Backcountry Camping in Indiana: Permits, Routes, Bear Notes

Got a call last week from a feller in Indianapolis wanting to know if he needed to hang a bear bag in Hoosier National Forest. I told him probably not, but hang it anyway because raccoons in that country are smarter than your average bear. That sort of set me thinking — Indiana doesn't get the credit it deserves for backcountry, and the rules over there are different enough from out west that folks get tripped up.

I worked permits and trail crew out of Montana most of my career, but I've got a sister down near Bloomington and I've walked a fair bit of southern Indiana with her over the years. Sadie likes it too — soft dirt on her old paws. So this isn't me reading off a brochure. This is what I'd tell you if you called the desk.

Indiana backcountry is mostly south of Indianapolis, on a band of hill country the glaciers missed. State forests, the national forest, and one honest-to-goodness wilderness area. The trails aren't long by western standards but they'll wear you out — steeper than you'd expect and humid as a greenhouse in July.

Where the Backcountry Actually Is

You've got basically three buckets here. The Hoosier National Forest down around Bedford and Tell City. The state forests — Morgan-Monroe, Yellowwood, Clark, Jackson-Washington, and a few others scattered across the southern third of the state. And the Knobstone Trail corridor, which runs through state forest land between Deam Lake and Delaney Park.

The crown jewel, if I have to call something that, is the Charles C. Deam Wilderness in the Hoosier NF, just southeast of Bloomington off SR 446. About 13,000 acres. It's the only federally designated wilderness in Indiana. Trails like Sycamore, Cope Hollow, Hays, Axsom Branch — you can string together a respectable two or three night loop in there.

The Knobstone Trail is the long one. Roughly 60 miles end to end, used by AT thru-hikers as a shakedown route, and there's a reason for that. It rolls. Up and down those knob ridges all day. Trailheads at Deam Lake (near Borden), Jackson Road, Leota, and Delaney Park up by Salem.

And then theres the lesser-known stuff. The Tecumseh Trail through Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests, about 42 miles. The Two Lakes Loop in Hoosier NF, 13 miles, which is a real nice weekender. Pate Hollow Trail over by Lake Monroe. Good country, all of it, and most weekends you won't see more than a handful of folks once you're a mile in.

Permits — Who Needs What

This is where Indiana confuses people, because the answer changes depending on whose dirt you're sleeping on.

Hoosier National Forest — including the Deam Wilderness — does not require a permit for backcountry camping as of recent seasons. You're expected to camp at least 100 feet from water and trails, pack it in pack it out, the usual Leave No Trace business. In Deam specifically, group size is capped (16 last I checked) and you can't camp within sight of a trail. Always worth a look at the Forest Service site before you go because regulations do shift.

Indiana state forests are a different animal. For backcountry/primitive camping in places like Morgan-Monroe, Yellowwood, Clark, and Jackson-Washington, you generally need a backcountry camping permit from the property office. They're free or close to it, but you have to fill one out, and the office hours matter — if you roll up at 6pm on a Friday the gate's gonna be locked. Plan to arrive during business hours or call ahead. The Indiana DNR site has property contacts. Indiana state parks (different from state forests) mostly don't allow dispersed backcountry camping at all — those are developed campground operations.

The Knobstone Trail crosses state forest land, so the state forest permit rules apply. Get your permit from the property office that covers the section you're starting on. Most folks self-register at Deam Lake or Jackson Road.

Routes I'd Actually Send Somebody On

Depends what you want and how much time you've got. Here's the short list I keep in my head:

• Two Lakes Loop (Hoosier NF, near Bedford) — 13 miles, good first overnight. Water sources along the way but treat everything.
• Deam Wilderness via Sycamore and Hays Trails (off SR 446, southeast of Bloomington) — 14-16 miles depending on how you link it. Real wilderness feel.
• Knobstone Trail, Deam Lake to Jackson Road (near Borden) — about 12 miles, the southern chunk, gets you the climbs without committing to the whole thing.
• Tecumseh Trail through Yellowwood (near Nashville, IN) — pick a 15-20 mile chunk. Lots of ridgeline.
• Adventure Hiking Trail at O'Bannon Woods State Park (near Corydon) — about 25 miles with primitive shelters. Permit required.
• Pate Hollow (Lake Monroe, south of Bloomington) — short loop, good for a single night with kids who are testing the waters.
• Full Knobstone thru-hike (Deam Lake to Delaney Park) — 4-6 days. The shakedown route.

