darrellhobgood

Stayed here in early/mid September. Arrived on a Saturday and the park was busy. They were wrapping up activities like a car show and wood cutting demonstration.

Staff (mostly younger kids on weekend, older staff on weekdays) was very friendly. The park has clear and reasonable rules to ensure everyone enjoys their stay, but I never felt like we were being overly watched like elementary school children during the stay.

Our spot was generally level (gravel). I had observed some of the other reviews with complaints about I level spots. Unless you’re paying for a pad, I fee you have to expect to use some leveling skills when camping.

Sites in our area were close. You’re camp side is going to be right up against your neighbors hookups. It wasn’t so close that we didn’t enjoy ourselves. We felt we had plenty of room on all sides.

The owners care, and it shows. The grounds were well kept, the bath/shower houses were clean and seemingly recently updated. The park seemed to have a large number of seasonal sites, but they were all well kept.

We enjoyed our stay, and would recommend this KOA to anyone who passes through.

We stayed in mid/late May and had site 123. The park was quite empty, and I'm certain this added to our experience.

The sites are close, some much more than others. The park is definitely trying to squeeze out every possible site they can, and doing this will be a detriment to some visitors. They were actively working on new sites during our stay.

For example, they are forgetting about or disregarding slide-outs. I saw some sites where a fire in the assigned fire pit would most definitely result in heat damage to the neighbors camper (slide).

You should also make sure you have extension power cords and water hoses unless you already know your site layout. My power box was a bit away from my power hookup, and our water hookup was on the complete opposite side and end of our campers hookup. This resulted in having to have the waterhose running through our camp (not the biggest deal, but still).

The sites are mostly gravel. Ours was not level, but it didn't take too much to get there.

The owners have definitely put money and effort into the park. Your typical KOA style glamping tents and cabins are present. There's a small put-put course, a jumping pillow, and playground up front. There's a small dog run and gazebo meeting area as well.

There were two shower houses, but the back shower house was closed during our stay. The park offered to move us closer to the front, but we did not need the shower house.

Highway noise is prevalent, and due to how the park is situated, I don't believe there would be an area where it wasn't. This wasn't a big deal for us, but this isn't the "nature" park some people seek. I liked the convenience offered more since we were in the area to see other sites rather than for a nature camping getaway.

A shuttle service is offered for the ferry, and it was convenient. The camp store sells the tickets for $2 off the normal price. On the topic of the camp store, this is an area for improvement. While it's stocked enough to he considered a camp store, I think more is expected from a KOA holiday location. I think you'll find the bare necessities you may have forgotten, though.

Overall, I wouldn't say this was a bad experience, and if the conditions are right, it's a good place to stay. I would not book during traditionally busy times of year, though.

Had a great stay at this campground the first week of June. The campground seems to be run very well, by people who know what campers want.

The store is well stocked with items you may have forgotten or find you need to replace. I found that my water pressure regulator gauge was not working. I was worried the entire regulator wasn’t working, but I was able to find a replacement at the camp store. The store also has a small pizza (Hunt brothers), wings, and ice cream section. They will even deliver your items/food to your site.

The main bathrooms/shower house were clean and well kept. I did not need to use the showers, but would have been happy to if I did.

We had site 104, which is toward the back. This is a good corner spot. The only “downside” is the pathway to the nature trail is next to the site, so you may get foot traffic throughout the day. It wasn’t an issue for us.

I saw some reviews about needing extra long power cords or water hoses for some spots. It seems the campground is aware the set up isn’t ideal, and I saw they had made some changes to some spots. For example, the power for our site and site 105 are on the same post, but they had run a line from the post to the other side for site 105 to plug into there.

Staff was very nice and attentive. They drive around frequently on golf carts either doing caretaking functions, delivering items to sites, or picking up garbage (you can leave bagged garbage in front of your site between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM for pickup).

I saw a review saying sites are very close. They are no closer than 99% of parks I’ve stayed at. If you prefer to have nature behind you, choose one of the outer sites instead of the middle section for sure.

There are also cabins, glamping, and regular tent camping sites to rent as well.

They have a small fenced in area for dogs, right next to a large area with games such as bags (corn hole), ladder ball, LARGE chess and checkers, and LARGE connect four. There’s a jumping pillow, small 8 hole mini golf course, basketball court, Gaga ball pit, nature trials, and a small pond.

It feels like the people running the place are campers and listen to feedback. They no longer have seasonal spots, but I would seriously consider getting here if they did. We will most certainly return.

