Best Back Country Camping in Indiana?

[jmichaelj4]

Any reccomendations on the best back country camping in Indiana? Somewhere with a decent hike in and out besides Hoosier National Forest. I love HNF just been there a million times!

 

[CountryBoy19]

Any reccomendations on the best back country camping in Indiana? Somewhere with a decent hike in and out besides Hoosier National Forest. I love HNF just been there a million times!

Uh, there isn't just one "HNF", there are TONS of locations. Have you seriously been to all of them?

If you have, and that isn't the type of camping you're looking for then I don't think Indiana offers the type of camping you're looking for. Maybe try going out west or down south if Hoosier National Forest isn't remote enough for you.

 

[jbell_64]

I suggest anywhere in the HNF that IS NOT the wilderness

 

[catfishjn69]

alot of people do the morgan monroe trails
you might look up the knobstone trail sytem lots there.

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

Not sure how far this is for you in Fishers but i would recommend driving to Red River Gorge in Kentucky for the Best Backcountry hiking/camping experience that you can get other than GSMNP. It is second in the world to Arches National Park, Utah for having the most natural arches. It also has a very large wilderness backcountry area, many trails, and streams/lakes are stocked with trout ( if you fish ). If you have not been there. It is a must! I go at least once per year and cannot get enough of it. It's worth the 3 hour drive.

 

[Rickshaw]

I'd recommend Yellow Wood state forest. Lots of acreage and few people.

 

[jmichaelj4]

Thanks for the idea, looked into it this place looks awesome!

Not sure how far this is for you in Fishers but i would recommend driving to Red River Gorge in Kentucky for the Best Backcountry hiking/camping experience that you can get other than GSMNP. It is second in the world to Arches National Park, Utah for having the most natural arches. It also has a very large wilderness backcountry area, many trails, and streams/lakes are stocked with trout ( if you fish ). If you have not been there. It is a must! I go at least once per year and cannot get enough of it. It's worth the 3 hour drive.

 

[jmichaelj4]

Anybody have any ideas for Tennesee?

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

Anybody have any ideas for Tennesee?

Cannot beat the Great Smokies (GSMNP) favorite National Park other than Zion, Utah. Also, Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee has some Nice hiking to bigger waterfalls.

 

[climber409]

Big South Fork!!!

 

[MuayThaiGuy]

you might look up the knobstone trail sytem lots there.

I'll second the KT if you are looking to do some hiking too.

 

[draketungsten]

Since you're from Fishers, I'd suggest the back country area of Morgan-Monroe State Forest. It's got a couple of miles hike from the trail head by the office or you can park at another trail head where it starts on the south end.

You can also do Charles Deam Wilderness on the south shore of Lake Monroe in Bloomington. It's a part of the HNF. There are plenty of trails down there. Also if you have access to a canoe or kayak, it's nice in the spring to jump in that and just pick a spot along the south shore that looks good to you and is inaccessible by trail.

 

[dnurk]

Tagged for later. Always looking for new spots/ideas.

 

[mrburtreynoldsou]

Tagged for later. Always looking for new spots/ideas.

thoughts exactly

 

[Dirty Steve]

I'll second the Big South Fork in Tennessee. Been there many times and it is well worth the drive. Best time to go in my opinion is late winter to early spring (February to end of April). You will literally be the only person there. Tons of old homesteads and cabin sites, great rockhouses,.....NO PEOPLE. It's a good trip for me because I have family in Tennessee that drives up to meet me there.

Red River Gorge in KY is also a dynamite place. Again, I like it in the winter because it is vacant then. Partial to Swift Camp Creek trail. Not a lot of arches, but cool trail. In the summer it looks like you would expect to see a dinosaur. Ferns 3' high, hemlock trees 4' thick, moss 12" thick on stuff and big leaf magnolia with leaves the size of meat platters. Cool experience,.....just full of friggin snakes in the summer and I don't do snakes.

If you want something fun to do in the summer, canoe the Big South Fork from Leatherwood Ford all of the way back north into Kentucky. There is only one series of falls that is un-runable in a canoe and requires a short portage. Did it in May once and were the ONLY people on the river for 2 days (of course that was 20 years ago), but I have been told it is still pretty lightly used. Camp along the river and fish and run rapids all day. Great time.

Dirty Steve

 

[longbarrel]

The Adventure Hiking Trail. O'Bannon Woods State Park. Between Corydon and Leavenworth. Roughly 23 miles. It will take 3 days. It's a loop. There is back country camping along the trail. It also has 4 overnight shelters. USGS maps Leavenworth, Corydon West.

Low Gap Trail. Morgan-Monroe State Forest. 11 to 30 miles. At least an overnight trip. Back country camping is allowed on the Eastern part of the trail. USGS Hindustan

The rest that I know of are in HNF including the KT..

 

[dbrier]

Look, a website for just what you're looking for.
DNR: Back Country Hiking

 

[6mm Shoot]

I have spent a lot of time at the Gorge in Kentucky and I love it. It was the place I took my son for his first hike and camp out. It is a great place to get back to nature.

 

[sly14]

Morgan Monroe forestry has several trails and back country camping. look under indiana DNR morgan monroe. It will give you the trail information

 

[Pinchaser]

Uh, there isn't just one "HNF", there are TONS of locations. Have you seriously been to all of them?

No one has been to all of them. We are truly blessed with the natural resources we have right here in the Hoosier State.