Federal Campgrounds in Indiana
Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.
Indiana has eight federal campgrounds offering 72 overnight sites across two agencies. The National Park Service manages four campgrounds, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates four. Seven of these campgrounds accept advance reservations. Most federal campgrounds in Indiana are located near lakes and waterways, providing access to outdoor recreation including boating, fishing, and hiking. This directory covers federal campgrounds only; state parks and private campground facilities are not included.
For current site availability, amenities, and to make reservations, visit Recreation.gov, the official federal recreation reservation system. Campground conditions and services can change seasonally, so checking the website before your visit is recommended. For questions about specific facilities or to speak with staff directly, contact the managing agency listed on each campground's individual page.
How to read the Indiana directory
Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in Indiana: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.
| Rec area / forest | Campgrounds |
|---|---|
| Brookville | 4 |
| PORTER | 3 |
| Porter | 1 |
Common questions
How many federal campgrounds are in Indiana?
8 in this directory, with about 72 overnight sites, across national forests, parks, Corps of Engineers and other federal land. State and private campgrounds are not included.
Are these campgrounds reservable?
7 of the 8 take reservations through Recreation.gov; the remainder are generally first-come, first-served. Confirm on the facility's Recreation.gov page before you travel.
Largest federal campgrounds in Indiana
- Dunewood Campground · National Park Service · 67 sites · Porter
- Central Avenue Walk-In Sites · National Park Service · 5 sites · Porter
- Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters · National Park Service · n/a sites · Porter
- Overlook Shelter (Brookville Lake) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Brookville
- Quakertown Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Brookville
- Tailwater Shelter 1 (Brookville Lake) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Brookville
- Tailwater Shelter 2 (Brookville Lake) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Brookville
- West Beach Picnic Shelters · National Park Service · n/a sites · Porter
Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.
Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in Indiana → · Choosing a Indiana campground →
Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.