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Camping near Smithville, IN
15 campgrounds with availability next weekend
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The landscape surrounding Smithville, Indiana encompasses several established campgrounds within a 30-mile radius, including Lieber State Recreation Area and Owen Putnam State Forest. Most camping areas feature a mix of tent and RV sites with varying levels of amenities, from primitive forest camping to full-hookup facilities. Several state parks in the region, such as Shakamak State Park and Turkey Run State Park, provide cabins and glamping options alongside traditional campsites, creating diverse overnight possibilities for visitors exploring southern Indiana's rolling hills and lakes.
Road conditions throughout the region remain generally accessible for standard vehicles, though some forest service roads may require higher clearance during wet periods. Most established campgrounds operate year-round with reduced services during winter months. "This is a beautiful State Park situated in the rolling hills of southern Indiana. The park offers year around camping with reduced services in the winter months," noted one visitor about nearby Brown County State Park. Cellular coverage varies significantly across the region, with stronger signals near larger towns and limited connectivity in more remote forest areas. Reservations are strongly recommended for weekend camping between May and October, particularly at popular destinations like Turkey Run State Park and Shakamak State Park, where sites often fill completely during summer holidays.
Campers consistently highlight the wooded settings and lake access as primary attractions in the region. Many campgrounds feature sites positioned under mature tree canopies, providing natural shade during hot summer months. According to one camper, "The campsites are in a heavily wooded area with fantastic tree canopy for shade and comfort. Sites are mostly level gravel pads ranging from primitive to 30 amp electric, 50 amp electric or a limited number of full hookup." Wildlife viewing opportunities abound throughout the area, with raccoons commonly encountered at established campgrounds. Water-based recreation forms a central component of the camping experience at several locations, particularly at Cagles Mill Lake in Lieber State Recreation Area and the lakes at Shakamak State Park, where fishing, paddling, and swimming access complement the camping facilities. Weekday visits typically offer a quieter experience than weekends, when family groups and recreational activities create a more social atmosphere.
Best Campgrounds near Smithville (119)
1. Shakamak State Park Campground
"This is just a beautiful Indiana State Park located near the small community of Jasonville, Indiana which offers simple dining, grocery store, hardware store and fuel."
"There's 7 hiking trails. All are nice walks in the woods. All were muddy in sections. There's an old coal mine on Trail 2. Blocked off for safety. "
131 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
from $23 - $1200 / night
2. Sky Smith
"Cagles Mill Lake borders the southwestern side of the area. We arrived to a very quiet campground with few campers."
"Each campsite is spacious and has plenty of space away from your neighbors. There was plenty of shade even though our pad wasn't tucked back in the woods."
172 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
from $23 - $42 / night
3. Terre Haute Campground
"This campground is great proximity to I-70 for an easy on/off the interstate and just outside of downtown Terre Haute (approximately eight miles). The park is nice and shady with large trees."
"It was an interesting drive to the CG off I-70 through 2 traffic circles and into the CG as it's close to I-70 but not right off the highway. There was good signage to the CG."
Check Availabilityfrom $40 - $999 / night
4. Fowler County Park
"Shaded campground sites at lake's edge on east side of park, 53 electrical hookups including 1 pull-thru, 14 primitive/tent sites. Fire ring and picnic table at each site. Water hydrants nearby."
"The access to the campground is gated and locked at 10pm each night. There is a colonial village and covered bridge on the north end of the lake. The lake that it is located on is beautiful."
5. Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area
"Raccoon State Recreation Area | Cecil M Harden Lake is located in the heart of historic covered bridge country just 50 miles West of Indianapolis."
"There are multiple boat ramps for easy access to the water. I met a friend there who is a resident of Indianapolis and we had a great time on the water."
68 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
from $14 - $62 / night
6. Happy Campers Campground
"On a lake stocked with fish. Port-a-potty and shower house available."
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $40 / night
7. Owen Putnam State Forest
"One is a separate horse camp, it was fun to see so many horses on the trails and talk to the riders. They do some forestry work but it wasn’t loud."
