Tipsaw Lake

The Tipsaw Lake Recreation Area is located on the shores of its namesake lake in south-central Indiana's Hoosier National Forest. It offers camping, picnic areas, boating, swimming, hiking, biking and educational programs. Boating, fishing and swimming in the lake are popular activities. Electric motors are allowed, and fishing for pan fish is considered excellent; the boat ramp and parking area are open year-round. A beautiful swimming beach with playground equipment and a modern bathhouse offers a combination of sand and sun or a shady, grass-covered hillside. A 5.9-mile trail for hiking and mountain biking runs from the day-use area around the lake, including scenic overlooks of the lake and valley and traversing a variety of forest types. A trail permit is required for mountain bikers age 17 and older. The area offers dozens of individual, double and group campsites, available for tent and RV camping, with group sites accommodating up to 65 people. Each site is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided, and the beach area is fully accessible and equipped with washing stations and changing rooms. Electric and water hookups are available at some sites and parking surfaces are paved. A day-use area provides access to the beach, picnic areas and shelters, and the boat ramp; horseshoe pits and open areas for games are nearby. The campground is adjacent to 131-acre Tipsaw Lake, in a hardwood and pine forest at an elevation of 380 feet, and is composed of five loops. Some sites are shaded and the roads are paved.