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Tent campers who haul their own water and want a quiet creekside spot under oak and pine for free. Midsummer is the window before the road situation worsens, and nights in the 40s mean good sleeping.
Price
Free
Booking
Reservable
Sites
16 campsites
Season
June - December
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
Free
Booking
Reservable
Sites
16 campsites
Season
June - December
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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37.3998, -119.3362
Tent campers who haul their own water and want a quiet creekside spot under oak and pine for free. Midsummer is the window before the road situation worsens, and nights in the 40s mean good sleeping.
No potable water on-site, no RV hookups, and Wagner's Store on Minarets Road is your only resupply option. Anyone expecting showers, hookups, or cell signal will be disappointed before dark.
Reference information about Little Jackass Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><span face="">Shaded by oak and pine trees, Little Jackass Campground is a small campground that offers campsites along Fish Creek. Each site has a table, grill and fire ring and the campground provides one vault toilet. Closest service is Wagner's Store. </span></p>
The elevation is 640 ft. The campground, one of six in the Hardin Ridge Recreation Area, winds up a ridge through a stand of mature hardwood forest near Monroe Lake. Sites are spacious and secluded with some having wooden platforms. Gas and groceries are available at intersection of State Rt. 446 and Chapel Hill Rd. 0.5 miles south of recreation area entrance.
Open April 15 through October 15.
The showers are wheelchair friendly. Hoosier National Forest 189
Monroe Lake is 11,000 acres. Beach is large and sandy.
Parking aprons are gravel. There are three sites designated as wheelchair friendly that have water and electric hookups.
From Bloomington, IN, take State Rt. 446 south 14 miles to Hardin Ridge - Chapel Hill Rd. sign. Turn right onto Chapel Hill Rd. and go 1.7 miles to Hardin Ridge Recreation Area sign. Turn right and proceed to campground.
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Summer is the sweet spot. Daytime highs run 70–85°F, nights drop into the 40s–50s. The shade keeps sites comfortable during the day, and you'll want a layer by the fire after sunset. Holiday weekends can fill the campground, but most summer days feel quiet. Snow and road closures make other seasons less practical.
Overview: 'Summer is the sweet spot' with comfortable daytime temps and shade.
Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.
Little Jackass Campground offers basic amenities shaded by oak and pine trees. Campers have access to a table, grill, and fire ring at each site. There is one vault toilet available. However, potable water and RV hookups are not provided. The closest services for gas, food, phone, and camping supplies are available at Wagner's Store, emphasized as the only gas station on Minarets Road.
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