Hardin Ridge

I love Southern Loop Non-Electric campsites. The forested setting is so much nicer than any of the state parks in my driving range, which are increasingly like RV parking lots.. While I like it best during the week when it's quiet, I was glad to see a lot of people enjoying a Saturday night.

One thing to be aware of: some of the sites have steep sets of steps from the parking area to the picnic and tent areas. If you can, scout the campground one day ahead of time to note which sites will work best for you so that when you are asked to choose a site at the gate, you can make an educated choice. The FIND system of not letting you choose your own site by looking at the first-come-first-served options is a bit problematic since not every site will work for everyone.

Also be aware that most of the firepits are "in ground," which means you have to be able to lean far over to set up your fire. I'm hoping the FWS will continue to replace these with more accessible above-ground pits. As an older person on my own, I have learned how to manage without falling in headfirst, but it has taken some gymnastics.

Take the free Merlin app from allaboutbird.org so you can identify the many, many birds you will hear.

Absolutely love Hardin Ridge, we will definitely be back!

We love the peace we always find at Hardin Ridge. The campground is wooded, and the well-spaced sites offer a feeling of privacy among the trees. With its several loops and great scenery, the campground offers plenty of walking and biking.
Lake Monroe is huge and beautiful, and many boat owners come to Hardin Ridge for its nearness to the lake. We're not boaters, but we enjoy seeing the different boats at the campground and on the lake. The volunteers at Hardin Ridge are unfailingly friendly and helpful; we always feel welcomed. Hardin Ridge is our favorite Indiana campground!

It was a great spot. Had an amazing time!

Very nice host. Very clean and mostly quiet. Had a very peaceful visit.

Great

Site was very clean and well maintained. However, it is basically in the middle of a short gravel trail that connects 3 spots together to the parking area. If camping here again, I would opt for site 162 as it is at the end of the trail and is much larger as a result.

Our camp hosts were wonderful. The responded right away to any question or request.

The front gate staff was equally helpful.

Clean, well-maintained facilities. Tent Campsites on SP loop were quiet and private, in that they were a few (very steep) steps below the roadway.

Good bicycling, especially on the main road to the west of the campsite. While the road was hilly, the scenery was gorgeous.

Stayed 2 nights for the solar eclipse. I didn't know what to expect since I just booked a site to be able to see the eclipse. But once we got there and explored the area I was impressed. Nice beach area and trails. I like how the campsites were not right next to each other so you have a bit of privacy. And each site has its own view from on top of a ridge. I recommended this place to a friend and I will definitely be back as well.

The site was far enough from other campers that you had some privacy, especially because the loops can't even see each other! The campground was very clean and the front gate staff were very friendly.
Be forewarned, the shower on Holland loop was under construction as of April 2024. So, there was only a vault toilet there.