8. Rattlesnake
9. Cagles Mill Lake
"This wonderful hidden gem is 14 miles away from McCormick's Creek State Park. It is a DNR state operated and has some pretty cool fishing. It was family-approved by my kin."
Check Availabilityfrom $10 - $30 / night
10. Turkey Run State Park Campground
"Turkey Run is arguably the most popular campground (and state park) in Indiana and has its pros and cons."
"Much enjoyed hiking some of the trails at Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, Indiana. This is Indiana's 2nd oldest state park, now 100 years old (1916-2016)."
66 Sites AvailableAvailable next weekend
from $20 - $52 / night
Drive Time
- 37 min from Terre Haute, IN
- 40 min from Bloomington, IN
- 1 hr 12 min from Indianapolis, IN
- 1 hr 29 min from Columbus, IN
Recent Camping Photos near Smithville, IN
200 Photos of 119 Smithville Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Happy Campers CampgroundJ
Misty Morning Campground
Sky Smith
Shakamak State Park Campgroundt
Mccormick's Creek State Park Campground
Terre Haute Campground
Fowler County Park
Hawthorn County Park
Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area
Oak Ridge Camping Area — Morgan-Monroe State ForestG
Crane MWR Campground
Rockville Lake County Park
Recent Reviews near Smithville, IN
659 Reviews of 119 Smithville Campgrounds
LDS Sister H.
GuideFriends O' Mine Campground & Cabins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Our First RV Home Has Been Such a Blessing!
My husband and I absolutely loved our first few months here at Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins as first-time RV owners with our Class A RV.
We downsized from our 5-bedroom home in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. We sold our home and I followed my Husband back here to Indiana after he received a wonderful career opportunity. My Husband is a Veteran, 🇺🇸 and after moving to Nashville, Indiana, we had immediately fallen in love with this small town - where we respected and admired the way Nashville reminds us of where we had just moved from in Missouri.
We stayed at Grand Wood Suites for six months, after paying for a hotel, all while continuously paying for our two large storage units, as well as our mortgage payment and then rent for most of the beginning of this year; so, we decided to downsize to save money to buy land sooner, instead of continuing to rent. 🏕️ We already loved camping - we started with a pop-up camper on the 🔝 of our Jeep and camped dozens of times, then traded up to a pop-up camper. So we used what we had in savings, bought our Class A RV, donated our pop-up camper, and came to Friends O' Mine - and it was the best decision!
From day one, the other campers have been so friendly, as are the nice employees and amazing owners. They truly make you feel like family. They set up weekly entertainment that brings the whole campground together around the campfire - there is a huge fire in the middle with six porch swings attached to a massive gazebo and veranda surrounding it. It's incredibly cozy and just inviting you to join in.
We've enjoyed live musical singers entertaining us around the campfire all evening, and we were invited to watch a documentary about a local racecar driver in their indoor recreational room, right next to the indoor laundry facilities.
There is also a subterranean pool that my Husband and I enjoyed swimming in almost every day during our first month here - it was very relaxing and refreshing!
One of our favorite parts has been our peaceful, nighttime walks around the large, well-stocked catch-and-release pond. My Husband and I hold hands together and walk around it at sunset almost every evening. It's so serene and calming to hear the sounds of the water and feel the beautiful Autumn breeze.
This has been a very relaxing, enjoyable, and heartwarming experience for us. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, peaceful, and welcoming place to stay - whether for a weekend or for a season - we cannot recommend Friends O' Mine Campgrounds & Cabins enough. We are so grateful we found it!
Kaley A.GuideBuffalo Ridge Campground — Brown County State Park
We absolutely LOVED this park! It was hands down our favorite of this year. We camped at site 100 and it has a neighbor on one side and behind while the other side was a huge open space. It is in the center of a loop. It was mostly level. There was some minor doming to the site but not bad at all. It was a busy camp ground but not as crowded (sites not on top of each other) as some I’ve been in. The outsides of the loops did have more space between and privacy but could be smaller or more sloped, it just really depended. The bathrooms and showers were cleaner than some of the other state parks we have been to, so much so my 11 year old son mentioned it. The park itself is absolutely gorgeous. The hiking trails (which is what we usually go for) were nice but I believe that the biking trails were actually more scenic than the hiking trails and a lot more rugged. We liked trail 8 starting from the west lookout tower and stopping at Hesitation Point for lunch/break/bathroom. Trail 6 was also a pretty, rugged, shorter trail. The Nature Center was also nicer than a lot of the others we have been to in the state. We did choose to do horseback riding at the stables. We showed up about 5 minutes after opening and were able to pay and told to come back in an hour and 45 minutes. That didn’t bother us since we had the time but if you are on a tighter schedule, the earlier the better. We also went into Nashville and it was a very cute town to visit. Well decorated for Halloween, very walkable, and a little something for almost everyone. Prices were about what I would expect for a tourist town but not terrible. I also have T-Mobile and had pretty good service almost everywhere in the park.
Greta H.
TravelerTerre Haute Campground
Such a fun magical spot with kiddos
We were only here for one night as we are passing through, however we loved this little spot. They have so much fun and activities for the kiddos in addition to a little ice cream parlor and pizza shop. We loved it!
SkywaystoHighways.com Y.
LegendBill Monroe Memorial Music Park & Campground
Fun Event Location
We stayed for the weekend during a Campout event. Lots of fun seeing all of our camping buddies. I don’t think we would camp here otherwise as it isn’t really our type of camping. Sites are close together, so don’t expect privacy. Porta potties had not been serviced from their previous event… needless to say, it was foul. The country music museum was pretty cool. The guide was very knowledgeable!
- TTanner P.Traveler
Hawthorne Park campground
Nice camp
A bunch of shade and nice staff
jennifer S.GuideLakeside Campground — Lincoln Trail State Park
Forested sites
Stayed at site 1 in lakeside campground with our 31' RV, Got here on Wednesday and left Friday morning. We were only ones in this campground. Other campground had visitors but not crowded at all. Hosts were super nice and helpful. The bathroom with flush toilets and showers was in the other campground. Short walk or bike ride away. Beautiful lake. We paddle boarded all Thursday afternoon. Only ones on the lake. All I can say is this lake is absolutely beautiful. Were heading west from Ohio and would highly recommend staying here.
- SkywaystoHighways.com Y.Legend
Shades State Park Campground
Nice, but….
Nice halfway point for our road trip to Door County. We stayed here the week after Labor Day. Not sure if park staff had enough time to clean the grounds after the busy holiday weekend… There was a disappointing amount of litter at our site. We had remove the various cans, plastic bottles and ice pack out of our fire ring and the surrounding wooded area was full of more of the same including a full trash bag of garbage. And speaking of full… the pit toilets…There’s a $15 out of state fee above the $25 p/night charge. There’s only one shower for the park so be prepared. The amount of gnats and mosquitoes had us running for cover. The staff we encountered here, we’re cordial and friendly.
- OOwen L.Scout
Hoosier Dispersed Camping
Ticks Ahoy !
This is not great camping . There are paved roads and private property all throughout the majority of the “National Forest” and “Wilderness”. People speed down these roads at 40mph in the middle of the night . The campsites are littered with glass and trash . As we were driving out , we passed a campfire that was not extinguished properly . It is clear that the local communities do not maintain or respect this land .
Also - there are ticks , beware
Guide to Smithville
Camping options near Smithville, Indiana include a mix of primitive forest sites and developed grounds with electric hookups. Elevation varies between 600-900 feet across the region, creating diverse terrain for different camping experiences. State forests and recreation areas typically experience summer daytime temperatures in the 80s with evening lows in the 60s, while spring and fall bring mild days and cooler nights that can drop into the 40s.
What to do
Canoe or tube on Sugar Creek: Turkey Run State Park offers multiple watercraft options for visitors. "Sugar Creek is also great for floating with inner tubes, canoes, or kayaks. The suspension footbridge across Sugar Creek is cool," notes Joel R. about Turkey Run State Park Campground.
