Top Indiana Campsites Every Survival Prepper Needs to Know

On May 14, 2025 By The.Daily.ChristianIn Indiana Survival Preppers, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As a survival prepper in Indiana, I know the importance of finding the right camping spots. Not just any campsite will do when you’re preparing for an emergency, wilderness survival situation, or just getting away to practice your skills in the wild. Indiana’s diverse landscape—from rolling hills and dense forests to clear rivers and lakes—offers countless opportunities for training, prepping, and getting that much-needed escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Whether you’re prepping for a natural disaster, TEOTWAWKI (The End of The World As We Know It), or just learning new skills for your survival toolkit, finding the right places to camp is critical. The right site can provide solitude, resources, and perfect opportunities for training your skills, honing your wilderness survival techniques, and perfecting your bug-out strategy.

The following list of Indiana’s top 30 campsites isn’t just about packing up and getting some fresh air. It’s about honing your survival skills, getting accustomed to your gear, and testing your mental and physical toughness in a variety of environments that Indiana has to offer. From dense woods to riverside sites, these campsites are ideal for preppers who want to stay connected with nature and prepared for any situation.

1. Brown County State Park

Located in the heart of Indiana, Brown County is the largest state park in Indiana. With over 15,000 acres of forested hills, it’s an ideal spot for practicing bushcraft, setting up your tent, and testing your fire-starting skills. You’ll also find numerous hiking trails and potential natural resources to test your survival instincts.

2. Hoosier National Forest

Stretching across 202,000 acres, the Hoosier National Forest offers many opportunities to practice wilderness survival. There are several primitive campsites scattered throughout the forest, perfect for honing your skills in shelter building, navigation, and resource management.

3. Indiana Dunes State Park

If you’re interested in practicing survival near water, the Indiana Dunes State Park is one of the best locations. Its proximity to Lake Michigan offers unique challenges, such as managing coastal winds and understanding waterborne survival tactics. You’ll also find sand dunes and varied terrain to test your wilderness adaptability.

4. Shakamak State Park

This park is a great location for preppers who want to combine lake survival with forested terrain. Its three large lakes are excellent for testing your fishing, water purification, and boat navigation skills.

5. Morgan-Monroe State Forest

Morgan-Monroe State Forest is perfect for preppers seeking solitude. With dense woods and plenty of wildlife, it’s a prime spot to practice camouflage, trapping, and observation skills.

6. Raccoon Lake State Recreation Area

This area offers water access, which makes it ideal for practicing water purification and fishing. The surrounding forests also provide opportunities to work on shelter building and fire making.

7. Tippecanoe River State Park

Tippecanoe River is perfect for preppers who want to focus on water navigation and survival. With campsites along the river, you’ll be able to practice boat-based survival, fishing, and living off the land.

8. Cataract Falls

This is the perfect spot if you’re training in both water survival and bushcraft. The nearby falls offer a chance to practice water filtration techniques, while the woods give you a place to focus on shelter-building and finding edible plants.

9. Charles C. Deam Wilderness

This 13,000-acre wilderness area offers a true challenge to survivalists. With rugged terrain and dense forest, it’s a place where you can really push your limits when it comes to navigation, fire-making, and food sourcing.

10. Pokagon State Park

If you’re a prepper focused on winter survival, Pokagon is ideal. With its sledding hills and deep woods, you can practice fire-starting in cold weather and test your cold-weather camping gear in real-world conditions.

11. Spring Mill State Park

This state park offers a range of natural features that will test your prepper skills, from cave systems for exploring to rugged terrain and ample wildlife for hunting and trapping practice.

12. Versailles State Park

With its dense woodlands and large lake, Versailles is great for water survival and bushcraft practice. If you’re prepping for a natural disaster, this is an excellent place to practice emergency shelter-building and water purification.

13. Yellowwood State Forest

This is a secluded and serene place, perfect for honing wilderness survival techniques. With limited development, it’s a great spot to practice skills like fire building, finding shelter, and foraging.

14. Turkey Run State Park

Known for its stunning canyons and rock formations, this park offers an opportunity to practice rock climbing, navigating uneven terrain, and testing your mental toughness.

15. Clifty Falls State Park

This park provides rugged, forested terrain where you can practice shelter-building and navigate the more challenging sections of the park. The waterfalls are a good opportunity for water purification and filtering practice.

16. Lake Monroe

Located near Bloomington, Lake Monroe offers great spots for fishing and kayaking, making it a perfect spot to practice water navigation and aquatic survival. The surrounding forest provides ample space for bushcraft training.

17. O’Bannon Woods State Park

Perfect for practicing survival skills, O’Bannon Woods offers primitive campsites and miles of trails. There are also several caves in the area, great for exploring and learning about sheltering in natural formations.