If somebody asked me which one I'd send my own family to, it'd be the Two Lakes Loop or a piece of the Deam. Deam's the one I'd pick for myself. The Knobstone is honest country but a lot of folks underestimate the climbing and end up calling someone for a ride at the next road crossing.

Bear Notes (Such As They Are)

Alright. Here's the deal on bears in Indiana — there mostly aren't any. Black bears were extirpated from the state about 150 years ago. In the last decade or so there have been a few confirmed sightings of young males wandering up from Kentucky, and the DNR considers black bears a species of special concern again. But you're not going to encounter one. The odds are real low.

That said, the rules of food storage don't change much. You've got raccoons, opossums, and the occasional very ambitious coyote, and raccoons in particular are persistent little bandits. I've seen them unscrew a peanut butter jar. Hang your food, use a bear canister, or use an Ursack — whatever you'd do out west, do here too, just for the smaller critters. Don't sleep with food in the tent. Don't cook in the tent.

Bigger concerns in Indiana backcountry, honestly: ticks (especially April through October — lone star, dog, and deer ticks all present), copperheads and timber rattlers in the rocky knob country, and poison ivy, which grows like its got a personal grudge. Long pants when you can stand the heat, permethrin on the clothing, and check yourself every night. Sadie gets checked too — those ticks get into ears something fierce.

Water, Weather and Seasonal Sense

Water sources in southern Indiana are creeks and seeps, and a lot of them go dry by August. Don't count on a creek being wet just because the map shows blue. Call the ranger district or check recent trip reports on AllTrails before you go in summer. Carry more capacity than you think — I'd want 3 liters on a hot day, easy. Always treat. The water looks clean but cattle range borders some of this country and there's old septic seepage in places you wouldn't guess.

Spring is the sweet spot — March through May. Wildflowers are something else, the bugs aren't bad yet, and the water's running. Fall is real nice too, mid-October through early November, but deer season opens in there and you'll want orange. Hunting is allowed on national forest and state forest land and the locals are out. Don't be a target.

Summer is hot and stupid humid. I wouldn't talk you out of it but I wouldn't recommend it either. Winter backpacking is doable and quiet, just be ready for mud and the occasional ice storm. Used to be quieter year-round honestly — internet found these trails about ten years back and the Deam gets busy weekends now.

Gear Notes for Indiana Specifically

This isn't the Bob Marshall. You don't need a four-season tent or a zero-degree bag for most of the year. What you do need is good rain protection because storms blow through fast and hard, and ventilation because you'll sweat through a sleeping bag in July. A three-season tent with a full-coverage fly and a 30-40 degree sleeping bag covers most of the season. I'd pick synthetic insulation over down for the humidity — down loses loft when its damp and Indiana is damp.

Footwear: trail runners or light boots. The trails are dirt and leaf litter, not scree. A canister stove is fine; you don't need a liquid fuel rig. Bring a bandana for sweat and a head net for the bugs in late spring. If you want my full gear thinking, I've laid it out over on the gear page.

One more thing — bring a real map. Cell coverage in Hoosier NF and the deeper state forests is spotty to nonexistent. The Knobstone has a published guide and the Hoosier NF sells maps at the Bedford office. Don't rely on a phone alone, I've pulled too many folks off the wrong ridge over the years.

Honest Take

Indiana backcountry won't blow your hair back like the Winds or the Sierra. But it's real, it's quiet on a Tuesday, the woods are old and the hollows are pretty, and for half the country it's drivable for a weekend. If you've never tried backpacking, the Two Lakes Loop or a short out-and-back in the Deam is about as friendly an introduction as you'll find east of the Mississippi. Get your permit if you need one, hang your food even though there aren't bears, check yourself for ticks, and treat the water. That's the whole game. More on regional parks, trails, and hiking over on the site if you want to keep poking around.