Cycling on flat terrain: The level topography around certain lakes makes biking accessible for all skill levels. "Very flat and ideal for bike riding," reports Amy C. about Lieber State Recreation Area, while another camper mentions, "Stayed at Poplar Grove. Great sites. Lots of activities for families. The beach was fun."
Fish at stocked lakes: Multiple parks feature managed fishing waters with various species. "This is a fishing park. Boating with electric motors, so a quiet lake. Fishing was fair according to my fishing guy," writes Cynthia K. about Shakamak State Park Campground, which features three lakes spanning about 400 acres.
What campers like
Shade coverage: Tree canopy provides natural cooling during hot summer months. "The sites are all flat- ALL FLAT!!! No inclined sites at all! Unheard of in an Indiana State Park, but there you go," notes a visitor to Shakamak State Park, highlighting both the levelness and wooded nature of sites.
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and showers receive frequent positive mentions. "The bathrooms were super clean and the showers were hot with good water pressure," reports Samantha S. at Turkey Run State Park, while another camper notes, "The bathrooms/showers are KOA clean. Also unheard of in an Indiana State Park."
Fishing access: Many campgrounds offer direct water access from sites. "Can fish right out your 'back door'. Very clean showers. Not much in the way of shade on campsites," reports Wes G. about Fowler County Park, which features lakeside camping options for $12 per night at primitive sites.
What you should know
Cell service variability: Coverage fluctuates significantly across campgrounds. "We were there for two nights. We were working and we were grateful StarLink worked well," mentions Shirley M. about Lieber State Recreation Area Campground, while another camper notes, "ZERO cell phone coverage" at the same location.
Site unevenness: Many campgrounds feature sloping terrain requiring leveling equipment. "The site was very uneven. It definitely sloops to the back corner. It's was difficult to level our camper but we got it in the end," reports Michelle M. about Turkey Run State Park.
Wildlife encounters: Raccoons frequently visit campsites throughout the region. "Watch out for the raccoons. Those guys are not afraid of anything," warns a camper at Turkey Run State Park, while another visitor to Raccoon Lake notes, "We did have several nighttime visits from a couple large raccoon families."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Several parks offer both pool and lake swimming. "The pool was excellent! Skip the lake and enjoy the pool," recommends Amy C. about Lieber State Recreation Area, while another camper at Cecil M Harden Lake Raccoon State Recreation Area notes, "I loved this camp ground, there was a beach which was nice and a building to get food."
Organized activities: Seasonal programming provides structured entertainment. "We love going to this park several times a year. We especially like camping in the fall for their Goblins weekend," shares Timothy B. about Lieber State Recreation Area's Halloween events.
Space consideration: Site selection impacts children's play areas. "We had site 94, which was right next to the bathhouse. It had almost a whole extra campsite's worth of space next to it for my kids to run around," notes Kaley A. about Turkey Run State Park.
Tips for RVers
Hookup availability: Water and electric options vary significantly between parks. "In order to avoid crowds on the trails, we got there Thursday night so we could hike Friday morning / early afternoon," advises a camper at Turkey Run State Park about timing your stay to avoid weekend crowds.
Site access challenges: Tree placement can complicate parking at some locations. "Some of the other sites in this CG, not so much, so look up and watch your turn into the pull-throughs," warns MickandKarla W. about Terre Haute Campground, noting potential overhead clearance issues.
Extension cord needs: Electric box placement sometimes requires additional equipment. "Bring an extension cord if you're in a pull through. If you want your door facing the fire pit - the electric box is in an awkward place," advises a camper at Turkey Run State Park regarding equipment planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Smithville, IN?
What camping is available near Smithville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Smithville, IN offers a wide range of camping options, with 119 campgrounds and RV parks near Smithville, IN and 11 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Smithville, IN?
Which is the most popular campground near Smithville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Smithville, IN is Shakamak State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 25 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Smithville, IN?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Smithville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 11 free dispersed camping spots near Smithville, IN.
What parks are near Smithville, IN?
What parks are near Smithville, IN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Smithville, IN that allow camping, notably Cecil M. Harden Lake and Monroe Lake.
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