We were looking for a place to get away, and Camp Lakewood was perfect. We weren’t in the area for anything in particular, and just wanted somewhere to get out with the camper.
Spot 1A is a full hookup back in spot, with 30 and 50 amp service. It is gravel, but generally level. I only had to make a slight adjustment to get completely level. This spot is one of the higher priced spots due to the view of the lake and private fishing spot. It was also equipped with a charcoal grill, small fire ring, picnic table and wooden chairs. If I were being overly picky, I’d say the sewer hookup is a bit high for most campers. This is manageable though, and the view of the lake was worth dealing with this minor issue.
Unless you are just stopping in for a night, I would avoid any of the spots toward the entrance (along north side). These spots back right up to a fence that separates the campground from a trailer park. If you’re staying a few days, try and get closer to the lake.
Staff was very nice, and helpful. There’s a camp store with most of what you may need, but Walmart is also just around the corner too. The park was clean, and you can tell the ownership cares.
Some reviews mention you can’t hear road/city noise, but if you’re right on the lake, you will. This did not detract from our experience, but if you’re looking for the “secluded” experience, you might be disappointed.
Overall, we were very happy with our stay at Camp Lakewood, and we would absolutely stay again.

The park is very conveniently located off the interstate, with an approximately 20 minute drive to the Mammoth Cave National Park. The Park is tucked behind two hotels, but the owners have planted greenery and trees to help block that view pretty well. As other reviews have mentioned, there is a pretty active rail line nearby, but I wouldn’t say it ruined the stay. Given the proximity to the interstate, there is highway noise.

The owners and employees obviously care about the park. It is well taken care of from landscaping and general upkeep. There is a laundry facility, a (small) pool, and showers that are all clean. There’s a decent size dog park/run as well. Trash is picked up from your site every morning. Just leave it bagged up at the end of the interior roadway. There’s also propane service available (This is first time we have seen this offered, and I think that’s a great service to provide). Bundled wood is sold for $5 each.

All sites are gravel, but are still rather level. We saw everything from truck bed campers to large class A’s pulling vehicles have no problem fitting.

The only downsides I would mention are the following:

-Sites are cramped. The hookups for the site next to yours will be very much in your camping area, and the same on the other side for your neighbor. This makes it awkward should you need to make adjustments or flush a tank, because you feel like you’re infringing on you’re neighbor. This didn’t end up being too much of an issue for us during our stay, since the site opposite our camp side wasn’t occupied for the majority of the visit.
-Some sites have oddly placed fire rings. For example ours was at the very far end of the camp side, right on the interior road. If you like a little more privacy, site 32 isn’t for you.
-Some sites have water hookups very low to the ground. This creates odd angles when trying to get water lines and filters hooked up.

Overall, a great spot. If you’re planning a trip to Mammoth Cave National Park, or just need a quick stop on the way somewhere else, this is definitely a recommended park.

GPS brought us through town, and I won’t lie, I was skeptical. However, when you pull into the grounds, it doesn’t feel like you’re even close to the city.

We camped in late April, so the park was rather empty. We got lot 41, which is a “double lot” with a creek view (they did away with lot 42 due to the close proximity of the two, and now lot 41 is a double lot).

The creek was really flowing, and the sound of rushing water could be heard from inside the camper with the windows open. The “camp side” is at the rear of the lot, making for a great spot to sit and relax by the creek.

Staff is VERY friendly and helpful when needed. We called a number and had firewood delivered right to the site. It looked like most fire pits did not have cooking grates, so you’ll want to bring something if you plan to cook on the fire (we had a tripod chain and grill).

If you have kids, there would be plenty for them to do with playground equipment, basketball hoops, open fields etc. There’s a frisbee golf course on the grounds as well.

Large pond for catch and release fishing. While we did not take advantage, the park obviously offers canoe rentals and tubing on the creek.

Shower houses looked clean and maintained.

Crawfordsville IN may not be a destination spot, but if you’re in the area and just looking for a spot to set up for a bit, or if you’re passing through, this park seems like a great option.

The other reviews are pretty much spot on. I found myself having the same thoughts/opinions.

This is an older campground. The owner/operator lives on site, and is very nice. They are doing what they can with what they have. What they have is a nice property on the river.

Sites are quite close. As mentioned in another review, the sewer hookup for your camp side neighbor is going to be right at your front door most likely (pic added). I normally put my sewer line out upon arrival, but I didn’t want to impose on my neighbor so I just waited until time to dump.

The sites are long and relatively level(only needed minor adjustments). I was able to park my tow vehicle in front of my camper (35’), and still had plenty of room in back for sitting around the fire ring.

A big Pro to these older campgrounds is the laid back atmosphere. People just enjoying their time and being respectful of others. I think most campers would gladly give up some frills for a better atmosphere.

US HWY 60 has moderate traffic, and the highway side sites are pretty much right on the roadway.

