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

Goldenrod Loop

Goldenrod Loop is one of two group camps offered at Tipsaw Lake Recreation Area. It has a capacity of up to 65 people in five campsites. Group camps contain water and vault toilets. Showers are available in the main campground. Group camps are open by 4/15 through 10/31. Special arrangements may be made for groups to camp later in the fall. There is still a $5/vehicle per day charged for these sites after the first vehicle.

Open nowTakes reservationsFrom $45 per nightTents only

More like this: reservable in Indiana · tent only in Indiana

Goldenrod Loop
Photo from the area. usfs_Eastern_Region (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
1fire
active
Blue Bend Rx (prescribed burn) · 13 mi away · 57 acres
Interagency incident data as of 2026-10-26
Incident details ↓

Amenities & rules

EquipmentTents
FeesGoldenrod Loop Group Camp has one 30-amp electrical hookup available and rents for $45. There is still a $5/vehicle per day charged for these sites after the first vehicle.

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

Season & status

StatusOpen
SeasonApril 1 to October 15
ForestHoosier National Forest
BookingReservations are made by calling 1-877-444-6777 (TTY is 1-877-833-6777) April 15 through early October. There is a $10 reservation fee and a cancellation fee.
FeesGoldenrod Loop Group Camp has one 30-amp electrical hookup available and rents for $45. There is still a $5/vehicle per day charged for these sites after the first vehicle.
RulesA complete list of US Forest Service rules and regulations are posted on bulletin boards in the campground. No hardwood firewood may be brought in to the campgrounds unless it has been certified by the USDA or IDNR.

Hoosier National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Goldenrod Loop30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.53 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowFebruary: 3.50 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowMarch: 4.75 inches of precipitation, 1.3 inches of snowApril: 4.84 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 5.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.82 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.87 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.64 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 4.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowDecember: 4.04 inches of precipitation, 1.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.3°F averageFebruary: 38.5°F averageMarch: 47.4°F averageApril: 57.5°F averageMay: 66.1°F averageJune: 73.8°F averageJuly: 76.6°F averageAugust: 75.9°F averageSeptember: 70.0°F averageOctober: 58.9°F averageNovember: 47.3°F averageDecember: 38.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Saint Meinrad, 10 miles from the campground at 510 feet, station USC00127724 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 50 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 8 inches a year on the same inches scale. The shaded span is the published season, April 1 to October 15.

Getting there

Coordinates38.1357° N, 86.6369° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Blue Bend Rx

    13 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 ↗18.3 mi
Outdoor gearSierra ↗34.7 mi
RV sales & serviceRV sales & service ↗39 mi

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

Explore

Worth a stop

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Tipsaw Trail 4
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Tipsaw Trail 6
    0.05 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Tipsaw Trail 3
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.5 mi
    Tipsaw Trail 2
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.6 mi
    Tipsaw Trail 1 ↗
    5.7 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 3.5 mi
    Two Lakes Trail 2 ↗
    1.9 mi trail · hiking · national_recreation_or_other

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 →

Hoosier National Forest begins about 9.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

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.

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 Goldenrod Loop?

Sites at Goldenrod Loop are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations are made by calling 1-877-444-6777 (TTY is 1-877-833-6777) April 15 through early October. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Forest Service

How much does it cost to camp at Goldenrod Loop?

Goldenrod Loop Group Camp has one 30-amp electrical hookup available and rents for $45. There is still a $5/vehicle per day charged for these sites after the first vehicle.

Source: Forest Service

Is Goldenrod Loop open right now?

Open as of Oct 26, 2026. Season April 1 to October 15.

Source: Forest Service status

Can I bring an RV to Goldenrod Loop?

Goldenrod Loop is listed for tents only.

Source: Forest Service

What if Goldenrod Loop is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Catbrier Loop (under 0.1 mi), Primrose Loop (0.2 mi), and Tipsaw Lake (0.3 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby