Trying to identify car camping spots near southwest corner of Yellowwood State F

[Backpacker]

Can someone tell me about car camping spots in Yellowwood State forest near the intersection of Tower ridge road and CR1500W? This is very near the Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower at Charles C. Deam Wilderness. It may not be Yellowwood but it looks as such on the map.

View attachment 91750

 

[trimman83]

That is Hoosier National Forest. My map shows a campsite imbedded in the forest just north of that intersection, by about 400 yards, Great views from the tower. The only legit camping I know closest to there is Hardin Ridge, west of there, 7.25 miles as a crow flies, on Monroe Res.

I don't really know what kind of campsite is in the woods there, but it would be worth a scenic drive from Greenwood to go down there and look. There must be a place to park nearby. Less than 400 yards in what looks like(by my topo map) to be a moderate downhill climb, then a little bit up-hill to the campsite,(directly north of the road intersection T) would just be fun. Take hotdogs and buns to share if someone already has a fire going there. Just make sure to climb the tower while down there.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That is Hoosier National Forest. My map shows a campsite imbedded in the forest just north of that intersection, by about 400 yards, Great views from the tower. The only legit camping I know closest to there is Hardin Ridge, west of there, 7.25 miles as a crow flies, on Monroe Res.

I don't really know what kind of campsite is in the woods there, but it would be worth a scenic drive from Greenwood to go down there and look. There must be a place to park nearby. Less than 400 yards in what looks like(by my topo map) to be a moderate downhill climb, then a little bit up-hill to the campsite,(directly north of the road intersection T) would just be fun. Take hotdogs and buns to share if someone already has a fire going there. Just make sure to climb the tower while down there.

I'm not aware of any car camping in Deam Wilderness (part of HNF), which is where it looks like the OP is talking about. Numerous walk-in sites though. I think you're right - the closest car camping would probably be Hardin Ridge or even Paynetown, but that's getting farther away from Yellowwood.

 

[MarkC]

I'm not aware of any car camping in Deam Wilderness (part of HNF), which is where it looks like the OP is talking about. Numerous walk-in sites though. I think you're right - the closest car camping would probably be Hardin Ridge or even Paynetown, but that's getting farther away from Yellowwood.

There is essentially no car camping in the Charles Deam Wildnerness, except for the Blackwell Horse Camp. I've been hiking and camping there since I was in high school, and am very familiar with the area. Parking in the wilderness area is permitted only in designated areas, such as near the base of the fire tower. The Forest Service sometime in the 1990's, if I recall the date correctly, banned parking except in designated areas in the Deam Wilderness, essentially ending car camping.

There are some sites in Yellowwood, but there are not anywhere near the place identified in the map, above.

Here's a link to the Forest Service site for Deam Wilderness: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/hoosier/recarea/?recid=41554

Indiana DNR site for Yellowwood, with camping area descriptions: https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/4817.htm

 

[Backpacker]

Upon closer inspection of the Charles C.Deam Wilderness map, the area to the right of CR1500W is HNF. Last Thursday on my way to the Tower parking lot, I saw vehicles parked off the road on CR1500W. I drove about a 1/4 mile down the road and saw three sites with tents and cars. The Deam wilderness is closed to wheeled vehicles and that is why I thought it might be Yellowwood forest. The people I saw may have been bowhunters. Maybe that are is HNF but not Deam and has different rules. No matter, I carry my needs on my back and leave the Jeep in the trail head parking lot.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

There is essentially no car camping in the Charles Deam Wildnerness, except for the Blackwell Horse Camp. I've been hiking and camping there since I was in high school, and am very familiar with the area. Parking in the wilderness area is permitted only in designated areas, such as near the base of the fire tower. The Forest Service sometime in the 1990's, if I recall the date correctly, banned parking except in designated areas in the Deam Wilderness, essentially ending car camping.

There are some sites in Yellowwood, but there are not anywhere near the place identified in the map, above.

Here's a link to the Forest Service site for Deam Wilderness: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/hoosier/recarea/?recid=41554

Indiana DNR site for Yellowwood, with camping area descriptions: https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/4817.htm

I think I've camped at a couple of the Deam sites, but I've always gotten to them by boat on Monroe (the Middle Fork Waterfowl Resting Area). For sure one was the Peninsula Trail site (I think that's the name). That's one of our favorites.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Upon closer inspection of the Charles C.Deam Wilderness map, the area to the right of CR1500W is HNF. Last Thursday on my way to the Tower parking lot, I saw vehicles parked off the road on CR1500W. I drove about a 1/4 mile down the road and saw three sites with tents and cars. The Deam wilderness is closed to wheeled vehicles and that is why I thought it might be Yellowwood forest. The people I saw may have been bowhunters. Maybe that are is HNF but not Deam and has different rules. No matter, I carry my needs on my back and leave the Jeep in the trail head parking lot.

Ah, I misunderstood then. I was thinking you wanted a place to drive right up to, park and camp (where you park).

 

[Backpacker]

I think I've camped at a couple of the Deam sites, but I've always gotten to them by boat on Monroe (the Middle Fork Waterfowl Resting Area). For sure one was the Peninsula Trail site (I think that's the name). That's one of our favorites.

I backpacked the Peninsula trail two weeks ago. Ran into a group of kayakers who came to camp on the point. They certainly brought more gear on their kayaks than I wanted to carry. There may be a kayak in my future.

 

[MarkC]

Upon closer inspection of the Charles C.Deam Wilderness map, the area to the right of CR1500W is HNF. Last Thursday on my way to the Tower parking lot, I saw vehicles parked off the road on CR1500W. I drove about a 1/4 mile down the road and saw three sites with tents and cars. The Deam wilderness is closed to wheeled vehicles and that is why I thought it might be Yellowwood forest. The people I saw may have been bowhunters. Maybe that are is HNF but not Deam and has different rules. No matter, I carry my needs on my back and leave the Jeep in the trail head parking lot.

Ah, I misunderstood then. I was thinking you wanted a place to drive right up to, park and camp (where you park).

Excellent; I, too, misunderstood. The area to the right is just "regular" national forest, which is less restrictive than the Deam Wilderness.

Now that my son has run off and joined the Army, I doubt I'll get out to do much backpacking. Mrs. MarkC is NOT into that kind of camping. (And he didn't really run off, he's embarking on the beginning of a great adventure for him. )

 

[Backpacker]

Ah, I misunderstood then. I was thinking you wanted a place to drive right up to, park and camp (where you park).

I was surprised someone would just park and camp so near the road.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I backpacked the Peninsula trail two weeks ago. Ran into a group of kayakers who came to camp on the point. They certainly brought more gear on their kayaks than I wanted to carry. There may be a kayak in my future.

We take a pontoon boat and it's loaded down. It may be primitive camping, but we're comfortable! 12x15' tent (for 2 of us), queen sized air bed that sits on a folding stand so I can make it up like a regular bed when it's warm out, or just sleep in sleeping bags on top of it when it's cooler. Camp chairs, 3'x3' camp table, stove, lantern, 2 or 3 coolers... Yeah, no backpacking for us!

 

[db308]

There are lots off pull-off camp sites east and south of the tower between tower ridge rd and the Hickory Ridge Horse camp.
I had tried to mark waypoints for them while ridging dual-sport through there. I can check basecamp to see what I have if there is interest.

 

[Backpacker]

I have determined the area I saw is HNF but not Deam. So evidently parking is okay there. I'll probably stick to tromping in Deam. I saw a few bow hunters last week.