Campgrounds and RV parks near Salem, IN

Water recreation anchors most trips. Starve-Hollow State Recreation Area offers fishing and boat rental on 145-acre Starve Hollow Lake, swimming on a large sandy beach, and conservation programs at the Education Center, which operates Friday through Sunday between May and October. The lake is restricted to electric trolling motors, and kayak, rowboat, and canoe rentals run from mid-April through October. Spring Mill State Park adds cultural depth. Highlights include a restored 1800s Pioneer Village, a nature center, a mountain biking trail, a seasonal Olympic-size swimming pool, and the Gus Grissom Memorial, which displays the astronaut's spacesuit and the Gemini 3 Molly Brown capsule. A Twin Caves boat tour run by the Indiana DNR travels about 500 feet into the cave. Equestrian riders can access two short lead-outs from the Deam Lake equestrian campground that connect with 80 miles of multipurpose trails in Clark State Forest.

Southern Indiana has four distinct seasons with hot, humid summers and cold winters. Spring Mill State Park is open year-round, and summer is the most popular time to visit, though the park offers programming throughout the year. Winters bring sub-freezing lows in the coldest months, while summer highs sit in the mid-80s Fahrenheit from June through August. Families pack local parks between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so early to mid-May or mid-to-late September helps beat the crowds. Winter operations are reduced. At Starve-Hollow, water is turned off to the property with the exception of one winter hydrant, and modern comfort stations are closed during winter months, generally November through April. Water and facilities typically come back on between mid-March and late April depending on forecast temperatures. Beginning in May, gates at Starve-Hollow are staffed seven days a week and remain open through October. Blue-green algae is found in Indiana lakes year-round and can bloom in warmer months, so beach status is worth checking before arrival.

Expect wooded, hilly terrain with limited cell coverage inside state parks. Many campsites are not perfectly level, so blocks and levelers are useful, and extra hose length helps at Spring Mill where water spigots sit between the generously sized sites. Spring Mill State Park Campground has 44 full hookup (Class AA) campsites, 3 of which are ADA accessible, and 175 electric (Class A) campsites, 8 of which are ADA accessible and 20 of which are pull-through. The closest place to pick up groceries and other supplies is Mitchell, a short drive west of the park, and a camp store operates on site. Deam Lake sites vary in size and levelness, with some accommodating slide-outs while others may be tight for larger rigs. Scottsburg/Raintree Lake KOA is generally easier to navigate for big rigs and offers full hookups.