Blackwell Campground

Our Take

What makes Blackwell Campground special

Set along Tower Ridge Road at the gateway to Indiana's Charles Deam Wilderness, Blackwell Campground is a wooded basecamp for hikers, mountain bikers, and anyone who craves a genuine backcountry feel in the heart of the Hoosier State. With 28 sites shaded by a thick canopy of oak, hickory, and tulip poplar, the campground has the look and feel of a forest much farther from civilization than it actually is. The main draw here is the Deam Wilderness Trail, which departs directly from the campground trailhead and winds through more than 13,000 acres of rugged, hilly terrain that represents some of the finest public forest land in Indiana. The trail system loops through ridgetop forests, descends into fern-filled hollows, and passes beside quiet ponds that reflect the surrounding hardwoods like mirrors. It is terrain that will surprise anyone who thinks of Indiana as uniformly flat. Blackwell itself is comfortably rustic. Sites are spread along the ridge with enough tree cover to keep things cool and private. Campfires crackle well into the evening, and the darkness that settles over the wilderness brings a quality of quiet that recharges the spirit. Whether you are training for a longer backpacking trip, introducing kids to trail life, or simply need a weekend in the woods, Blackwell Campground offers a genuinely wild Indiana experience just a short drive from Bloomington.