Looking for a place to go glamping near Saint Croix? The Dyrt can help find the best glamping in and around Saint Croix, IN. These scenic and easy to access Indiana glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
Immerse yourself in the magic of America's Christmas Hometown with a stay at Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph, formerly known as Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort. Nestled in the breathtaking beauty of southern Indiana, our resort offers a range of unforgettable camping and lodging experiences that cater to families of all sizes.
Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph, a two-time National RV Park of the Year, is nestled in the captivating town of Santa Claus. Discover spacious RV and tent sites, charming vacation rentals, and breathtaking scenery.
Experience an extraordinary stay with incredible amenities and activities. Dive into Santa's SplashDown WaterPark, make a splash at Blitzen Bay pool, and enjoy miniature golf. Treat yourself at our snack bar, let your furry friends play in the dog park, and embrace outdoor adventures like fishing, paddle boating, and scenic trails. Explore Santa Claus' magical attractions, including Santa's Candy Castle and the Santa Claus Christmas Store, with Holiday World Theme Park nearby.
Create cherished memories and embrace the joy and wonder of Santa Claus at Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph. Your adventure awaits!
$45 - $101 / night
The Indian-Celina Lake Recreation Area is a tranquil getaway in the midst of the Hoosier National Forest. Both the Celina and Indian Lakes are within the area, offering camping, boating, fishing and hiking, as well as tours of a historic site.
Indian and Celina lakes are two of four fishing lakes along Highway 37. The lakes offer many miles of shoreline and coves for fishing for pan fish. Boat ramps are open year-round, and an accessible fishing pier is available on Celina Lake. Anglers can expect a variety of catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie. The sandstone block, historic Rickenbaugh House was built in 1874 and is open to visitors periodically throughout the year. The home and adjacent historic cemetery are popular among visitors. A variety of hiking trails exist within the area, including the relatively easy, 1 mile Rickenbaugh Interpretive Trail, which is located behind the historic Rickenbaugh House. The Two Lakes Loop National Recreation Trail encircles both Indian and Celina lakes and winds through many acres of natural and peaceful forests. The trail is 16 miles, but can encompass multiple, shorter day hikes.
The area is located in south-central Indiana, in a dense hardwood and pine forest, on 152-acre Indian and 164-acre Celina lakes. A variety of wildlife make its home in the area.
Special Places on the Hoosier National Forest Brooks Cabin Buffalo Trace Carnes Mill Site Clover Lick Barrens Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower Initial Point Lick Creek African American Settlement The Jacob Rickenbaugh Homestead Wesley Chapel Gulf
$21 - $44 / night
$27 / night
A primitive campground with vault toilets, hitching racks, and a picnic shelter is available. Around 12 and half miles of trails are available for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding.
The Youngs Creek Campground provides access to the 12.7-mile Youngs Creek multiple use trail for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking.
Shady trails, scenic hardwood forests and a variety of terrain
North Face Loop includes 36 individual sites. The loop contains centralized water, flush toilets, hot showers, and a recharge table for electric boat motors. A selection of single or extra large, electric or non-electric sites are available in this shady campground. During winter months only 3 electric sites are available and several non-electric sites. Water is only at frost free hydrants (no flush toilets or showers, though pit toilets are available). ACTIVITIES Camping: This is one of two shady campground loops in the Indian-Celina Lake Recreation Area. It includes 36 sites for tent or RV camping. Most of these sites are not electric. This loop is open year-round with reduced services and fees in the fall and winter months. A maximum of 2 vehicles and 8 people are allowed on a single site. The loop has two double sites which allow a maximum of 4 people and 16 people. Three of the sites are walk-in. Interpretive Programs: During the spring and summer seasons, visitors are encouraged to attend our interpretive programs. Programs are offered at the amphitheater near the Rickenbaugh House or in some cases a few programs may be held at other locations. For more information on programs at Indian-Celina Lake contact 812-547-7051. Recreational Vehicles: This is one of two shady campground loops in the Indian-Celina Lake Recreation Area. It includes 33 sites appropriate for RVs of various length spurs. Most of these sites are not electric. This loop is open year-round with reduced services and fees in the fall and winter months. A maximum of 2 vehicles and 8 people are allowed on a single site. The loop has two double sites which allow a maximum of 4 people and 16 people.
