Best Tent Camping near Shelbyville, IN

Several dispersed and primitive tent camping options are available in the forested areas surrounding Shelbyville, Indiana. Tent campers can find accommodations at Berry Ridge Road Dispersed Camping in the Hoosier National Forest, approximately 50 miles south of Shelbyville, which offers free primitive tent sites. The Charles C. Deam Wilderness area provides established tent camping with both drive-in and hike-in access, while Oak Ridge Camping Area in Morgan-Monroe State Forest offers a more developed tent camping experience with basic amenities.

Most tent sites in the region are set on natural terrain with minimal improvements. Campgrounds like Berry Ridge Road feature informal clearings suitable for pitching tents, with natural forest floor surfaces rather than developed pads. Primitive tent sites generally include established fire rings but lack modern conveniences. Water access varies significantly between locations; Oak Ridge Camping Area provides drinking water and vault toilets, while dispersed camping areas require campers to pack in all water needs. During summer months, sites at Sundance Lake and Hickory Ridge fill quickly on weekends, with weekday visits offering better availability. Ticks and mosquitoes are common in warmer months, particularly after rainfall.

The tent camping experience near Shelbyville offers excellent access to hiking trails and natural features. Many sites provide shade from mature forest canopy, particularly in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest, where large deciduous trees create a cool environment even during summer heat. Hiking options range from short nature trails to longer backcountry routes, especially in Charles C. Deam Wilderness, where multiple trailheads connect to tent sites. Sites at Berry Ridge Road are typically spaced widely apart, creating a sense of solitude rare in more developed campgrounds. As one camper described Berry Ridge Road, "Very private. Decent sized space to park for 2-3 vehicles. Trails, plenty of dry wood, away from the roads... what's great is when we found our spot we couldn't see their fire or even hear them!"

Best Tent Sites Near Shelbyville, Indiana (13)

    1. Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

    17 Reviews
    Freetown, IN
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (812) 275-5987

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

    "If you are into boondocking at all defiantly check out berry ridge it’s just south of brown county Indiana beautiful country mostly hills tons of camp spots sometimes half mile or more apart haven’t seen"

    2. Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    9 Reviews
    Martinsville, IN
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 342-4026

    $25 - $55 / night

    "When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze."

    "Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water."

    3. Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort

    2 Reviews
    Pendleton, IN
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 778-2697

    "This was really convenient and close to Indy, where we took the grandkids to the children’s museum. The lake is fabulous, but there didn’t seem to be too many fish available for catching!!"

    4. Charles C. Deam Wilderness

    9 Reviews
    Heltonville, IN
    49 miles

    "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."

    5. Sundance Lake Dispersed Camping

    1 Review
    Freetown, IN
    38 miles

    "A quiet little lake/ big pond in the Hoosier National Forest with a few spots to camp.

    At the pond there was a pad of concrete leftover from who knows what."

    6. Ransburg Scout Reservation

    4 Reviews
    Harrodsburg, IN
    49 miles
    Website

    "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."

    7. Morgan’s Outdoor Adventures

    1 Review
    Brookville, IN
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (765) 647-4904

    "Steps away from gorgeous river views. There is nothing like waking up and making breakfast while watching the river roll by!

    Sites are tight, but if you love waterfront this is great."

    8. Quakertown State Rec Area

    2 Reviews
    Brookville, IN
    44 miles
    Website

    "A'll sites gave fire rings. Some of the picnic tables are small. Nice clean bathrooms. Site was a little pricey at $30. A shooting range nearby is a little annoying."

    9. Hickory Ridge

    1 Review
    Norman, IN
    46 miles

    10. Hickory Ridge Primitive Dispersed Campsites

    1 Review
    Norman, IN
    46 miles

    "Very nice drive during the day, hiking is fantastic!"

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Tent Camping Reviews near Shelbyville, IN

486 Reviews of 13 Shelbyville Campgrounds


  • D
    Jul. 17, 2019

    Charles C. Deam Wilderness

    A couple nights on the sycamore trail

    Wonderful place. Excellent trail following a nice little stream along the one side. 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 official sites all had rock fire rings and bushcraft furniture.

    The one negative was I did have to pack out previous campers trash along with my own. Being close to the college there was evidence that less than mature campers may frequent the area. That being said once on trail I didn’t see another soul past a couple hundred feet of the trail head and only heard a pair of hikers on the trail pass my camp site as I ate my breakfast the one morning.

    A wonderful backpacking area!

