friendly amenities including playgrounds and bike trails. Site privacy varies considerably across the region, with some reviewers mentioning that certain campgrounds have closely spaced sites with minimal screening. The proximity to Fort Wayne, approximately 25 miles north of Ossian, provides urban amenities while still allowing for natural experiences at nearby camping areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Ossian, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, Ossian, IN offers a wide range of camping options, with 68 campgrounds and RV parks near Ossian, IN and 3 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Ossian, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Ossian, IN is Ouabache State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 12 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Ossian, IN?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Ossian, IN.

Keep Exploring

  3. View all Indiana cities for camping