Outbound Collective logo

Hardin Ridge

Bloomington, Indiana

Book this listing through our partner Recreation Gov

About Hardin Ridge

Overview

Hardin Ridge is a 1,200-acre recreational complex located on the shores of Monroe Reservoir in Hooiser National Forest. The complex includes six shady campground loops, two picnic areas with shelters, and two rental cabins. The area offers something for everyone, with activities like camping, picnicking, boat launching, swimming, nature walks, and interpretive programs offered in a forested environment.

Recreation

A 300-foot swimming beach on Lake Monroe offers a place for children to play and swimmers to sunbathe and enjoy the water. The beach offers a combination of sand and sun, with a shady grass-covered hillside above. There are no lifeguards on duty. No glass containers or pets are allowed in the beach area. The Hardin Ridge Trail is a 2-mile hiking and bicycle trail that runs from the day use area to the various campground loops. This trail roughly follows the main campground road and provides a safe surface for families to hike or bike, as well as a scenic overlook. Fishing is allowed anywhere along the lakeshore within the recreational complex, but several quiet inlets provide secluded fishing holes along the lake's banks. Popular catches include blue gill, striped bass, large mouth bass and crappie. On the Ted T. Turtle interpretive trail, visitors can travel 1.2 miles through a scenic hardwood forest, along a small creek and down to Lake Monroe and back. On the trail, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the history, geology, and wildlife common to southern Indiana. For visitors interested in boating, the lake has a 3-lane launch ramp that is open year-round. A 75 vehicle/trailer parking area is also available as well as a fully accessible loading dock provided at the boat ramp.

Facilities

There are 197 camp sites at Hardin Ridge, 36 of which are walk-in tenting only sites. With the exception of Eads and Southern Point loops, the areas have electric hookups at about half the sites (walk-in sites to do not have electric hookups). Centralized water, flush toilets and showers are provided. In addition to the campground loops, there are two picnic areas with numerous tables, along with three shelter houses, two of which overlook the lake. Two of the shelters also have electricity and lights. If the shelters are not reserved, they may be available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is ample space in the fields around the picnic sites for games. The Hardin Ridge Recreation Area has two primitive cabins available for rent. The cabins each offer 6 bunk beds, one of which is a double bed, for a total sleeping capacity of 7 people. The cabins are located on the shores of Lake Monroe, between the boat launch and swimming beach. There is a picnic shelter nearby and a shared toilet between the two cabins.

Natural Features

Monroe Reservoir spans 10,750-acres and is the largest lake in Indiana. There is an overlook on Hardin Ridge Road that is spectacular in any season and gives visitors a high vantage point of the lake, colorful marinas across the water and a vast expanse of forest. The entire area is forested with hardwoods and is well-shaded to give visitors the feel of being in the deep woods. In spring, the dogwoods and redbuds bring bright color to the forest and in fall, the foliage offers colors in vibrant hues of yellow, orange and red.

Hardin Ridge Reviews

Have you stayed here? Be the first to leave a review!

Top Spots in or near Bloomington

Hike the Leonard Springs Nature Park Loop

Bloomington, Indiana
1.1 mi / 141 ft gain

Hike Griffy Reservoir North Shore Trail

Bloomington, Indiana
5.0
3.3 mi / 206 ft gain

Hike Scarlet Oak Woods

Bloomington, Indiana
1.6 mi / 269 ft gain

Mountain Bike at Brown County State Park

Nashville, Indiana

Trail 8 Loop To Hesitation Point

Nashville, Indiana
4.0
10.61 mi / 1253 ft gain

Ogle Lake To Trail 9 Loop

Nashville, Indiana
4.0
7.42 mi / 1135 ft gain

Camping and Lodging in Bloomington

Brown County / Nashville KOA Holiday
Nashville, Indiana

Brown County / Nashville KOA Holiday

Indian Celina Lake
Saint Croix, Indiana

Indian Celina Lake

Tipsaw Lake
Saint Croix, Indiana

Tipsaw Lake

Indianapolis KOA Holiday
Greenfield, Indiana

Indianapolis KOA Holiday

Batesville KOA Journey
Sunman, Indiana

Batesville KOA Journey

Crawfordsville KOA Journey
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Crawfordsville KOA Journey

Unfortunately, we don't have up-to date pricing data for this listing, but you can check pricing through Recreation Gov.

Book Now

Add your business today to reach The Outbound's audience of adventurous travelers.