  • Daisy C.
    Jun. 5, 2020

    Yellowwood State Forest

    Quiet, Peaceful, and Primitive

    Yellowwood state forest campground does not accept reservations. It is first come, first served. Drive up, select your site, and then go to the park office to pay using a self-pay envelope. Bring exact change(cash). Current prices are listed on the Indiana DNR website. The park office does have firewood for sale, but only during open hours, which are limited. There is no camp store, no playgrounds, and no pool. Swimming is not allowed in Yellowwood lake. Each site has a fire ring with grill grate and picnic table. There are four campground loops and a horseman’s campground. Campgrounds have vault toilets and drinking water access. I do not know if water is turned on year-round. There are no modern restrooms. Sites are wooded and fairly level. All sites are primitive. We have only tent camped at Yellowwood, so I can’t say what size travel trailers would fit in the sites. Yellowwood road changes over to gravel once you enter the state forest. It is well maintained. You can also access the forest by Jackson Creek road, but you’re on gravel for longer, and I seem to remember it being a bit rougher. We have camped at Yellowwood several times between 2011-2018. The only time we have ever seen the campground busy is over big holiday weekends like Labor Day, Memorial Day, and 4th of July. Otherwise use is light. We have several times been one of two or three campers in the loop. Several trails are nearby in the state forest, including the Tecumseh Trail. Horse trails are also available. Yellowwood lake is adjacent to the campground and there is a boat ramp, but there are limitations on boating(motor size). Check with the DNR website. Camp here if you like quiet, peaceful camping. You won’t run into a bunch of loud partiers.

  • G
    Jun. 28, 2019

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Quiet, just right!

    I’ve camped here several times and have always enjoyed it. When tent camping and want something quiet and a place with great trails, this is a good place to go. Even though it’s hot outside today, there’s lots of shade and a breeze. At this campground, there are two areas of pit toilets, and a big outdoor sink. Fire wood and maps can be obtained just up the road at the new Morgan Monroe headquarters. A self pay station is set up there. You select your site, set up, then go pay. Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and plenty of room for tenting with most sites big enough for a trailer. There’s a playground at the entrance of Mason Ridge campground and a fire tower.

  • Daisy C.
    Jun. 8, 2020

    Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State Forest

    Off the Beaten Path

    We stayed at site 13 at Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Mason Ridge Campground in June 2020. Site 13 has a little trail that goes down to a large flooded sinkhole behind the campsite. There were lots of tree frogs singing because of the proximity to water. Mason Ridge Campground has vault toilets and drinking water available. There are outdoor sinks at the drinking water stations. There is a dumpster in the campground for trash. Mason Ridge Campground is first come, first served, self-register and pay at the park office. Bring exact change. Firewood is available to purchase, but only when the park office is open, and hours are limited. It is also allowed for campers to gather downed wood throughout the forest for campfires. Chainsaws are not allowed, so bring a handsaw and spitting axe if you want to do this. Campsites are mostly good for tents, but several of the sites would be fine for small to medium sized travel trailers and RVs. Sites are primitive, with gravel parking pads. Campfire ring, grill grate, and picnic table are at all sites. There is a dump station. There are no electric sites. Oak Ridge Campground is a second campground loop in MMSF. It only has a handful of sites but feels very secluded. Most of these sites are suited for tents only, or little teardrop campers. Oak Ridge is only open as an“overflow” campground, so only bet on it being open during summer. There is also a group campground for scout troupes and other groups. When we camped here, there was a rowdy group of car campers that came to have a bonfire and drink all night two sites down from us. They would loud and obnoxious. I do not know if this type of thing is common occurrence at this property, or if we“lucked out” that night. The rest of the folks camping there were quiet. There were no hordes of flashlight children running amuck through the campground like you get at the state parks. There is a playground and fire tower right next to the Mason Ridge campground, but both were closed due to coronavirus. There are many trails in MMSF. Good hiking. 

    Pros: sinks, feeling of seclusion, quiet(other than the one group), usually availability unless you arrive really late, long hiking trails

    Cons: limited office hours for firewood purchase, obnoxious car campers

    In summary, this campground is for those who like to“rough it” a little bit.

  • Michelle M.
    Nov. 16, 2020

    Mounds State Park Campground

    A nice park. Electric only.

    It’s a nice park for kids. Has a nice swimming pool. Easy trails. Nice playground. $5 firewood bundles. Mostly a weekender park. It is right next to a small craft airfield do it can get noisy at times and there is little wind protection.

