Best RV Parks & Resorts near Waldron, IN

This is a great State Park offering hiking, swimming, boating, skiing, camping, interpretive naturalist program and the only DNR property in the state of Indiana with a raptor rehabilitation program. The reservoir is 741 acres with boating and fishing plus a huge beach area that is open for swimming. There are four boat launches, fishing piers, fish cleaning stations, archery range, basketball courts, shelter houses, playgrounds, raptor display and more. Hiking trails consist of 5 moderate to easy walks all under 2 miles through Indiana hardwoods, lake shoreline and even a 1700’s cemetery. Camping is in one of two areas; Wooster primitive that has a dozen sites close to the lake and Shale electric consisting of 142 gravel pad sites with 30 amp and 8 premium paved 50 amp sites. Sites are a mix of tree covered and open with most be relatively level providing a picnic table and fire pit. Potable water spigots dispersed throughout the campground and several bathhouse facilities and dump station for your convenience. The campground also has an amphitheater overlooking the lake that offers entertainment and naturalist programs. Convenient location just 15 minutes from the I-65 corridor 38.7766° N, 85.7056° W

The owners are very nice and keep up the grounds well. Our spot, like all around us was very long and nice, wide space between campers. We camped with a 38 foot travel trailer and a 20 foot Ford F250, and still had room(about the size of a golf cart). Very peaceful and serene camping out on their farm land. Most our neighbors were contract workers, so staying monthly. You can see some long term RVs in the wooded area nearby. They also provide storage so you do see RVs parked around the perimeter. We didn't use the bathhouse at all, so cannot comment on it. We had 50 amp with water and sewer at every site. Gravel drive and sites, with grass in between. Each space has their own garbage can and picnic table. Everyone we met was very nice. If you want privacy and space for a good rate, this is the place. It's close to many amenities, so location was good for us too. If it bothers you to see long term campers with their plants and gardens, etc. then look else where. Long term campers don't bother us. So we would definitely stay again.

Hidden Paradise: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer) Overall Rating: 4: Most all campers are here to enjoy the water and groups enjoying each other.
Price 2023: About $51 to $56 Usage during visit: During our time: Very heavy on weekend and very empty during the week. Site Privacy: No low shrubbery to offer privacy. Site Spacing: Decent for a private park. Some families reserve side by side site.
Site surface: gravel and grass Reservations: You better if it’s a weekend.
Campground Noise: There is fun noise , but nothing out of line. Staff is visible and seem to do a good job of maintaining order etc Road Noise: This campground is nicely nestled away from public roads. Through Traffic in campground: No issue. Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: At the site.
Generators: Not needed Bathroom: Yes and clean Showers: Yes and clean Pull Throughs: Some pull overs and pull through.
Cell Service (AT&T). Pretty good. The park has internet for guests. Check to see where in the campground the strongest signal is. Setting: Open park like with scattered trees. Along the bank are the nicest and most popular sites.
Weather: Some occasional thunderstorms. 80s.
Bugs: None during our stay Solar: Most sites will work for portable panels if needed. Staff: Active. Rig size: There are spaces for large trailers and RVs
Best Sites: Along the river. Best: 60(most private - back in site. ), 68,69 ( a bit more spacious- pull over sites along river. 67 is spacious on one side and other side is blocked if a small trailer is backed in . 146 is not along river, but if you back in it is more private. Our corner site offered privacy when we pulled our trailer in forward onto the grass. However behind us, a trailer sits on high ground.

We followed our RV GPS into the quaint city of Franklin and turned right off of Jefferson Street onto Fairgrounds Street that leads a short distance to the gate. Waze wanted us to continue on King Street coming in from I-65, but there is a sign that says no trucks and the street is not RV friendly. Our RV GPS had us going the right direction to get to Jefferson Street. As we had made reservations on the day of arrival we were texted by the fairgrounds camp host asking for an estimated arrival time. The camp host site is right at the entrance of the campground (CG) area. As they only take cash or check, we paid the host upon arrival and the host walked us over to show us the site they selected for us. Upon arriving at back-in site 34 with FHUs and 50 AMP, we asked if we could change to the adjacent 30 AMP area, so we could have some space and yard. The camp host said that due to the age of the wiring they do not allow 50 to 30 AMP adapters. However, a 5th wheel came in a day later and hooked into 30 AMP with an adapter. The CG has poor site and utility placement with multiple sites sharing water. The sites back up to each other and the utilities are down the middle. There isn't dedicated site utilities like the majority of CGs, you just pick the water and electric that happens to be open and is closest to you. There are no picnic tables nor fire pits. Be sure to have plenty of water hose(we needed 50’) to reach a spigot. Our area had full timers and short stayers. There was another site area across the field that was either long term or seasonal with decent spacing but we weren't offered any of the empty 50 AMP spots and no one else was put in that area. Wifi was very useable for checking mail, Facebook, and such. Water pressure was good. We got 3 bars on Verizon. With an unobstructed view of the northern sky we used our Starlink. There’s plenty of area to walk your dog inside the fenced fairground areas. The next time we are in the area, we’ll pass on this CG.

Paynetown SRA is right on Lake Monroe about 10 minutes from Bloomington, IN. Campsites have a gravel parking pad, picnic table, fire-ring, and electrical hookups. Restrooms & showers were about average... not great/not bad. A private company rents kayaks, jet skis, boats, and paddleboards from the camp-store in the SRA. There are beaches, a nature center, & playgrounds, so it seems very family friendly. There's a cool little pizza place right down the road too. This is the perfect place to camp for a weekend of fun on Lake Monroe. It's also only about 20 minutes from Lake Lemon.

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.

Keep in mind it was Memorial Day weekend. Hancock County had 2" of rain on Friday. The campground (lower) sits at a low elevation. Our site was 70% flooded. Fortunately we have two entrance doors. Staff was friendly all weekend. There are essentially 3 phases to the campground. We were on the creek side. Honestly if you have a big rig or large TT don't go to that side. Ask for on the hill and backed up to the fun park. When you call to make a reservation, they won't give you a site # until you arrive. Bathrooms were decent size, but most of the time nasty. Miniature golf was free, pool was a little green (but we had a lot of rain). Stocked pond. Good bands throughout the weekend. The hill offered more space and had updated facilities, small market, grill, ice cream. The family fun area does cost extra. We were on site 86, 50 amp service, but when everyone started turning on their AC, my surge protector kept kicking due to voltage swings. We were on an electric + water site. The dump station on creek side were not functioning and we had to have our tanks pumped. Camp sites were tight. Majority were seasonals. If we come back in the future will be on a full hookup on the hill. Close enough to get to IMS. Happy Camping!