South Slope Loop includes 27 individual sites. The loop contains centralized water, flush toilets, hot showers, and a recharge table for electric boat motors. A selection of single or extra large sites are available in this shady campground.
$17 - $140 / night
$8 - $20 / night
Traveler
Delaney Park is a great family place .nice cabins good fishing and lots of boats to rent or bring your own. Camp how you like, from Primitive to Glam-ping. Its at the start to a Fifty mile trail ( Knobstone Trail) or you can do the Delaney Loop in about 6 hours. ( 7.5 miles and 2000 ft elevation change ) a good challenge for all ages. trail is well marked and maps at gate. Lots to do and also nothing to do. Bring whole Family and Friends for a great weekend or just a day
Traveler
This park is conveniently located beside Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana! There is a wide variety of activities and it's a fun place to camp with family! Some of the sites are a little too close together but other than that, my family really enjoys camping at Lake Rudolph!
Scout
PROS:
Beautiful lake with geese nesting areas and great fishing opportunities. Calm waters for kayaking.
CONS:
Since July 2020, the Governor of the State of Indiana has mandated face coverings in indoor areas and in outside spaces where social distancing is not possible (and signs are posted everywhere). During our three-day-stay, we did not see any DNR staff at the gatehouse, the campground store, or a conservation officer complying with wearing a mask. In addition, most campground guests were not wearing them either.
In addition, this park is listed as participating in the Explore Indiana pin program but no one seemed to know anything about it. We did the work to earn it but were not able to add it to our collection.
Traveler
This was a very quiet campsite in southern Indiana. We had a hard time finding dispered camping in the national Forest so we settled for this site. There was one other site occupied in the middle of the week so it was definitely quiet. Gravel platform for pitching a tent. Clean bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks which were nice.
Guide
I was really surprised that in my 30 years of living in Indiana, I had never been to Marengo Cave. It's both great for kids and adults. The people are super friendly and there are two different parts to explore. The dripslide caverns and the crystal palace cavern. There are extra activities for the kids such as mining and a nice gift shop for any rock lover out there. I highly recommend and they had cabins to camp in as well.
Traveler
We camp here every time we come to Indiana. We have camped there in a truck camper, and now we tent camp with our Jeep. The sites are large, and there are fire rings available. There are vault toilets and a fresh water pump not far from them. The only time this camp is full is when a trail ride is going on, then it fills up fast. It is only five miles from Paoli, and there is a Walmart there if you need supplies..
Traveler
The park is well kept and organized. There are a ton of sites to visit and see. If you like hiking or mountain biking this is for you! Horse people love it also. The campground is near the trail to the old abandoned bridge which is well worth the hike. The fire tower has a commanding view. If you are not enjoying this park, not much else in Indiana will make you happy. Extra points: experienced cavers will enjoy the number of caves. These are by permit only however and novice non cavers should take a proper class and go with experts. There are multiple show caves in the area you can get a basic tour of also.
ScoutI have tried to contact corporate and been ignored.. We stayed at the Rudolph campsite in Santa Claus Indiana like I stated before we would like a refund for one night and one night of the golf cart as we wound up leaving. the toilet seat was cracked, which pinched me and one of my Children left marks, there were also mouse droppings in the drawer where the silverware was and stains on the sheets. I have pictures of all this and since nobody has contacting us, I will give it until Monday morning and then I will have my attorney contact them with all the pictures since they don’t want to do anything about this and then I will also be posting with the Better Business Bureau and attaching all the pictures.
GuideMy husband, 3.5yo, 1yo and myself went to O'Bannon Woods the weekend before the 4th of July and I can't believe I've never been there! It's an amazing little park. We camp in a 12' pop up and our site 111 was nice for it. We did have to back between two trees at about 10pm in the dark, but we made it!