18. Deer Creek Wildlife Management Area

With a variety of ecosystems, including wetlands and forests, this location is great for practicing both survival and wildlife tracking. It offers limited amenities, allowing for an authentic prepper experience.

19. Laurel Ridge

A great spot to work on both navigation and survival, Laurel Ridge offers rugged terrain and steep trails, providing a perfect challenge for any prepper looking to test their hiking endurance.

20. Patoka Lake

This lake provides a good balance of water survival skills and forest-based training. Practice fishing, boating, and shelter-building while being surrounded by rich natural resources.

21. Ferdinand State Forest

Perfect for advanced preppers, this state forest offers a variety of terrains for shelter-building and fire-starting, while also allowing for wildlife tracking and even hunting opportunities.

22. Chain O’ Lakes State Park

Chain O’ Lakes offers a unique experience for water-focused preppers, with its many interconnected lakes. It’s ideal for waterborne survival tactics and camping off the beaten path.

23. Hickory Ridge Campground

Located in Brown County, this site provides a quiet, secluded area for preppers to practice solo survival techniques and hone basic skills like fire-building, foraging, and fishing.

24. Redbird State Recreation Area

A well-known spot for off-roading, this area also provides many trails for hiking and testing your survival skills in dense woods, perfect for testing your navigation and tracking abilities.

25. Pine Hills Nature Preserve

Known for its rugged topography, Pine Hills is great for practicing extreme wilderness survival. With rocky cliffs and thick forests, this is the place to test your endurance and self-reliance.

26. Ridgeway State Forest

For preppers looking for seclusion, Ridgeway offers just that. The forest is perfect for practicing advanced survival techniques like shelter-building in harsh environments and finding food in less hospitable places.

27. Salamonie River State Forest

Another great river-based location, this area allows you to practice survival techniques related to water access, purification, and shelter building in varied terrain.

28. Twelve Mile Creek Park

Located in the western part of Indiana, this park is a great place for primitive camping and prepping. The dense woods and creek access offer great resources for prepping practice.

29. Kankakee River State Park

Kankakee River offers a chance to practice survival in wetland and water-heavy environments. The river is an ideal location for fishing, water purification, and testing the effectiveness of your survival gear in damp conditions.

30. Hickory Run State Park

For the ultimate prepper experience, Hickory Run offers dense forests and pristine lakes. It’s the ideal location for testing your wilderness survival knowledge, whether it’s winter camping or heat endurance.

Indiana’s campgrounds aren’t just for weekend getaways—they’re practical training grounds for any prepper worth their salt. Whether you’re building a bug-out bag, practicing water filtration, or learning how to identify local flora and fauna, these campsites give you the real-world practice you need to be ready for anything.

North Dakota’s Ultimate Survivalist Camping List: Where Preppers Should Go

On May 14, 2025 By The.Daily.ChristianIn North Dakota Survival Prepping, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As a survival prepper living in the harsh, windswept landscape of North Dakota, it’s vital to have the knowledge and resources to thrive when things go south. Whether you’re building your bug-out bags, fortifying your homestead, or just testing your gear, finding the best campsites is a critical part of your prep. North Dakota is home to sprawling wilderness, dense forests, and remote spots where you can practice your survival skills, all while being close enough to civilization should you need to resupply.

In the spirit of preparation, I’ve compiled a list of 30 of the best camping sites across North Dakota for survival preppers. These campsites are not only perfect for testing your gear, they’re also the ideal environment to practice the skills necessary for surviving long-term in harsh conditions.

1. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)

Located near Medora, this park offers a mix of rocky hills and grasslands. Its diverse ecosystem will give you plenty of opportunities to test your knowledge of foraging, wildlife tracking, and shelter building. The South Unit is particularly rugged, providing an authentic challenge for any prepper.

2. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit)

The North Unit is known for its remote location and steep canyons. Perfect for testing your long-term survival skills in an isolated environment. The campgrounds here are primitive, so you’ll need to be fully prepared for self-sufficiency.

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3. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park

This state park is a good mix of history and natural beauty. While the campgrounds are more developed, there are secluded areas perfect for survivalist training. Set up your camp near the river for water access and use the surrounding forest to practice building primitive shelters.

4. Turtle Mountain State Forest

Turtle Mountain offers dense forests and rolling hills, ideal for practicing wilderness survival. The park is rich in wildlife, which gives you the opportunity to practice hunting, fishing, and trapping techniques. It’s a peaceful, off-the-beaten-path spot to test your skills.

5. Lake Sakakawea State Park

With its beautiful lakeside setting, Lake Sakakawea State Park is an ideal place for preppers to test their fishing, water purification, and boat handling skills. The remote campgrounds are perfect for getting some off-grid experience.

6. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site

This historic site offers an excellent chance to practice survivalist tactics in a remote, historically significant setting. Set up camp near the trading post ruins, where you can work on your fire-starting and shelter-building skills.

7. Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge

Des Lacs is a remote wildlife refuge perfect for quiet camping and survival practice. It’s a good spot for those who want to work on their camouflage and predator evasion tactics, thanks to its thick forests and vast open spaces.

8. Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area

This park features steep ravines, wildlife-filled forests, and rugged terrain, offering preppers ample opportunities to practice stealth camping and building shelters that blend into the environment.

9. Devils Lake State Park

Famous for its fishing opportunities, Devils Lake offers a great environment for water-based survival skills. It also features diverse terrain, including marshes and forests, making it ideal for practicing a variety of skills.

10. Custer State Park (North Dakota)

This state park has great, well-maintained campgrounds, but its remoteness also allows you to practice some wilderness survival tactics. Take advantage of its abundant wildlife to practice hunting and foraging.

11. Sheyenne National Grassland

Located in the eastern part of North Dakota, this national grassland is a great spot for those wanting to test their skills in more open terrain. With few trees and vast open skies, it’s perfect for honing your navigation and survival tactics in the wilderness.

12. Sakakawea Recreation Area

Another great spot near Lake Sakakawea, this area offers plenty of remote campgrounds for preppers looking to practice water purification, fishing, and campfire building.

13. Missouri River Bottoms

This area is perfect for practicing river survival techniques, such as fishing, trapping, and understanding river navigation. The vast floodplain offers some tough terrain to work with, helping you build your endurance.

14. Cedar River Campground

For more secluded camping, Cedar River Campground provides a great spot to hone your skills in water purification and shelter-building in a forested environment.

15. Bismarck-Mandan Area (Multiple Locations)

Although more urbanized, the Bismarck-Mandan area has several camping spots that offer easy access to wilderness trails and rivers. Use this as a base for urban survival training with easy access to resupply routes.

16. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

With both history and wilderness, this site offers an opportunity for preppers to practice stealth camping and historical survival techniques used by native tribes in the area.

17. Bear Den State Park

Known for its rugged terrain and remote campsites, Bear Den State Park is a great spot for testing your shelter-building and water purification skills.

18. Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge

A remote location with unique terrain, it’s perfect for practicing your hunting, fishing, and trapping skills in isolation.

19. Red River Valley

This location offers dense wetlands and forests, perfect for honing survivalist skills in a boggy environment. It’s a great place to practice your navigation skills in less forgiving conditions.

20. Grasslands National Park

For preppers who want to test their endurance in harsher climates, Grasslands National Park offers both beautiful and challenging terrain to help sharpen your survival skills.

21. Garrison Dam State Park

Known for its scenic beauty and outdoor activities, Garrison Dam provides an excellent area for water survival tactics, including fishing and water purification.

22. Pembina Gorge

A rugged and remote area perfect for practicing your bushcraft skills, including building shelters and fire-starting, while staying off the radar.

23. J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge

If you’re looking for a truly isolated spot for your survival prep, this wildlife refuge offers quiet campsites surrounded by nature.

24. Turtle Mountains

Known for dense forests, Turtle Mountains provides a great challenge for survivalists looking to build primitive shelters and practice tracking.

25. Eagle Point Campground

Located on the edge of Lake Sakakawea, Eagle Point provides a mix of camping experiences, from remote spots to well-maintained campsites. A great place to test your water purification and fire-starting skills.

26. Alkaline Flats

This remote location provides endless opportunities to work on your navigation and wilderness survival tactics in a desolate and tough environment.

27. Enchanted Highway Camping

Famous for its roadside attractions, the Enchanted Highway also offers wilderness camping. It’s a place where preppers can practice long-distance hiking and endurance, making it an ideal survival training ground.

28. Golden Valley

Nestled between hills and rivers, Golden Valley provides a perfect mixture of open spaces and forested areas, giving survivalists a variety of terrains to practice.

29. Lake Metigoshe State Park

Situated along the Canadian border, Lake Metigoshe offers both lakeside and forested campgrounds perfect for practicing wilderness survival skills.

30. Badlands Area

This rugged and harsh environment makes it ideal for preppers looking for a challenge. With steep cliffs, deep ravines, and dry terrain, the Badlands offer one of the most demanding survivalist camping environments in the state.

These 30 campsites provide the perfect opportunity for survival preppers to hone their skills in various terrains and environments across North Dakota. From dense forests to expansive grasslands, each site offers its own unique challenges. Whether you’re practicing shelter-building, foraging, or fishing, North Dakota offers everything a survivalist needs to prepare for the worst while enjoying the beauty of the state’s wild landscapes.