Campgrounds and RV parks near Austin, IN

Water recreation drives most trips. Hardy Lake has a 740-acre lake with fishing and water skiing, plus hiking trails, a beach, a picnic area, and two campgrounds, and Hardy Lake fishing includes bluegill, redear, catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, and striped bass. At Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA, the private lake offers kayaking, canoeing, paddle boats and non-gas engine fishing boats, though no swimming is allowed and fishing is catch and release. Riders and hikers head to Deam Lake. The equestrian campground offers two short lead-outs to connect with 80 miles of multipurpose trails in Clark State Forest. The park is home to four hiking trails and serves as a trailhead for the 80-mile Knobstone Trail, the longest hiking trail in Indiana. Off-park, Louisville and the historic Ohio River town of Madison are both within roughly an hour, giving families museum, dining, and riverfront options for rainy afternoons.

The main camping season in this part of Indiana runs from spring through late fall. Horse Camp at Deam Lake State Recreation Area is open from March 1 to October 31, and Deam Lake State Recreation Area is open for year-round recreation; however, the campground closes each year from the Sunday before Thanksgiving to March 1 of the following year. Hardy Lake stays open year-round with reduced services outside the main season. Summer weekends are the busiest window and fill first. Water levels and lake activities peak from Memorial Day through Labor Day: at Deam Lake, rowboat and kayak rentals are available from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the swimming beach is available from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Spring and fall bring cooler temperatures and thinner crowds. Full amenities at Indiana state park sites run May through October, with water spigots and modern restrooms typically shut off November through April, so cold-weather RVers should call ahead about hookups and bathhouses.

Sites near Austin range from full-service resort pads to primitive lakeside pull-offs. At Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA, full hookup sites include 50/30 amp electrical service, water, and sewer connections, alongside a saltwater pool, mini golf, and a camp store. State-park sites are simpler: facilities at Deam Lake include electric hookup at each site, modern restrooms and showers, picnic table, fire ring, and parking spur, with a drinking water fill station and dump station also available in the area. Wooser - Hardy Lake State Park is the most rustic option. The campground splits into a primitive section where boaters can moor overnight near the water, and a separate electric campground for RVs up to 40 feet, with basic facilities including a pit toilet and water pump in the primitive area. Expect wooded, rolling terrain, thick summer humidity, and mosquitoes near the lakes. Bring bug spray, leveling blocks for uneven pads, and a fishing license if planning to cast a line.