We were in the area for the national parks nearby, so this site was for sleeping and eating. That’s probably the best use for this campground (for people who are getting their entertainment elsewhere, and just need a decent place to relax and sleep).

Overall, this campground is not a destination, but is what you need.

Pulled up to gate to check out, and a woman was working out of her car. She had a basket of maybe 10 check-in packets.

As she hands me our packet, she nonchalantly mentions there is NO POWER in the park (It had stormed the night previously).

I ask if we will be pro-rated, given we paid for a full hookup site. “Nope. It’s not our fault.” (I understand this, but the utility company is pro-rating them. So they want me to pay for electricity I won’t get, and that they won’t pay for).

Against my better judgement, I proceed to our site (134). The site was a sliver of a spot, wedged between what looked to be two seasonal spots. There was maybe enough room to extend my slides, but that’s it. Nowhere to sit outside. I didn’t see a fire pit, but I did see the dog feces and liter left by the last campers.

It was over 80 degrees outside, meaning inside the camper would be in the 90s. We had two puppies and a fridge full of food. Since we don’t live too far away, we considered coming back the next day hoping maybe the power would be back on.

I drive back to the gate, and ask the woman if she could notify us if/when power came back. She tells me best she can do is post to Facebook. I walk back to my truck, but I decide I’m not going to enjoy myself here, even if power came back. The lack of even a semblance of customer service also turned me off.

I return to the gate and tell the woman we won’t be back, and want to cancel she says we will have to pay for the night. I tell her that’s unacceptable, given no one even tried to inform us of the power issue. She claims she can’t call everyone (remember, there were maybe 10 reservations). I tell her she CAN post to Facebook or the website. She says “That’s true.”

This place looked trashy, and apparently the owners and employees have given up I will NEVER even consider this place again.

We were refunded all but a $17.00 fee. I hope the owner uses that $17.00 well.

The Indiana Dunes State Park/National lakeshore is located on the south shore of Lake Michigan. The park has wooded trails that include challenging sand dunes. There are numerous areas with shelters, open fields, and playgrounds for kids.

We stayed late in the season (end of October), so the campground was not very full. The camp store was only open for a few hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but there are two chain grocery stores within 5-10 miles of the park.

The sites are close to each other, and only offer electricity. Water is available to load up when you pull in, and the dump station is right across from the campground entrance. The fire pit at our site was full of garbage (including cigarette butts and a cigar). There was also garbage spread about. It would have been nice for the site to have been cleaned up at least a little before being rented out again.

The park is patrolled by DNR personnel (not police), and they are pretty strict about rules (such as not parking on grass).

If you like hiking, the beach, and scenic views, you will like this park. I plan on visiting again.

Stayed here in mid August 2023. We were in the area for hiking at the State Park. This is a State Park property, but it's a short drive to the actual park. We were a little concerned following the GPS to the camp ground because it does NOT feel like a State Park area. We were driving down the middle of a cornfield, then all of a sudden there was the campground.

There's a relatively late check-in/check-out time of 3:00 PM. The campground host was very helpful during check-in. He asked if we needed water, and suggested the best place to fill. This brings me to my first "Not so great" thing.

There are several water fountains with water fill availability throughout the park, but there's no way to get your rig out of the way to fill at them. You have to legit block everyone's path to fill at these locations. The only station semi-out of the way is at the dump station, which is designed for being on the way OUT of the park. We had to make a rather sharp turn from the entry gate to the dump station, then again to enter the park after filling. Not a HUGE deal, but it definitely feels like water fill was an afterthought.

The park has two main loops. One loop as little to no shade, the other has a lot of shade. We opted for a lot of shade, and got site 88. This is a back-in 30 Amp site. It's not very level, and we felt it was a little small. After leveling the best I could, I had to park the truck basically next to the camper, resulting in very little room to move around.

The site had a decent fire pit and camp side. The electric post was at the rear of the site. While there is a lot of tree cover, there wasn't much separation between our site and the one behind us. Wasn't an issue, but if privacy is what you're seeking, site 88 isn't the right one for you.

There is a very small camp store. I'm not sure what the hours actually are. We saw it open only once during our stay. There is a 24 HR fire wood vending machine, but it's $9 a bundle. We got ours at a nearby gas station for $7 a bundle.

The shower house, at least the one near the loop we were on, was disgusting. I'm not very picky when it comes to shower houses at State parks especially, but everyone has their limits. The smell and filth would make not showering a better option.

The website should be a little more clear that none of the trails are near the campground. It wasn't just us who thought they may be, as we were asked by a couple other campers about it as well. It's a very short drive to the state park, but the name of th3 campground is confusing.

All in all, not a bad option if your visiting the State Park. Just make sure you have everything you need, and maybe buy firewood before you get there to save a few dollars.