Best Tent Camping near Shoals, IN

Recent Tent Reviews in Shoals

646 Reviews of 18 Shoals Campgrounds

• 

  Amanda D.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 13, 2024

  Taylor Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park

  Brown County State Park stay

  The site we stayed in was lovely. It was backed up to the edge of the woods which made for a lovely view. Driving through the campground it looks like there are some sites pretty close together but ours wasn’t too bad. I would say pay particular attention to the size of the site you’re booking as some were pretty small. Also, some sites were fairly sloped as well. This site was a slight slope and overall I would book it again. We have a full size truck with a small travel trailer that fit perfectly. Camp store was stocked nicely. Staff was friendly. The campground itself was very quiet and you could enjoy being out in nature. The site was walking distance from showers/bathroom. The park as a whole is beautiful and there’s a trailhead that’s walking distance from the campsite that leads down a beautiful trail to a lake.

• 

  Kelsey R.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 3, 2024

  O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground

  Shaded and secluded

  Obannon 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.

• 

  Betsy W.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 1, 2024

  Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Large, open, and very clean

  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. Cell service by various providers is 1-2 bars. Highly recommend.

• 

  Noah Y.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Charles C. Deam Wilderness

  Great for casual/experienced camping and hiking

  A staple of our state here in Indiana. Unfortunately due to some storm damage, trails were rerouted or straight up inaccessible.

  Great places to find and set up camp. We even discovered a few extra hidden sites just by being forced off trails due to the damage.

  Every dispersed camper should add the hikes to the lake to their checklist.

• 

  Shane B.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 13, 2024

  Horse Camp Rd Dispersed

  HNF dispersed site

  Cool place

• 

  Jeremy K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 8, 2024

  Ouabache Trails County Park

  2 night stay

  We stayed here 2 nights. We came to see the George Rogers Clark National Monument. Campground was nice. Several full time campers living here. Staff was friendly. Was a little noisy on the weekend. Shower house was very clean.

• 

  Jeremy K.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 8, 2024

  Lake Lincoln Campground — Lincoln State Park

  Awesome Campground

  Stayed 2 nights. Great campground. Clean restrooms and showers. Staff very friendly and helpful. Only complaint was the sites were a little unlevel, not terrible though.

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 26, 2024

  Lake Lincoln Campground — Lincoln State Park

  Very nice!

   Lincoln State Park in Southern Indiana. About as far South as you can go! (In Indiana!). We did a weekend visit.

    150 electric sites. There's 30 & 50 Amp sites with water at each site!

  6 handicap sites. There are NO pull through sites. 

   The best sites are by Lake Lincoln- 40 & 41. 39 is ok, but all 3 of these sites are in the sun most of the day. Also, 40 & 41 are not ON the lake. Trail 1 & a wide grassy area are before the water. The only advantage IMO is an unobstructed view of the water & a short walk to the lake. 

  The sites seemed short, but people were able to park very large rigs in them. Check the site dimensions before booking or call the office to make sure you'll fit. 

    There's a large primitive campground. They have a modern bath house with showers. Some cabins.

    There's 2 bath houses in the electric side with flush toilets & showers. Very clean for a state park! 

    A double dump station. 

  6 trails from easy to moderate. The longest is 3.7 miles. 

    Boating & fishing are popular, but electric motor only. There's boat rental. 

    There's a beach, but closed after Labor Day. The camp store is in the pavilion by the beach & has limited hours after Labor Day. 

    There's a small nature center. 

   Lots of history in the park & in the area. Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial is directly across the road from the state park

   . Santa Claus Indiana& Holiday World are nearby.

• A

  Amber R.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 21, 2024

  Hickory Ridge Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Secluded horse camp

  It’s a horse camp but we were able to camp here. There were also two vehicle campers across the way. It was peaceful. It was a ways down a winding gravel road, maybe 20 minutes on that road.

• 

  Nick T.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 21, 2024

  Lynnville Park

  Great little municipal park

  Registration was easy on the town website. My camping spot was right on the lake and it was beautiful. I would definitely camp here again. There was some road noise, but that's to be expected due to being close to a highway and it wasn't too much for me. I slept just fine.