We LOVED the nature center and the living history village! The nature center had plenty of critters for the kids to look at. The living village was a pleasant surprise since I didn't realize they had one. They also have demonstrations of the hay press on holiday weekends which was really neat to watch.
We only hiked one trail and that was the one from the campground to the nature center. It was fairly rough in spots but enjoyable. The nearby caves ran by the park were a nice escape from the summer heat. We went on the short one with the kids and it was just the right length for their ages.
Also, if you like wine, there's a little winery down the road, Scout Mountain and they had the best deal on firewood along with great wine!
I can't wait to go back, I honestly can't believe I've lived in southern Indiana my whole life and have never been here.
GuideObannon Overall, this is a nice state park to camp in. Staff was very friendly. They have ice and wood. My kids enjoyed the nature center, pioneer village, and one of the easy trails.
We stayed in 220. It was nice to be right by the playground and bathrooms (which is what we wanted). Some spots near the back would be nice and secluded like the 180s and 190s and they’re still not too far from the bathrooms and playground. The better playground is in loop A.
I will say, I didn’t see any staff members cleaning up trash, getting campsites ready, or anything the 2 days we were there. Even though we went in November, it was a nice weekend and wasn’t dead, so I was surprised I didn’t see anyone cleaning. Wasn’t the cleanest state campground we’ve been at in Indiana. Certainly wasn’t awful though either.
My biggest gripe was they were hosting a huge cycling group. Like the whole loop A. We were all the way back in C. They held a concert that went on from like 8-11 pm. Being in a pop up, it was so loud and never ending. Made it difficult for my kids to sleep. If they’re going to hold (or allow) events like these, it should be posted on their website. Even with our sound machine, we still couldn’t block it out. I realize quiet hours aren’t until 11, but to me there’s a difference.
There is also hardly any signage and spots are difficult to find. No arrows about which way to go, signs saying which loop you’re in, and spots are only marked on the electrical boxes.
Overall, may stay again and try out the pool since we’re not too far from home, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to stay here.
Legend
Celina Recreation Area is located in Hoosier National Forest near Branchville, IN off IN37. My drive in took me first through the rolling hills of upper Kentucky farmland, than across the Ohio River into Cannelton, IN where I found a sweet Winery named Blue Heron with excellent views and an awesome host/owner. There is a wine trail through the lower Indiana area that might interest you (Hoosier Wine Trail) if that’s your kinda sightseeing .
Tell City is where you might want to stop and get your supplies, there’s the usual fast food, gas stations and Wally World. The area Ranger Station is also in Tell City but it is closed on the weekends.
We took IN37 which runs down the middle more or less of Hoosier NF. There is a zip-line “Eagles Wings” and a Citgo fuel stop enroute to the Celina RA.
Once you turn into the Recreation Area Celina Lake and the two campgrounds (North Face Loop and South Slope Loop) are to the left, Indian Lake is straight.
Indian Lake is accessed by a basic boat ramp with parking only. I liked the fact that there are several parking pull offs along the road to the ramp to park and access the Two Lakes Trail which meanders around both lakes covering about 15 miles in all. The trail is moderate, technical but not too steep, a good workout. You can disperse camp for 5$ a night as long as you are 300 ft off the trail.
Celina Lake boat ramp has more to offer. There is a pit toilet and small picnic area in a small shaded grassy area between the parking area and boat ramp access road.
The parking area is handicap accessible with a small fishing pier that can be reached directly from the handicap parking spot.
The Rickenbaugh Historic family home and cemetery are located in the far side of the boat ramp with a kiosk and 1 mile Interpretive trail that tells the story of the area.
We enjoyed the trails which is where we spent most of our time, sight seeing and communing with the crazy number of ticks present and hitching rides.
The boat dock was pretty busy though quiet due to the electric motor restriction.
The lake is good size, you could paddle to an area and disperse camp to fish or just enjoy the area.
