Indian Lakes RV Campground

The Great Outdoors

Book an RV in Ripley County and you can start your journey by pointing your RV rental towards Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge near Versailles, a seasonal park that is open to the public from approximately April to November; the days and hours of operation (public access) can vary so you should contact the park management for more specific information. Big Oaks is designated an important bird area and is a must see for birders, with Henslow's sparrows, bald eagles, and golden eagles among the hundreds of bird species on hand (some use the refuge as a migratory stop or to spend the winter). It also supports numerous endangered species such as the Indiana bat and river otters.Mounds State Recreation Area is one of two SRAs located on the Brookville Lake reservoir; the reservoir was created to control flooding. Mounds State SRA was created later to provide sanctuary for the local wildlife and to provide public access to outdoor recreation. The park has almost a dozen different trails you can hike ranging from easy to moderately difficult; most of them are just a few miles long with one of the trails being a rugged primitive trail on the west side of the lake. This remote trail passes hills and winds through ravines; it isn't interrupted by roads, so you should wear proper hiking shoes and bring drinking water with you.Whitewater Memorial State Park, near the town of Brookville, is an idyllic place for you to fish, camp, or swim. This makes it a good choice for families. You can also hike the shoreline or go boating; a concessionaire provides hayrides, sleigh rides, and guided horseback trail rides when the weather is good. You can rent canoes and rowboats within the park if you don't have your own with you, and there are designated picnic areas with shelters if you'd rather relax and enjoy the scenery. If you're interested in learning more about the park's ecosystems and wildlife, the park has nature interpretive services that are available seasonally; contact the park management directly to learn more about them.

Exploring The Area

As breathtaking as Indiana's outdoors are, you should also spend some time in the towns and cities to experience some of their history and culture. Batesville is a good choice as it has urban parks with facilities like playgrounds and basketball and volleyball courts; there are trails where you can take a leisurely walk or bike ride, several golf courses if you need to squeeze a round in, and a historic movie theater that was built in 1921. There are places where you can shop, a historical museum that offers a glimpse of the town's past, and a wellness spa where you can reward yourself after your outdoor excursions. Batesville also has a long list of reasonably priced eateries ranging from clean, cozy, and comfortable to intimate and romantic.Milan is a small town whose claim to fame is having won the 1954 state high school basketball championship; this feat is made even more remarkable by the fact that it's one of the smallest towns in the USA ever to win a state championship. The high school's victory was the subject of the 1986 film Hoosiers and is commemorated locally by the Milan Basketball Museum. The town has a small but reliable restaurant scene with diners, cafes, and a handful of commercial chain-style eateries.A campsite at Indian Lakes RV Campground is an excellent place to base your Indiana explorations.