• 

  Harley G.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 16, 2024

  Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

  Nice

  Very long secluded road. Took a bit to find the first spot to camp, once we found it the other spots weren’t too far past.

• W

  Wayne D.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 14, 2024

  Indian-Celina Recreation Area

  Peacefull

  Quiet. Friendly helpful staf.

• 

  Ron J.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 26, 2024

  Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph

  Horrible

  Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph View all Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph 4.2(1.2K) OVERVIEW PRICES REVIEWS PHOTOS BY OWNER ABOUT Google review summary 5 4 3 2 1 4.2(1,185) Reviews All cabin184 golf cart167 water slides45 mattress41+6 Sort by Most relevant Newest Highest Lowest ron james 11 reviews Vacation| Family I have shared with the management at sun outdoors and they have ignored my message. Unit cabin 518 was ant infested and dirty. But the dangerous impact on our health was BLACK MOLD. We all experienced breathing, headaches and other issues… More Stephanie S Local Guide·167 reviews·4193 photos a week ago NEW Our first trip here. We absolutely loved it. All of the staff is very friendly. The park is very clean and we looked out with good neighbors. Golf carts are available to rent and they have golf cart light parades a few… More Video 1 in review by Stephanie S Photo 2 in review by Stephanie S Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph(Owner) a week ago Stephanie, thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay and all the amenities our park has to offer. We can't wait to welcome you back for another fantastic visit! Ryan Levasseur Local Guide·19 reviews·12 photos 4 days ago NEW It's so rare to find a place that you wish you would have booked one more night.… More Photo 1 in review by Ryan Levasseur Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph(Owner) 3 days ago Hi Ryan, thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with us! We are thrilled to hear that you had such a great time during your mini vacation at our campground. It's fantastic to know that you enjoyed the nostalgia, amenities, and activities we offer. We hope to welcome you back soon! Shelbey Sledge 1 review a month ago We stayed from Friday-Monday and 10/10 recommend. We stayed in a tent camp site. Having electric and water was nice. The bathrooms near 119K were personal bathrooms with a shower, toilet, and sink. So much better than a community bathroom.… More Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph(Owner) a month ago Shelbey, thank you for sharing such a detailed review of your experience at our campsite! We are thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic time and enjoyed the amenities provided. Your feedback about the lack of hanging space is duly noted, and we will look into improving that aspect. ron james 11 reviews Vacation| Family I have shared with the management at sun outdoors and they have ignored my message. Unit cabin 518 was ant infested and dirty. But the dangerous impact on our health was BLACK MOLD. We all experienced breathing, headaches and other issues but they will not respond I am now on the March for safety and action. I will post on every social media method possible. I asked for their legal contact but they have chosen to ignore. I was handed a spray can for ants and spiders with the message this has a bad smell. Other posts will give more gruesome details Rooms: 1/5| Service: 1/5| Location: 3/5

• 

  samuel C.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 24, 2024

  Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

  Perfect

  The perfect dispersed site for my way through, quiet and peaceful. Good spot for tent camping , we enjoyed our stay.

• F

  Fern B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 21, 2024

  Jackson Washington State Forest

  Great primitive campground

  Spacious sites. Beautiful forest. Quiet, but only 5 minutes small town with gas stations, grocery, etc. Not many amenities. Only pit toilets and water spigots. Firewood was not available during our visit. No reservations. First come first serve, but even on a "busy" Saturday in July less than 1/3 of the sites were full. Two "loops" one in a pine forest below the small lake and one at the lake/up the hill. Multiple playgrounds. Great trails to hike. Cool CCC construction. Highly recommend.

• 

  JASON L.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 15, 2024

  Sycamore Springs Park

  Great camping with enjoyable amenities

  This is a great family campground with excellent amenities, clean sites and grounds, beautiful surroundings, multiple cabins, pavilions, and a welcoming host office. We would love to visit and stay again. Do not let the short rural entry drive deter you. Yes it's hilly and curvy but take it slow and careful I promise it's worth it. Free firewood is just a bonus. Get a shady spot and enjoy the stay.

• K

  Karen P.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 15, 2024

  Sycamore Springs Park

  Child’s paradise !