The two campgrounds were well maintained with helpful live in hosts. North is Basic and South is RV with electric hook up. The dump station is south on IN37 near Tipsaw Lake. Both offer good shade and privacy. They were very peaceful . I liked North more then South the North sites were further apart offering the most privacy and quiet.
ScoutStarve Hollow offers camping from full hookup, electric only (by the lake), tent camping, and cabins. The lake has a swimming area (no lifeguards), playgrounds, and bathhouse. The lake allows boats with electric trolling motor only.
We stayed in the full hookup section (camping facilities: electric, sewer, and water hookup as well as fire ring, picnic table, and parking spur at each site. Modern restrooms/showers(wheelchair accessible) are available nearby. 53 sites available, sites 222, 232, and 234 are wheelchair accessible). The bathhouse was clean (even though it rained most of the weekend). these sites are a good size and able to get any size Trailer or RV into these sites. There is mostly grass on most of the sites in this area.
The campground also offers electric only sites (camping facilities: electric hookup, fire ring, picnic table and parking spur at each site. Drinking water is available in area. Modern restrooms/showers(wheelchair accessible) are available nearby. Dumping station is available. There are 87 sites available. Sites 28, 44, 65, 75 and 90 are wheelchair accessible). They have about 20 sites that back up right to the lake allowing fishing from your campsite. Keep in mind that a lot of the electric only sites are very tight with a lot of trees in the area. I can probably only get my 36 ft 5th wheel into a third of the sites, but there are many of sites that had shorter units on them.
Cabins: Starve Hollow has 13 rent-a-camp cabins available March-Nov.(closed Dec.-Feb.)(NOTE: Local sales only during off season/winter months, contact property for details). Each cabin has a front porch with a swing, outside electric outlet and front porch light. Inside there are two small rooms each providing a ceiling fan with light, a heating/cooling unit and electrical outlets. The front room offers a small table with bench seats, corner shelf, chair, rocking chair, and a loft. The back room offers a bunk bed(single) and a double bed(NO LINENS or MATTRESS PROVIDED). Air mattress recommended.
Fishing/Boating Starve-Hollow Lake has three boat ramps to choose from, one at the dam and two in the electric campground. Kayak, rowboat and canoe rental is available. A valid Indiana fishing license is required. Rowboat and canoe rental is available from mid April through October. Starve-Hollow Lake is a trolling motor only lake. For campers a fish cleaning station is available.
Swimming A large beach is available for swimming from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Restrooms, dressing facilities, showers, and food concessions are available to visitors. Wheelchair ramps allow access to beach and concession area.
Picnicking There are picnic areas and picnic shelters that can be reserved. Both shelters can be accessed by wheelchair. The East shelter has an electrical outlet. Picnic tables and grills are located at the picnic sites. A wheelchair accessible playground, basketball goals, softball fields, horseshoe pits and a sand volleyball court are located on or near the swimming beach.
Hiking Trails Starve Hollow has several hiking trails to explore that total approximately 11 miles.
ScoutI absolutely love camping here. I went for years with my family growing up in a pop up and pull behind. I recently went tent camping there and it was awesome as usual. Some of the trails are a little rough, as in could use some mulch or rock but other than that it was really nice. There is a lot of space between sites so you’re not on top of your neighbor. They have nice showers and bathrooms that are always clean. They have both sites with and without electricity. Everyone is super friendly and helpful. If you like boating you can boat or kayak here. They don’t have a beach but there is a pace near by that you can go to if you want to swim. I like camping there in early spring and late fall the best and for least amount of people.
LegendIndian Lake is co-located with Celina Lake and two campground.
Once you turn off of IN37 you just keep straight to get to Indian Lake. Along the long twisty road there are several parking spots to pull off and access the Two Rivers Trail which is a 15 mile loop around both lakes. You can disperse camp for $5 a night at least 300 ft off the trail.
