Input wanted: What is the best campsite in Brown County State Park?

[OnePunch]

I am looking to take my family camping at Brown County State Park in the spring and am wondering what the best campsite would be for us. We will likely want to do camp grilling and not be too far from a restroom if possible. We aren't RV'ing, but I still need to make it as comfortable as possible to get my family excited. I plan to go slowly go more minimalist as the years go by. Thanks for any input!

 

[Remington 90T]

Close to the bathrooms but up wind for sure.

 

[Mij]

Look for the best camp fire, quiet friendly people, best bourbon.

Avoid, teenagers, loud obnoxious groups, anything with loud music and smells like burning leaves.

JMO……

 

[Cameramonkey]

Look for the best camp fire, quiet friendly people, best bourbon.

Avoid, teenagers, loud obnoxious groups, anything with loud music and smells like burning leaves.

JMO……

Is it just me, or have you noticed the smell of weed has changed post-covid?

I used to think weed smelled like burning leaves in the fall. I dont partake, but used to hang out with fellow skydivers who did. (I'd just pass it to the next guy. Not my thing.)

After losing my sense of smell due to covid, it now smells more like dead skunk to me.

/hijack

 

[OnePunch]

Is it just me, or have you noticed the smell of weed has changed post-covid?

I used to think weed smelled like burning leaves in the fall. I dont partake, but used to hang out with fellow skydivers who did. (I'd just pass it to the next guy. Not my thing.)

After losing my sense of smell due to covid, it now smells more like dead skunk to me.

/hijack

Always smelled like skunk to me, but I don’t have much experience. Maybe there are different smells to different types.

 

[OnePunch]

Look for the best camp fire, quiet friendly people, best bourbon.

Avoid, teenagers, loud obnoxious groups, anything with loud music and smells like burning leaves.

JMO……

I agree! Maybe I’ll just have to creep around to find the spot. Haha

 

[OnePunch]

Close to the bathrooms but up wind for sure.

Important distinction!

 

[BIGE7.62]

You should be able to look at camp sites online. I know the horseman's camp has primitive (nonelectric) and electric. Not for sure if just people camping is different

 

[KittySlayer]

If Brown County State Park is particularly busy and you can’t find what you’re looking for consider Yellowwood Lake next door. Primitive campsites but generally a mellow, quiet atmosphere. Hiking and kayaking are the primary recreations.

 

[indyblue]

You should be able to look at camp sites online. I know the horseman's camp has primitive (nonelectric) and electric. Not for sure if just people camping is different

Yes, you can see a picture of the campsite from the reservation page. Bring up the map and the sites that are still blue are available. Click on one of those blue icons and you’ll get to the campsite page. Near the bottom, there are usually a photo or two.

We typically choose campsites, on an outside loop, and near the end of the road, so we don’t have to endure a lot of through traffic coming in and out. We like full shade so choose sites with the most trees, and I prefer sites that are on a hillside that drops off.

We avoid sites that are too close to pit restrooms, and that are no more than a five minute walk to the showers.

We frequent Taylor Ridge.

We are still bumming out about the loss of McCormicks creek. We like that campsite because it’s only five minutes in and out whereas BCSP is a 20 minute drive each way in and out if we need to go into town for something, usually firewood, since you can find better deals outside of the park.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Always smelled like skunk to me, but I don’t have much experience. Maybe there are different smells to different types.

Possibly. The two demographics between who I used to hang with and who I run into today are night and day. I could imagine it being like the difference of drinking bud light and guinness extra stout. or smoking applewood vs hickory.

If Brown County State Park is particularly busy and you can’t find what you’re looking for consider Yellowwood Lake next door. Primitive campsites but generally a mellow, quiet atmosphere. Hiking and kayaking are the primary recreations.

They are pretty cool campsites there. And seem pretty quiet the one time I drove through when I did some fishing there. One day next year I hope to take a couple days and fish and camp there. But the wife and kinds dont like to camp (except RV which we cant afford), and for some reason she gets weird about me wanting to go do recreation overnight by myself. She claims she doesnt have a problem with me doing things solo (so I dont force them to do stuff they hate), but every time I mention it she gets weird about it. No, its not about cheating but about me not liking my life at home or its some weird midlife crisis thing. But enough about me...