  We went up in June 2024. There are several spots that are in the shade, but some of them are permanent campers. There is a fishing lake and a small river to fish in or wade and swim in. There is a miniature village for the kids along with 20 playgrounds in the campground. Golf carts are available to rent, and I feel are a necessity to get around this large park. There are also large fields to play in. Didn’t use the bath house. The general store has ice and a few souvenirs. There is cell service (AT&T and Verizon) There is also free wood. They have really cool spiral steps that lead up to a walk bridge. They also have a donkey and goats to pet. Altogether a really nice and clean park. Will definitely go again.

• 

  Nathan G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 13, 2024

  O'Bannon Woods State Park Campground

  Decent campground, best on weekdays

  Had the typical state park experience. Bathrooms are decent, a little dated but oh well. The weekends in the middle middle of the season are typically busy. Plan your site well, many lack a level spot for tents and have a lot of slope near the pull off.

• 

  Josie W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 12, 2024

  Blackwell Campground — Hoosier National Forest

  Spacious Camping

  We really liked the set up of this campsite. The fire rings were spread apart amidst a green hill. There was some shade available around the edges. Plenty of room to spread out from your neighbors; it wasn’t too busy when we were there (a Thursday). Camp accesses two trailheads directly. There were two bathrooms, a place for garbage, and potable water. Screech owls and active birds made it an exciting evening.

• 

  Billy B.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 7, 2024

  Sycamore Springs Park

  Bad campground

  The bathrooms are dirty, showers are full of hair, the toilets are dirty, staff can be rude, not a lot to do besides walk/drive around, not a very fun park if u was to bring ur kids to it, there’s not much to see. I wouldn’t waste ur take time comming here and instead go to a better park that’s much better

• L

  Liz W.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 7, 2024

  Tipsaw Lake

  Great Camp Spot for Families

  Besides picking the only weekend where the camp had plumbing issues… my 4 year old daughter and I loved this place. This was my first time camping in Indiana and it did not let me down! The rangers were very nice and was pleased to answer any of my questions, the lake and bathrooms were clean and the place was nice and quiet. I’ll be back again.

• 

  Jacob A.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 4, 2024

  Shakamak State Park — Shakamak Prairie Nature Preserve

  One of our favorite parks!

  We have been coming here every year since 2016. Most of the sites are shady. Our favorite site is 72. It is close to a water hookup if you need to top off your fresh water tank, shady, and not too close to other sites. They added a new shower house close by in 2022 or 2023.

• A

  Amber R.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 3, 2024

  Berry Ridge Road - Dispersed Camping

  Secluded in the woods

  Beautiful secluded site that is pretty far off of the road, but not too far. There was no traffic or other people in site. I have a promaster conversion and had no trouble making it to this site, however the road was gravel and steep at times. I have lived in Indiana for ever and have made many trips this way, but I never knew sites like this existed.

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 28, 2024

  Taylor Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park

  Meh

   First off- Brown County is a lovely park. This review is only for the campground. 

  The only time we ever camped here was in 2003 when we had 3 kids & a popup. New to the park I thought the Racoon Ridge Loop looked good & picked site 121. Bad mistake! We stayed 3 nights & every night we had a weird thing happen. The worst was the bat that found it's way into the popup one night. None of it was in any way Brown County's fault, but we never went back. 

  We were staying at Paynetown recently & decided to visit Brown County & the campground. The mirror tag helped with this. We visited on a Saturday morning in late June. The whole campground was full & it was jumpin'!

   We skipped Buffalo Ridge. Raccoon Ridge is the smallest loop. Close sites. Our former site 121 has a pit toilet right next to it now. There's several sites along the main road, also very close to each other & right on the road.

   I thought that Taylor Ridge was the best loop based on my memories from 2003. It's really a long warren of close sites, some with terrible inclines.

   I was able to write down a few sites I thought would work- Sites with no one close by: 193/194/266. 

  265 was the only pull thru I saw, but there may be others. 

  End of loop: 317/318 

  Ridge view from your site: 310/311/312/313/314 

  Random sites that looked ok: 179/188/215/223/225/242/259/260/265/277/280/287/422- these sites are just what I eyeballed while the husband was cruising down the main road. 

