Youngs Creek Horse Camp provides equestrian camping facilities with multiple established sites in Hoosier National Forest. Located five miles from Paoli, this free campground features primitive camping areas with fire rings and picnic tables specifically designed for horse access. The camp offers vault toilets and water access via a fresh water pump. Horse hitches are installed throughout the area for securing animals. Direct trail access from the campground connects to the broader forest trail system, offering riding opportunities. The camp tends to be quieter during weekdays but fills during organized trail events. Natural sounds, particularly chorus frogs during spring and early summer, enhance the camping experience. Access requires careful navigation due to terrain conditions. The nearby town provides supply options including a Walmart and farmers co-op.
What to do
Explore lake trails: Lake Celina in Hoosier National Forest offers technical trails for hikers. "Two Rivers Trail is a nice 15ish mile technical trail that goes around both lakes, with dispersed camping $5 a night, 300 ft off the trail and your good. The interpretive trail by Celina Lake is about 1 mile and has small signs with historical information," notes a visitor to Hoosier National Forest North Face Loop Campground.
Visit pioneer sites: Spring Mill State Park features historical attractions beyond typical camping. "This state park has a very large camp ground, campers or primative. It's a large park with tons of trails and even several caves. Some caves are guided by boat. Very neat to see. Also has a pioneer village for touring along with a visitor center honoring astronaut Virgil Gus Grissom," shares a camper at Spring Mill State Park Campground.
Boat on local lakes: Several area lakes permit boating with restrictions. "They rent boats at the Forest Office. Electric motor only," reports a visitor to Yellowwood State Forest. Many local lakes maintain no-wake policies or motor size limitations to preserve the tranquility.
What campers like
Secluded camping spots: Berry Ridge Road offers quiet dispersed camping locations. "Multiple campsites in the area, I've stayed at two both of which were away from others, clean, fairly flat and had plenty of dead wood around to burn. Some sites, at least one, could fit a pretty good sized camper. This is pack in pack out, no amenities camping for free," describes a visitor to Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping.
Varied terrain for different skill levels: The Charles C. Deam Wilderness provides diverse hiking experiences. "We visited during mid-April, perfect for finding morels. The trails are well paved and marked, not too strenuous. So many beautiful trees and plants to see, plus lots of creeks to walk through. There are an abundance of areas to set up a hammock," shares a camper at Charles C. Deam Wilderness.
Spacious equestrian accommodations: Blackwell Campground offers ample room for horse camping setups. "Open areas with pit toilets and water available. Shade and sunny locations. Pick a spot and set up with hammock-large rvs spots. No fee, no reservations, no problems. Officers from federal, state, and local patrol," notes a visitor to Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest.
What you should know
Free camping options exist: Several no-cost equestrian camping areas are available near Shoals. "Can't believe this place was free. It was nearly empty (although it was the end of November). The hiking was fantastic and the few people camping there were very well dispersed and all respectful," shares a camper about Berry Ridge Road.
Seasonal animal activity: Be prepared for wildlife encounters in warmer months. "I would have given 5 stars, but need some more sites for RVs (some of the sites are not real level). There is NO reservation," notes a visitor to Yellowwood State Forest.
Facility limitations: Many horse camping areas near Shoals provide only basic amenities. "Site accommodates both horse, drive in and walk-in camping. There's a privy and water on site. Campsites have fire rings and picnic tables. There is a trail that loops back to the site for easy hiking access," explains a camper at Youngs Creek Horse Camp.
Tips for camping with families
Choose parks with educational activities: Some locations offer structured learning opportunities. "They had a Smokey the Bear program for the kids and some really fun activities at the nature center while we were there. We were able to rent a paddle boat for $8/hr and saw tons of turtles," shares a visitor to Spring Mill State Park.
Check for playground access: O'Bannon Woods State Park provides recreational structures for children. "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," notes a camper at O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground.
Plan for longer hikes: Allow extra time when exploring with children. "We did unfortunately have poor weather during our stay and had to leave early because of the threat of thunderstorms and tornadoes/damaging winds. Our vintage pop-up is not the best shelter in severe weather! We did however pack a lot of fun into 1 day," shares a Spring Mill visitor.
Tips from RVers
Select campsites carefully: RV accessibility varies significantly between locations. "Plenty of flat land making leveling easy. Wide open so solar charging was easy. We were there for 7 days and while they have room for probably 50 or 60 rigs there was only 3 or 4 of us there most of the time," notes an RVer at Blackwell Campground.
Consider pad dimensions: Many equestrian camping areas near Shoals have limited level spaces. "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," shares a visitor to Youngs Creek Horse Camp.
Prepare for limited hookups: Most horse-friendly sites offer minimal RV services. "The campground was really nice and relatively quiet. The staff was fairly nice, and even helped us out with a bit of a Karen camper. The sites have an asphalt pad that are mostly level. 50,30,20 amp service in one box. There was no water at the site though," reports an O'Bannon Woods camper.