  • j
    May. 24, 2023

    Timberline Family Campground

    Potato Creek State Patk

    Specious sites a bit on the awkward side regarding lay-out. The vehicle separated the tent from the picnic table and fire ring. Less than ideal. I’m told that they’ve planted additional trees. They are relatively non existent at this point. Hence, a lack of privacy . Combined with awkward site layout we seemed to be right on top of our neighbors. No place to hang hammocks, tree swings or clothesline. Just sort of a open Praire. We were visiting by staff shortly after getting settled and told to put my highly trained border-jack on a leash even though she was at the time laying on my bed inside the tent which was zipped closed. The restrooms are kept up twice per day and are extremely clean and well cared for. The fishing was great! Lots of areas to explore even just to fish off shore or bridge. Everything was a good distended away from the campground so unfortunately my grandson could not bike alone to the lake to fish.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2022

    Brown County-Nashville KOA

    Great forest area

    We called for reservations less than two weeks in advance, and they only had one site left. If coming from the north-west, try to arrive before dark as the road over the hills to this place is beautiful, but narrow and forested with some trees very close to the roadway. The entrance road to the campground is quite steep. We arrived after the office had closed, so they had left an envelope taped to the door with our name and a map to our site. We were in the full-hookup, back-in RV sites connected with the cabins but they are across the street so they’re not too connected if you don’t know who’s in the cabin nearest you. Most of the other rigs in this row seemed to be long-term. We were on the end opening onto trees and the gravel cul de sac. It’s beautiful.

    Pads are gravel and we did need to use several leveling blocks on our site, which made for a doosey of a bottom step into and out of our trailer. This end of the park is very quiet, with dark skies at night for stargazing and lovely field and forest sounds. Even though the office had closed a couple of hours before, the owner Bruce came by after we had set up to make sure we were in ok. Thoughtful!

    The “patio” pad for the picnic table is 12” concrete blocks. It was mostly level, but not near the edge near our tow vehicle. Tripped a few times; these blocks should be redone.

    We needed some trailer work while we were here, so asked the owner for recommendations. The manager Ed then came by after the guy had come to be sure we were pleased with the recommendation.

    Bathrooms were a short walk up the hill to the office. Pretty good, though they often needed supplies restocked.

    We would definitely stay here again. We stayed in site 9.

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    May. 12, 2020

    Jackson Washington State Forest

    This is a little gem for tent camping or RVer not requiring shore power.

    Jackson-Washington State forest encompasses 16,500 plus acres in the rolling hills of south central Indiana and neighbors Starve Hollow State Recreation Area (see review). The property offers several stunning hiking trails and some are of the more challenging nature due to the elevation changes. The park also has an amazing scenic drive, Skyline Drive, which lives up to its name with spectacular panoramic vistas showcasing Indiana's gorgeous farms. The campground consists of 62 primitive class "C" self registration sites with a picnic table. Potable water is available seasonally and firewood can be purchased at the forest office. A number of the sites are waterfront offering a relaxing view...but definitely geared for the tent camper or RVer not requiring shore power. Just 2.5 miles from the town of Brownstown which has grocery shopping, restaurants and sundries. lat:38.8451 lon:-86.0519

  • Stephen & Theresa B.
    Apr. 11, 2019

    Versailles State Park Campground

    “One of Indiana's Finest”

    This is a great southern Indiana State Park with easy access from US 50. Plenty of sites to accommodate larger rigs with paved pads, picnic tables, fire rings, 30 amp, dump station and very clean restroom & shower facilities. The park offers great hiking trails, mountain bike trails, seasonal nature center, seasonal swimming pool, horse trails and 230 acre lake. Mapping Address: 1387 US 50 East, Versailles, IN 47042 | Phone: 812-689-6424 | Reservations: https://indianastateparks.reserveamerica.com/welcome.do


Guide to Shelbyville

Tent camping near Shelbyville, Indiana offers a variety of scenic locations and outdoor activities for nature enthusiasts. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun family getaway, there are several options to explore.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $30

Specific local attractions

  • Visit the nearby children's museum in Indianapolis after a stay at Pine Lake Fishing & Camping Resort, which is conveniently located for family outings.
  • Take advantage of the hiking trails and natural beauty surrounding Morgan-Monroe State Forest, ideal for outdoor enthusiasts looking to explore.
  • Experience the unique geological features at Charles C. Deam Wilderness, where you can hike and discover hidden gems in the forest.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Shelbyville, IN is Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping with a 4.8-star rating from 17 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Shelbyville, IN, with real photos and reviews from campers.