We are still bumming out about the loss of McCormicks creek. We like that campsite because it’s only five minutes in and out whereas BCSP is a 20 minute drive each way in and out if we need to go into town for something, usually firewood, since you can find better deals outside of the park.

I thought they reopened it in the fall? This is the one that got thrashed by the tornado and killed a couple campers, right?

 

[indyblue]

Possibly. The two demographics between who I used to hang with and who I run into today are night and day. I could imagine it being like the difference of drinking bud light and guinness extra stout. or smoking applewood vs hickory.

They are pretty cool campsites there. And seem pretty quiet the one time I drove through when I did some fishing there. One day next year I hope to take a couple days and fish and camp there. But the wife and kinds dont like to camp (except RV which we cant afford), and for some reason she gets weird about me wanting to go do recreation overnight by myself. She claims she doesnt have a problem with me doing things solo so I dont force her to do stuff she hates, but every time I mention it she gets weird about it. (no, its not about cheating but about not liking my life at home or its some weird midlife crisis thing) But enough about me...


I thought they reopened it in the fall? This is the one that got thrashed by the tornado and killed a couple campers, right?

McCormick's Creek State Park, Indiana

Enjoy hiking, horseback riding, fishing, camping, picnicking and more at beautiful McCormick's Creek State Park in southern central Indiana.

mccormickscreekstatepark.com

NOTICE: McCormick's Creek State Park was severely damaged by a tornado on Friday, March 31st. The park is now open for limited use: the Nature Center, Saddle Barn, Canyon Inn, cabins, most shelters, and some trails are open and operating. Public programming has resumed. Several park trails remain closed, and the campground is closed indefinitely.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Ugh. I has a sad.

At least they didnt say "permanently".

Inserting humor because its either laugh or cry.

 

[indyblue]

McCormick's Creek State Park Tornado Recovery

McCormick’s Creek State Park was hit by a tornado March 31, 2023. The park has reopened for day use. Learn about recovery efforts.

www.in.gov

 

[Mij]

Is it just me, or have you noticed the smell of weed has changed post-covid?

I used to think weed smelled like burning leaves in the fall. I dont partake, but used to hang out with fellow skydivers who did. (I'd just pass it to the next guy. Not my thing.)

After losing my sense of smell due to covid, it now smells more like dead skunk to me.

/hijack

It’s you, the smell changed when the cops (DARE) stopped telling school kids it smelled like burning leaves, and the botanists started building hybrids. Mixing Cannabis Sativa n Cannabis Indica But that was too late, the kids already knew it.

I only used the phrase “burning leaves “ to convey a message. Today every body knows it’s not burning leaves. If it smells like a skunk it might not be a skunk.

That is unless you live in the sticks, then it’s a skunk.

 

[Mij]

I agree! Maybe I’ll just have to creep around to find the spot. Haha

No!!! Don’t creep walk tall n up right with a friendly smile on your face. Creeping into someone’s camp site at night can put a lot of Probably armed individuals on condition red. JMO

 

[Brandon]

Is it just me, or have you noticed the smell of weed has changed post-covid?

I used to think weed smelled like burning leaves in the fall. I dont partake, but used to hang out with fellow skydivers who did. (I'd just pass it to the next guy. Not my thing.)

After losing my sense of smell due to covid, it now smells more like dead skunk to me.

/hijack

Never done it, but there have been a few homes I have worked in where they were smoking and having a good time and it did not stink. And then there are the homes where it smelled worse than skunk.


Funny differences between carmel/fishers and downtown indy.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Never done it, but there have been a few homes I have worked in where they were smoking and having a good time and it did not stink. And then there are the homes where it smelled worse than skunk.


Funny differences between carmel/fishers and downtown indy.

That's probably what I am experiencing as well.

 

[OnePunch]

If Brown County State Park is particularly busy and you can’t find what you’re looking for consider Yellowwood Lake next door. Primitive campsites but generally a mellow, quiet atmosphere. Hiking and kayaking are the primary recreations.

Thanks, I’ll look into it!

 

[OnePunch]

No!!! Don’t creep walk tall n up right with a friendly smile on your face. Creeping into someone’s camp site at night can put a lot of Probably armed individuals on condition red. JMO

I was just kidding, totally agree! Don’t want to get shot.