We visited Indian Lake while we were in the area and it is the boatramp, small float dock, parking area and pit toilet only. No picnic tables, no swimming, not much shore line to speak of. The lake looked nice and with the electric motor restriction it was very quiet. Definitely not as busy as Celina Lake while we were there.
Also in the area there is a Citgo for basic supplies and Tell City further south for Wally World and food choices.
GuideEach site was spacious and not jammed up against other sites. It is very family oriented with plenty of friendly campers. The restrooms could use a facelift, but were clean and adequate. I camped in the north loop and enjoyed the beautiful forest setting. The campground is just off the highway, but I never heard any road noise. I enjoyed hiking the trail between the North and South loops.
TravelerTwo lakes within the recreation area to fish and boat in. During mid August, Celine lake has freshwater Jellyfish that you can catch. Campsites nice!
ScoutNice quiet and a Great Lake to go fishing.
TravelerGreat smaller sites with privacy
ScoutWe loved this campground. We were there 3 nights. Most of the sites are rather private from each other. The bathrooms were very clean, even the vault toilets, and had the best TP in them. The hosts were very nice and friendly. They introduced themselves in the first hour we were there and invited us to a couple of free events and made recommendations on the best hikes for what we wanted to see. We would go again, but I think we'd want to enjoy more water activities next time. We'll have to bring a kayak or paddle boards.
GuideStayed 4 nights at Indian-Celina on the South loop with some friends (sites 25, 26, and 27) during August 2020. Overall, we had a great time. The sites are pretty spread out and private, the bathrooms are clean, and water spigots are everywhere. The hosts are friendly (there are two, one for the north loop and one for the south loop), and are who you buy wood/parking signs from.
Unfortunately, despite the udsa.gov website mentioning this was a swimmable lake, both the Indian and Celina lakes do not have a beach and cannot be swam in. Thankfully, there's a beach on Tipsaw lake that's about a 10 minute drive away that allows for free day-use if you have an Indian-Celina tag.
Electric hookups are solid and we were able to pull 24 amps consistently from the TT-30 outlets. Cell service on Verizon is very spotty and the general assumption is that it doesn't work. But still good enough to send out an occasional text.
RangerWhen we stayed here it was like 100 degrees. Our camp host was so sweet and gave us a box fan to use (there is electrical) so that we could have some relief from the heat.
Our camp site was nice and private yet close to a bathroom. The bathroom, even though vaulted, was kept very clean.
The lakes are pretty and we were able to explore with our paddle boards, but I wouldn't necessarily swim there.
We liked this pretty campsite.
We had cellular reception so we were able to work and stream music. :)
There were these cute little lizards that roamed our campground. Didn't expect to see those. They are harmless, and probably eat the mosquitos, so we liked them.
ScoutIn Hoosier National Forest. Clean, quiet, uncrowded. Friendly manager.
RangerFour lakes within a short drive of each other. Celina, Indian, Tipasaw and Saddle. Very good fishing. Red ear, blue gill, bass and catfish are the catch of the day. The campgrounds are private and easy to back into.
ScoutWife and I rented a site here on the South Loop for a weekend. It was probably about half full. Good space between sites, you could see about 3 sites from our own. Could not really hear any of our neighbors. Would definitely love to go back with a kayak or a canoe to paddle the lake.
TravelerStayed on site #31 at North loop. Large site. Has a big fire ring and a picnic table. This site is pretty level. Check out Hemlock Cliffs in the area. Amazing landscape on a one mile loop.
TravelerIndian-Celina is a beautiful campground. The sites are set up well for tent camping with flat gravel tent pads set deep in tall trees with ample privacy. The restrooms were spotless and modern and the shower stalls were spacious and private with locking doors. There is no swimming here, but you can swim a few miles away at Tipsaw Lake. Just watch out for the abundant poison ivy!
TravelerThis location is much more laid back than neighboring state parks. It’s low key and quiet. Regionally there are lots of things to see and do but this location is just a low stress stay. Side note, the new shower house is great!
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Saint Croix, IN is Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph with a 3.9-star rating from 33 reviews.
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