Whitewater State Park

We stayed a while in one of their cabins and were very impressed by the cabin itself and overall value. The park is kept up nicely. The staff is friendly and helpful. We rented canoes and went horseback riding during our visit; everything was great. Keep up the good work, Indiana!

We stayed at the cabins mid-​week ($ 70 per night) and they are about the nicest cabins in the system. 2 bedrooms, a big kitchen and living room.
The staff was helpful and nice.
My husband hiked and hiked and hiked.
Richmond has tons to see and do, even in the winter. We are planning to return in the fall.
NOT TO BE MISSED STATE PARK!

When we first moved to Indiana, we were missing having the beach about 200 feet away. We’d drive to the beach at this state park every summer.
Indiana and Ohio have a number of lakes and state parks like this and Whitewater State Park is quite pleasant.
I was here for the TEC (Tri-​Eastern Conference) Middle School cross country meet. No one was lying on the beach, and it was a bit chilly to think about that anyway. There was a good reflection on the lake and it was all quite pleasant. The person at the gate house was helpful and pleasant.
Directional signs are a bit small – or I’m a bit older perhaps – but you can find the horses, boat launching areas, or the beach easily while going the indicated 15 mph.

I’m into tent camping, relaxing and leisurely day hikes so that’s what my review will be based on. There are LOTS of activities available in the park if you’re into other stuff. The park is open all year but most activities are limited to the warm months.
Whitewater SP has a massive area for camping. A few sites suck, most are fine, and some are SWEET. If you’re going for the first time, tell the ranger at the gatehouse that you would like to roam around and pick your spot. If that won’t fly, rent a spot with your best guess. Once you’re in, check it out then look around before you start setting up. If you see something you like better, go back and ask the ranger to switch you. As long as it’s not reserved, they’ll get you squared away. Lots of grassy-​woodsy areas can be found as well as shady, secluded spots under big trees. It was cool to see all the variety. All sites have a solid table, good fire ring and a place to park. There were drinking water spigots, hot showers and real toilets here and there, as well as a few stinkhole outhouses. Um, avoid those… ’nuff said.
Whitewater has an issue with raccoons, so keep an eye out for them right after dusk and especially if you’re within sight of a dumpster. Secure your food and don’t camp near trash cans ! The little bastards got into a closed cooler inside a locking rubbermaid tub and snitched my waffles the first time I visited. The second night I paid better attention. I could hear them sniffin’ around for about 20 minutes after I hit the sack, then they gave up. No food = No raccoons.
The hiking trails are nice. There are five marked trails from 1 — 3 mi, plus paved roadpaths down to the beach and general store. Trails were well maintained and secluded, very beautiful. Unless you’re a smoker, expect easy and comfortable hiking through dense woods and canopy.
If you need provisions there’s a general store. Liberty, IN is about five miles away if you need groceries. If you’re REALLY hurtin’ there are two Walmarts nearby, the closest being a 20 min drive across the border in Oxford, Ohio (and Ohio sells beer on Sunday).
You won’t be roughing it at Whitewater, this is definitely city-​slicker camping. However, it whoops KOA (or similar outdoor motels) because the Nature hasn’t been beaten out of it. Hard to top that for around $ 10 bucks a night.
Happy trails