If you’re planning a visit to Indiana Dunes National Park and find that the public campgrounds are fully booked or unavailable for the length of your stay, Sand Creek Campground is a great alternative. We camped here during our trip to the park, drawn in by its availability and the added bonus of full hook-up campsites, something the state and national park campgrounds don’t offer. In this post, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about staying at Sand Creek Campground, sharing our personal experience and tips for making the most of your time near Indiana Dunes.
Sand Creek Campground Guide
1048 N 350 E, Chesterton, IN 46304
https://www.sandcreekcampground.org/
Camping Options at Sand Creek
Sand Creek Campground offers RV and tent campsites, cabins, and an authentic Mongolian ger (yurt).
Partial and full hook-up RV sites are available. Partial hook-up sites have water and 30/20 amp electric. Full hook-up sites have water, sewer, and 50/30/20 amp electric. Full hook-up sites are a mix of pull-through and back-in sites. Campsites have fire pits and picnic tables.
Sand Creek Campground also offers cabin rentals. There are cabins both with and without bathrooms. The most unique camping option here is the authentic Mongolian ger (yurt), which has authentic furniture and its own outdoor area with a fire pit and table.
Tent campers are also welcome at Sand Creek and tent sites are offered on a first-come first-served basis.
Sand Creek Campground Amenities
Sand Creek offers the standard campground amenities, plus a decent amount of activity options. There are 2 shower buildings, a dump station, coin-operated laundry, and a camp store. The hours at the camp store are very limited, though, so we never got to check it out.
If you’re looking for something fun to do in the campground, there is a swing set, volleyball net, basketball court, horseshoe pit, and soccer goals. There is also a pool that’s open seasonally, though from looking at other reviews it seems like it’s closed more often than it’s open.
How much does it cost to camp at Sand Creek Campground?
- Partial hook-up RV sites: $45/day, $275/week, $52/day holidays
- Full hook-up back-in RV sites: $50/day, $285/week, $60/day holidays
- Full hook-up pull-through RV sites: $60/day, $320/week, $70/day holidays
- Tent sites: $35/day, $200/week, $40/day holidays
- Cabins with bathroom: $95/day, $110/day holidays
- Cabins without bathrooms: $85/day, $100/day holidays
- Mongolian ger (yurt): $95/day
Cabins and the yurt both require a refundable $100 damage deposit.
Rules, Policies, and Reservations
Sand Creek campground does not offer online reservations, so you will need to call to reserve a spot. You also cannot choose your own spot, they will place you where they think is best.
Sand Creek tries to maintain a family-oriented atmosphere, so does not allow drugs, public drunkenness, or loud music. They made it clear at check-in that marijuana is not legal in Indiana and is not allowed in the campground.
Our Review of Sand Creek Campground
Overall, we wouldn’t call this a stellar campground, but it served our purposes while visiting Indiana Dunes. We had two weekend events to attend in the area, so needed a campsite for at least two weeks. Both Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Park campgrounds are very popular and not available for this long of a period. It was also nice to have full hook-ups, which neither public park offers.
We got into the campground later in the day on Sunday, so the manager had Josh call when we were close so she could meet us to check us in and show us to our spot. Josh said while they chatted he learned that the family running the campground actually leases it, and they took over running it a few years ago. The reviews online for Sand Creek are all over the place, but some of the issues before this family took over in 2021 seem to have been fixed.
Our campsite itself was fine, but the location was weird. We were near the swingset in a circle of sites. To back into our site, we had to go through a parking lot and partway through a field. Then after getting set up, had to disconnect and go park in the parking lot. Luckily no one was parked in the way when it was time to leave! There were 6 campsites that backed up to each other in a circle (think old-fashioned circling of the wagons) and the ger in our area. The main weird thing was that hook-ups for one site would be basically in another site. Our sewer hook-up was directly behind our neighbor’s RV.
The other issue with these sites is driving through the grass to get to them. One of our neighbors came in on a rainy day and got stuck (he went the way the manager told him to, it wasn’t his fault). He ended up getting so stuck in the mud he had to leave the rig in the grass and move it back into the actual site the next day.
Most of the outer road RV sites are used by full-time or seasonal residents. Everyone in this area was quiet, though, and pretty much kept to themselves when they weren’t out working. Then there’s also a large more traditional campsite area behind the manager’s house. Josh talked to someone camping in this area and he said that he had to move spots a few times because not all of the electric posts work.
Despite the issues with the campsites themselves, the campground was pretty quiet- especially during the week. The staff was friendly, and we could see that they were working on repairs and improvements. From what we saw online, it seems like they took over the campground with a lot of issues and have been steadily working at improving stuff.
If you’re visiting Indiana Dunes and either the public campgrounds are full, or you just want full hook-up campgrounds, we would recommend Sand Creek Campground- just don’t expect a luxury resort feel.
Internet Speed at Sand Creek Campground
We had good internet with both our Verizon and T-Mobile home internet while camping at Sand Creek.
What to Do Near Sand Creek Campground
Sand Creek Campground is in the town of Chesterton, which has plenty of options for gas, groceries, and dining. The campground is only 15 minutes from Indiana Dunes National Park- which is quickly becoming one of the most visited national parks.
We’ll be putting together a series of posts about Indiana Dunes and all there is to do here. Our first post 5 Unforgettable Experiences You’ll Love at Indiana Dunes National Park is up now!
Also check out our guide to things near the dunes: Explore More: 10 Hidden Gems Near Indiana Dunes National Park
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