Glamping options near Poland, Indiana provide access to over 400 acres of water across three lakes at Shakamak State Park and multiple recreation areas with modern amenities. The terrain ranges from flat campgrounds with full shade coverage to sites backing up to wooded areas with moderate slopes. Many campsites require advance planning due to popularity during summer months, with weekend reservations filling up several weeks in advance.
What to do
Archery practice: Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area features a dedicated archery range for target practice. "We love camping here! Lots to do. Love the archery range," notes Nicole B., making this an excellent destination for bow hunters or those wanting to develop their skills.
Disc golf challenge: Rockville Lake County Park offers an 18-hole disc golf course set in challenging wooded terrain. According to Smeeta T., "Disc golf course is awesome, in the woods, up and down ravine. 18 holes plus practice basket. Hole 1 starts by primitive sites closer to beach. Ask for a disc golf map at gatehouse."
Freshwater fishing: Greene Sullivan State Forest contains approximately 120 lakes across its 9,000 acres, providing some of the best fishing in Indiana. Stephen & Theresa B. explain, "The lakes are rich with bass, bluegill, crappy, redear and Airline Lake is even stocked annually with rainbow trout. This is truly a fisherman paradise."
Biking and rollerblading: Paved paths at Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area accommodate various wheeled activities. "Bathroom facilities are very clean, new bike, walking, rollerblading path. Beach is large and clean. We go every year and love it!" shares Jill W.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Turkey Run State Park Campground maintains well-kept bathroom buildings and shower facilities. "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure," reports Samantha S., highlighting the park's commitment to sanitation standards.
Unique stream hiking: Turkey Run State Park offers trail experiences unlike others in the region. Leif D. describes, "On one trail part of it went through box canyons up an active, though trickling, stream bed," while noting the hiking was "incredible" despite some outdated trail maps.
Secluded tent sites: Morgan-Monroe State Forest provides primitive camping options for those seeking more solitude than traditional campgrounds. "This campground is decent if you get one of the few good spots. Many sites are small and can only accommodate a tent. Has water and vault toilets," explains Joe B.
Beach access: Multiple reviewers highlight the quality of beaches at campgrounds near Poland. "I loved this camp ground, there was a beach which was nice and a building to get food. They have a basketball court, and a few trails," says Staci J. about Cecil M Harden Lake.
What you should know
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies significantly across campgrounds near Poland. Joe M. notes about Cecil M Harden Lake, "We really enjoyed our visit to Raccoon Lake. Plenty of places to hike, awesome beach, clean restrooms. No cell service but who needs it!"
Site variations: Rockville Lake County Park has diverse site types with variable leveling. Jeremiah G. advises, "We 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."
Wildlife awareness: Raccoons are particularly bold at several campgrounds in the area. Samantha S. warns Turkey Run visitors, "As some other reviews stated, watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything."
Off-season considerations: Some facilities operate seasonally. The visitor from Morgan-Monroe State Forest notes, "There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground, but both were closed due to coronavirus," highlighting that amenities may not always be available.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly swimming: Shakamak State Park Campground offers a developed aquatic center rather than just lake swimming. "There's plenty to do here for all ages... There are three beautiful lakes there that are good for boating and fishing. There is a large pool too with a nature center that has limited hours," according to Ginger T.
Site selection strategy: For families needing privacy, position matters. At Turkey Run, Samantha S. advises, "The open, grassy area sites don't offer any privacy. If that's what you're looking for, try to get a wooded site on the outsides that back up to woods."
Multiple playgrounds: Hawthorn County Park features expansive recreation options. "Large sites, because they are very wooded lots of shade, not far from downtown, also close to shopping (i.e. Walmart, Meijer). Lots to do in the park as well, fishing, archery, bike riding, canoe/kiak dock, and lots of very nice trails for hiking/running," shares Jeremie B.
Weekend planning: DevinandKalah H. at Shakamak State Park notes timing considerations: "We came to Shakamak for a 3 day trip this weekend after visiting White Rock Park on Wednesday. The campsites were well kept, shaded, and the bathroom/shower house was clean."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Turkey Run sites require careful selection. Michelle M. shares, "We stayed at site #35. It is in a very quiet, off the main road, in a circle, in full shade. It's is very close to the restroom but a distance from the camp store and dumpster... The site is very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It's was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end."
Hookup sharing arrangement: Some sites at Rockville Lake require additional equipment. Smeeta T. advises, "Sharing of water and electric between two sites, so come prepared with extensions for water and electric."
Small RV advantages: Morgan-Monroe State Forest accommodates limited RV sizes. Don N. explains, "My wife and were at site 15 from 09/02/21- 09/06/21 camping in a Winnebago Micro Minnie 2108 TB. This park is not for large rigs, but we had no trouble fitting into our small camper."
Dump station access: Dave R. notes at Cecil M Harden Lake, "Great place to camp, can be flooded at times, some of the sites have a huge inclines or declines, allot of sites reserved way in advanced. There is a few pull throughs, no water hook ups at site."
