McCormick's Creek State Park, Indiana's first state park, is getting a new campground. Gov. Mike Braun and the Indiana DNR announced the $25 million plan on Sept. 21. The campground has been closed since a tornado in March 2023, and the rebuild is designed around bigger sites and full hookups.
The rest of the park is open now, and fall is a good time to go.
"As Indiana's first state park, McCormick's Creek has been a place where families and friends have gathered and created memories for more than a century," Braun said.
What's new at the campground
The new campground covers 65 acres and will have 192 modern campsites, according to the state's announcement. Every one of them gets electric, water and sewer hookups.
The sites will measure about 32 by 40 feet. That's more room than the old sites had, and enough for today's larger RVs. Each site also gets parking for two cars, a picnic table and a fire ring.
For comparison, the old campground had 189 sites with electric only. The new one has three more sites, and each one is bigger and fully hooked up.
Tent campers aren't being left out. The 32 primitive tent sites will stay, and the park's existing group camps will still be available to rent.
The plan also includes:
- A new gatehouse and camp store
- Three new comfort stations
- Playgrounds near each building
- Substantial tree planting and landscaping to restore the area's natural character
The timber for the gatehouse and camp store will come from the state's own DNR Division of Forestry.
"Our team has worked thoughtfully and carefully to design a new campground that honors the park's history while creating space for future generations to explore, connect, and make memories," said Brandt Baughman, director of Indiana State Parks.
When will the campground open?
Construction bids open Oct. 20, 2026. The DNR expects construction to start by spring 2027, and the campground is expected to open in late summer 2028.
Is McCormick's Creek open right now?
Yes. The park, the nature center, Canyon Inn, the family cabins and most shelters are open. The campground, a few trails and the saddle barn are still closed.
Here's what's open on the trails, per the DNR:
- Trail 3 takes you to the waterfall and Echo Canyon, the park's best-known stop.
- Trail 4 takes you to the fire tower.
- Trails 1, 2 and 9 and the Bridle Trail are open for hiking. So are the Echo Canyon ADA overlooks.
- Trail 5, through Wolf Cave Nature Preserve, is open, but you have to get there from the nature center by way of Trail 8. The Wolf Cave parking lot is closed.
- Trails 6, 7 and 10 stay closed until the campground construction is finished.
The nature center is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October.
Canyon Inn is the park's lodge, and the 14 family cabins are booked through the DNR at camp.IN.gov.
Getting there
McCormick's Creek is just east of Spencer, off State Road 46. It's about 60 miles southwest of downtown Indianapolis, which is roughly an hour and 15 minutes by car.
- Address: 250 McCormick's Creek Park Road, Spencer, IN 47460
- Entrance fee: $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents, $15 for out-of-state vehicles
- Phone: 812-829-2235
Fall is a great time to visit, and when the campground reopens in 2028, it'll be ready for the next hundred years of camping.
