Campsite at Ouabache State Park
A couple of weeks ago, my fellow Indiana Insider blogger Amy wrote a post detailing a free iPhone app from Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). As further proof that great technology and Mother Nature can go hand-in-hand, the DNR has launched an improved online campsite reservation system.
Experienced campers will tell you that booking a site in advance is a very wise idea. If you have any special requests or desires, like being close to the restrooms or away from the main road, then you’ll want to make sure you book far ahead of your scheduled trip. Campgrounds around Indiana fill very quickly during summer weekends.
I’ve been an avid camper for many years, and I’m really impressed with the improvements the DNR has made with this new system. It will make reserving a site much easier, and I’ll feel more confident that I got the best site available based on some of the changes that have been made to the system.
My favorite features include:
- The ability to see where each available campsite is on the campground map without toggling back and forth between various pages. This was my biggest complaint with the old system. Combining those pages is a big time-saver.
- A calendar that shows when a particular site is available. I know many campers, including myself, keep a list of some of the best sites at their favorite campgrounds. This will allow you to quickly pinpoint when you can plan a trip if you really want to get that site.
- When searching for campsites at a particular park, nearby parks will be listed toward the bottom. For example, if you’re searching for sites at Turkey Run’s campground, you’ll be able to see that Shades State Park is only a few miles away. This is a great feature because you can explore another park in that same area when you visit, and it gives you an alternative in case the first park was fully booked.
The DNR plans to add photographs of each campsite in the future, which will be another great feature.
So gather the s’mores fixings and start planning your Indiana camping adventures. To reserve your campsite online, visit camp.in.gov.
Photo courtesy of IDNR/Outdoor Indiana magazine.
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