  We decided we were never going to camp here again. The sites are too close together. There's too many people crammed in a small space. If you go be aware that summer weekends & leaf peeper season will be very busy. The middle of the week or shoulder season would probably be your best bet for a more relaxing experience.

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 27, 2024

  Yellowwood State Forest

  Just did a drive thru

   This is a State Forest campground near Nashville, Indiana. Primitive camping. Pit toilets only. This is by Yellowwood Lake, so boating & fishing opportunities. 

  All these sites are first come, first serve. No reservations. 

  There's a Forest Office with area information & a small display. 

  There's several trails of varying length. 

  Believe it or not- gold panning is a thing here! You need a permit.

  They rent boats at the Forest Office. Electric motor only.

   There's several camping loops. There's a horse camp also. 

  The boat ramp is near the horse camp loop.

   We didn't go down the Red Pine Loop, but did check out White Oak/Redbud& Black Gum.

   Hickory loop is right off the road & the sites are visible from the road. They looked nicely spaced.

  White oak loop had several nice sites. Redbud is close to a building they call a camp store. It may have been many years ago, but not open now.

   Several picnic spots by the lake. The best site in Redbud would be 39. Large site with some shade. I would also say 38, but site 37 is directly behind it. This is the camp host spot, so occupied. These sites are near the pit toilets.

  The best spot in Black Gum would be site 75. Large site at the end of the loop & right by the lake.

   If you go back to Hwy 46 where the road split on your way in, follow the sign to the dam. Just a large earthen dam, but there's trail heads here. There's the Scarce O' Fat Trail which has been mentioned on the Facebook Indiana Hiking page.

  $13 per night regular camping.$16 per night for horseman's.

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 25, 2024

  Hardin Ridge

  National Forest

   We did a drive through to check out the campground. It was $8 for day use, self pay.

  This is a beautiful campground. There's 4 loops with 30 & 50 amp. 2 loops with no electric.

   Well spaced all tucked into the trees on a ridge. Also some carry in sites.

   If we tented camped still I'd be in heaven! 

  You can reserve sites, or some are first come first served.

  Shower/restroom with pit toilets scattered around. 

  3 trails. A beach, picnic areas& a boat launch. 

  This seems less popular than Paynetown, but a lot quieter!!

• 

  Cynthia K.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 25, 2024

  Paynetown Campground

  Crazy busy on a summer weekend

   This is a SRA on the shores of Lake Monroe by Bloomington Indiana. This is a boating/fishing park. We went on a hot weekend the 4rth weekend in June & it was completely full. 

  There's only 3 short trails. The longest is 1.25 miles. Not a hiking park. 

  There's a visitor center off State Road 446. This is NOT a nature center! Just a place to pick up some information. 

  The marina & boat launch get the most use. There's also a beach. 

  There's a large Class B campground closer to the marina. There's some pit toilets & one flush toilet building. No showers. No electricity.

   There's a large dump station. 

  The electric campground has 227 sites. 3 are handicap accessible. There's also 27 pull throughs. Many have lake access due to camper made trails to the lake.

  We had site 137 which was a good site due to the fact we had no one on the left. There was a woods view.

  Many of these sites have a bad incline & people were putting their rigs sideways on the site close to the road. Our site was no exception, but we were able to make it work. This site also had afternoon sun.

   Restrooms/showers were state park clean. I was impressed with the hard working staff trying their best to give us a clean bathroom!

   The best sites in the campground are 171/172& 153/154. These have a lot of sun, but a stellar view of the lake. 

  132-137 have a trail to the lake. Very bad inclines though. 

  120-124 have trails to the lake & are in the woods. 

  103 is a large site& fairly even with lots of shade. 

  The sites from 180-227 are asphalt with concrete pads. The rest of the campground is gravel. 

  There's 4 carry in campsites for tents that looked very nice. Campsites in the E area have access to a sandy peninsula that was very popular for swimmers. 

  This is known in Indiana as a party park. There's some truth to that. It's VERY noisy & busy on a summer weekend. If you like a quieter experience come Monday through Wed. or wait until the off season.