U.S. Forest Service · Hoosier National Forest · Indiana

Youngs Creek Campground

A primitive campground with vault toilets, hitching racks, and a picnic shelter is available. Around 12 and half miles of trails are available for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding.

More like this: reservable in Indiana · free in Indiana · pets allowed in Indiana

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
A photo of Youngs Creek CampgroundA photo of pavilion at Youngs Creek CampgroundA photo of communal non-potable water hydrant at Youngs Creek CampgroundA photo of Youngs Creek Campground
Photos courtesy of Jeff Fischer · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups14
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

14 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntrySurfacePeople / vehiclesFires
1Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
2Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
3Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
4Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
5Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
6Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
7Back-inGravel8 / 2Yes
8Back-in8 / 2Yes
9Back-in8 / 2Yes
10Back-in8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesAll camping is free of charge.

A picnic shelter with picnic tables is located across from the vault toilet. High line posts, picnic tables and fire rings are located at designated campsites 1-7 on the south end of the campground. Sites 8-14 are located in a open grassy area with high line posts available. There are 2 frost-free hydrants to provide non-potable water.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Youngs Creek Campground30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.41 inches of precipitation, 3.7 inches of snowFebruary: 3.36 inches of precipitation, 5.2 inches of snowMarch: 4.35 inches of precipitation, 1.2 inches of snowApril: 5.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.41 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.90 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.23 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.15 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.86 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 4.03 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 3.95 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.8°F averageFebruary: 34.4°F averageMarch: 43.1°F averageApril: 53.9°F averageMay: 64.0°F averageJune: 72.2°F averageJuly: 75.6°F averageAugust: 74.1°F averageSeptember: 66.8°F averageOctober: 55.2°F averageNovember: 43.8°F averageDecember: 34.8°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Paoli, 4 miles from the campground at 560 feet, station USC00126705 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 49 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 13 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Coordinates38.5036° N, 86.4659° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Blue Bend Rx

    24 mi from the campground · 57 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗12.3 mi
Outdoor gearBass Pro Shops ↗40.2 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Youngs Creek Trail in the Hoosier National Forest

  • 0.1 mi
    Youngs Creek ↗
    10.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.5 mi
    Youngs Creek Connector Trail
    1.6 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.9 mi
    Youngs Creek Connector Trail 2
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.2 mi
    Pioneer Mothers 1 ↗
    1.3 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.4 mi
    Initial Point Trail 1
    0.09 mi trail · hiking
  • 2.5 mi
    Lick Creek Trail 1 ↗
    6.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Hoosier National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

Shady trails, scenic hardwood forests and a variety of terrain

Recreation

The Youngs Creek Campground provides access to the 12.7-mile Youngs Creek multiple use trail for horseback riding, mountain biking, and hiking.

Guidebooks for Indiana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Five-Star Trails: Louisville and Southern Indiana
    Valerie Askren, 2022
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Rail-Trails Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio
    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Cincinnati
    Tamara York, 2021
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Youngs Creek Campground?

Sites at Youngs Creek Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Youngs Creek Campground?

Nothing. Youngs Creek Campground is listed as free. All camping is free of charge.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Youngs Creek Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Youngs Creek Campground have?

14 sites, including 14 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Youngs Creek Campground?

Youngs Creek Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Youngs Creek Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Youngs Creek Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Youngs Creek Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-26, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What if Youngs Creek Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Shirley Creek Campground (12.4 mi), Indian Celina Lake (22.2 mi), and North Face Loop (22.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby