Pokagon State Park Camping | The Best Year-Round Camping Experience At Pokagon State Park

Jan 27, 2025

Last Updated on: Jul 3, 2025

Travel Blog

The Pokagon State Park in Indiana is famous for deer hunting. However, things went haywire on 7th July 2024 when the police received a phone call from the park regarding the shooting at the park. 

Shots were fired near the toboggan run, and at least three people were injured. Nevertheless, despite Pokagon State Park being in the news for the wrong reasons, we cannot deny its charm as a year-round camping ground. 

With its inns and cabins and endless activities to do in the park, it is even a popular staycation spot for the people of Indiana. 

So, are you also ready for camping and fun at Pokagon State Park? This Tour and Travel guide is here to help you! However, let’s know this state park at a glance.

Pokagon State Park At A Glance | Things You Need To Do

Pokagon State Park’s location is around 10000-15000 years old. The Wisconsin glacier has been transformed into this park thanks to nature forces and factors. Further, it has more lakes than any other Indiana state park today. 

All the lakes here are formed after the meltdown of glaciers, and Lake James, with an area of 1000 acres, is the largest among them. Moreover, it is home to over 200 species of birds and diverse ecosystems. 

In addition, the land of the state park belonged to the Potawatomi tribe. After procuring the land from them, it was named Pokagon, after the tribe chief. The table below has more details you need to know about the park.

Year Of Establishment1927
EcosystemsMarshesLakesSwampsFensPine GrovesMeadowlandsOld FieldsDeciduous Woodlands
Entry Fee$7.00 (noncommercial vehicles with Indiana number plates)
$9.00 (noncommercial vehicles with non-Indiana number plates)
$2:00 for 5 years and older. $1:00 Programming Fees$50 Annual Entrance Permit for Residents$70 Annual Entrance Permit for Non-Residents$25 Golden Hoosier Passport
Best Time To VisitWinter
Location450 Lane, 100 Lake JamesAngola, Indiana
Hours Open7 AM to 11 PM
Contact NumbersPokagon State Park Office: (260) 833-2012Nature Center: (260) 833-3506

Pokagon State Park has pleasant weather conditions throughout the year. During the summer months, the highest temperature hovers around 80 degrees F. 

Further, in winter, you can expect a temperature between 1-18 degrees F. 

Pokagon State Park Camping | Get Ready For Year-Round Attractions

Pokagon State Park Camping  Get Ready For Year Round Attractions

Indiana people love outdoor time, and Pokagon State Park best matches their interests. It has abundant nature, with various ecosystems and over 200 species of birds. Further, the lakes in the park allow you to enjoy an immersive time there. 

On the other hand, it has all modern-day amenities. Moreover, irrespective of the visiting season, the campers always have some fun activities to engage in. 

Things To Do At Pokagon State Park

Boating
Fishing
Hiking
Horse Riding
Picnic
Winter Sports
Toboggan Run

For example, if you are at the park in summer, you can swim in the lakes and cool off. You can even visit the bathhouse. Further, in winter, you can enjoy toboggan runs, cross-country skiing, and sledding, with the entire park transformed into a snowy wonderland. 

Moreover, the park has the best wildflowers in spring and the fiery reds of the autumn foliage are magical here.

So, are you all set for camping at Pokagon State Park? Let’s discuss the camping grounds and facilities. 

Electric Sites (Class A) At Pokagon State Park Camping

Nightly Rate: $23 (Sunday-Wednesday), $30 (Thursday to Saturday), $33 (Holiday Weekends)

Campgrounds 1,3, 4, and 5 of the state national park have electric or Class A camping sites. Among them, a few sites in Campground 3 have ADA-accessible 366, 368, 374, and 376 camping sites. 

These sites have electrical hookups and other amenities here, including drinking water, showers, restrooms, parking spurs, picnic tables, and fire rings.  

Non-Electric Sites (Class B) At Pokagon State Park Camping

Nightly Rate: $16 (Sunday-Wednesday), $19 (Thursday to Saturday), $22 (Holiday Weekends)

At the Campground 2 of the state park, you will find 73 non-electric campsites. These are equipped with fire rings, parking spurs, restrooms, showers, and drinking water facilities. 

Youth Tent Area Campsites

Youth Tent Area Campsites

Nightly Rate: $20 ($2 Each for 10 People, Additional $2 Per Person)

The Youth Tent Area has 5 campsites, and they only allow tents. Here, the campers should be below 21 years old, and there can be 10 members in a group, guided by an adult leader. 

Moreover, these campsites have pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables. Campground 5 and Spring Shelter will also have a drinking water supply. 

Group Camp Site

Nightly Rate: $480

This group campsite is ADA-accessible. It can accommodate a total of 78 people in 12 cabins. There is another counselor cabin where 14 people can stay. 

Moreover, the two bunkhouses at Pokagon State Park are ideal for 36 people (18 each). Other amenities in the park include:

  • A commercial-style kitchen
  • Basketball court
  • Dining hall
  • Craft room
  • Picnic tables
  • Volleyball court
  • Charcoal grills
  • Seasonal dock
  • Parking facility for 21 vehicles

In addition, the Group Camp Site offers the most amazing lake view. 

Camp Store

Summer Season Hours: Monday-Saturday (9 AM to 9 PM) and Sunday (11 AM to 7 PM)

You will find the camp store close to the Campground Gatehouse of the state park. The camp store remains open seasonally. 

If you are camping in the park, you can collect food, drinks, wood, ice, and other essentials from the camp store. You can also collect souvenirs from here. 

Pokagon State Park | Cabins, Hotels And Inns

If you are not in parking at Pokagon State Park, you can stay at the hotels, inns, and cabins here. The Potawatomi Inn is the best among them and it has a whiff of history in its name. 

This inn has 126 hotel rooms, 8 cabins, and 4 cabin suites. Further, you will love the Lakeview Restaurant or the Sauna Bath Corner here. You can contact The Potawatomi Inn at 1-877-768-2928 for booking. 

Moreover, for a rustic experience, you can plan a stay at the historic Pokagon State Park cabins. Eight of the cabins are remodeled and they come with proper HVAC systems. 

In addition, Ramada by Wyndham Angola/Fremont Area (Contact No: +1 260-624-4402) and Hotel Quality Inn Fremont (Contact No: (419) 332-0601) are some hotels near the state park.

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Meet Sibashree Bhattacharya, a travel enthusiast who has a decade-long experience in transcending virtual barriers with her words! Her deep love for travel is apparent from her travel escapades to the mountain, often taking her readers on a journey, her words acting as Portkey! Fun fact: Sibashree loves to dive deep into the history of the places she is about to visit, making her travels even more wholesome. If you were wondering how her articles are not short of time travel, this answers it!

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It is necessary to start hiking the Headland Trail by 3:00 PM. Before 4:00 pm, hikers who want to complete the Inscription Loop must start. Let me give you some advice if you intend to visit the El Morro national park and want to know what to do there. On the Headland Trail, you can go hiking. The Inscription Loop is part of this 2-mile track, which also leads to the top of the El Morro bluff. With a 224-foot elevation climb, the course is somewhat challenging. You can trek the Inscription Loop by taking a shorter trail. You can walk the half-mile trek to the pool You will pass through hundreds of Spanish and American inscriptions and ancient petroglyphs. The looping, half-mile asphalt trail is wheelchair accessible with some help. If you only have an hour or so to spend at the park, this is a fantastic option. It must begin at 4:00 p.m. at the latest. 9. Manhattan Project National Monument The Manhattan Project was a groundbreaking, top-secret government initiative during World War II that saw the United States race to create and use the first atomic weapons before Nazi Germany. One of the most significant historical moments of the 20th century was the American employment of these weapons against Japan in August 1945. The project gave birth to the nuclear era and left behind profound impacts, still felt today. Three key places across the nation served as the birthplace of the Manhattan Project: Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The villages created to house the Manhattan Project personnel were private businesses and enterprises under contract with the project. Every community transformed into a hub of activity with theaters, shops, schools, hospitals, parks, and community gathering spaces. The population of Oak Ridge had increased to roughly 75,000 by 1945. Richland, a Hanford Site bedroom suburb, witnessed an increase in population to 15,000, while Los Alamos had an increase to 6,000. 10. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument Less than an hour south of Santa Fe, Tent Rocks offers slot canyons, strangely beautiful rock formations, and breathtaking views—everything you could desire in a desert hike. Before opening up beneath the 100-foot conical hoodoos that give this national monument its name, the three-mile trail's first half winds through a slot canyon so narrow you can touch the walls on both sides. From there, the trail switches back up to the top of the mesa for a commanding view of the Jemez Mountains and the Rio Grande River Valley. In the Keresan language, Kasha-Katuwe translates to "white cliffs." The people of Cochiti Pueblo speak it, which also co-manages the monument. An eruption gave birth to the volcanic tuff that formed the white cliffs, hoodoos, and Slot Canyon. Tent Rocks does not allow camping and the route is only open during the day, although the Cochiti Lake recreation area is close by and has built campsites. It makes for a wonderful day excursion because it is a short drive from old Santa Fe. Wrapping It Up! In case you were searching for the best national parks in New Mexico, I hope that this log has been of much help to you. If there are any other queries related to the same, feel free to let me know. All that you need to do is scroll down till you reach the bottom of the page, then leave your comments and queries in the box below, And I will be there to answer them all for you! Read Also: Top 12 Montana National Parks You Must Visit In 2023! A Guide To National Parks In Georgia – Latest Guide Top 10 National Parks In Oregon That You Need To Explore 7 Best National Parks In Ohio You Should Know Before Going