Reviews of Charlestown State Park. (Sports Complex) in Louisville (Kentucky).

Charlestown State Park

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390 Comments

Sports Complex

State park

12500 IN-62, Charlestown, IN 47111, United States

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Information of Charlestown State Park, Sports Complex in Louisville (Kentucky)

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Open hours of Charlestown State Park

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Reviews of Charlestown State Park

Kara-Jay Matthews

We have really loved staying here in our trailer! The rangers, camp hosts and other guests are lovely 😊 We accidentally booked our stay in electricity only but it’s been fine! Water pumps near by and hot showers so dry camping has been easy. The hikes are lovely and we have really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife. Rabbits, deer, turtles and even some raccoons! Great base for exploring Louisville and I’d highly recommend staying here!!

Michelle Fowler

Had a lovely time hiking and walking Trail 6 today! 2 moms + 1 preteen and 5 teens. Slightly rugged climb and ending with a leisurely walk. The fall colors were beautiful and the trickling waterfall (due to the dry weather) was still really cool. A little over 2 miles. Highly recommend Trail 6! Restrooms near parking.

Judy Vernon

I love this state park! It is well maintained. The two times we’ve stayed there were in full hookup sites. Easy to back into, level. There are 6 different hiking trails marked from easy to rugged. The most popular is the Rose Island Amusement Park Trail. Be prepared! The hike down to the amusement park is lovely. The hike back up is stroke inducing! It is super steep. Close to Louisville, Ky and Madison, In

Steven Rudnick

Awesome history and wildlife including turtles and fish. There is an old pool and other historic buildings that are still standing from the flood, won't ruin it with pictures, you have to go see for yourself. This is also wheel chair accessible but make sure you have a fully charged battery!

Ron Barnes

Charlestown State Park Campgrounds was exceptional clean, campground Hosts where informative about the area, there is history about the Rose abandonment amusement park on ground of yesterday era a must see of the past. Camping Reservations need to be made in advance on weekends, amenities two shower house, approximately 190 camping sites some with full hook up, and sites with just electric only, Electrical 120V, 30Amp, 50Amp fire rings, picnic tables, Rv dumping station, potable water, playground, picnic area, boat ramp, hiking trails, tranquil setting. Charlestown city is 15 - 20 minutes from state park (entrance) gas, groceries, hardware, banks. Approximately 30 minutes from Louisville, Kentucky. T-Mobile and AT&T 3-4 bars

Eva Higdon

It's a very interesting place to visit. There is a lot of history here. It was a wonderful amusement Park in the 1920's. With remnants of some of the things that were there then. It's a wonderful place to hike and picnic, Boat and camp.

Lady-Holly Of-Midway

Really good hiking trails but grab yourself a spider-web prevention stick to start it off right! Tons of webs in the path because spiders have no concept of human trails, they don't know! Beautiful scenery

Tiffany Platz

Absolutely loved our time here! Would love to come back to check some of the other trails. Came here mostly to see rose island and it didn't disappoint!

Ken Bell

Really enjoyed our stay, great state park. Caught the beautiful fall colors. Full hook-up sites made it that more special. Things to explore!

David Riggleman

While it may not offer the spectacular scenery like Turkey Run or Brown County, it makes up for it in unique history of a former amusement park (Rose Island). The trail to Rose Island is very steep, so make sure you are in good physical condition since it starts downhill and requires the long climb on the way back. But it's well worth the hike and the trails are very well done with information signs that really help you envision what life was like at the park a hundred years ago.

Amber Darnell

Absolutely beautiful very clean a must see and one of the best camp grounds I've ever stayed at I loved it here

Scott Jones

I've lived in southern Indiana for years, and I had never heard of the GEM hidden in the Park: the remnants of the Rose Island Amusement Park. Be forewarned: there is a significant hill that separates one from the parking lot (see sign below). But, at 65, I could make the upward journey with three rest stops. You will be rewarded with a walk-through a large historic park that at one time was filled with great times and good memories for our grandparent's parent's time. It is well worth the time!

Aaron Friedrich

The Rose Island trail is a really good time. The scenery is beautiful and the fact it used to be a famous amusement park is astounding.

Lindsey Price

7 hiking trails, ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate. All well maintained and easy to follow. Views of the Ohio River and 14 mile creek. Some rocks and roots make some trails more rugged than others. All of the trails are loops which is nice. Use trail 3 to get to Rose Island which is trail 7. Dog friendly.

Christina G

This is such a unique state park with some decent trails for every level. The history of the old amusement park is a cool experience!

Mindy Maynard

Love this place. Very private, secluded campsites. There weren't a ton of campers, its wasn't loud and noisy. Sites are very well maintained and very level. Bathhouse is nice and clean. Comfort stations are very well cared for. We will definitely be back. The staff takes pride in their park and you can definitely tell.

Jamie Martin

Nice park. First time here and it has been nice so far. Campground is clean and decent size sites. Bathrooms and showers are clean. First state park I have been to with full hook ups for trailers. Admittedly haven't been to a lot of them yet just getting into camping and making the rounds finally. Will definitely be back again to camp. The amusement park was a nice hike but the trail there is a pretty grueling decent then have to hike back up.

Amy Wright

A unique park with plenty of natural beauty to explore. Have done a few guided hikes here and thoroughly enjoyed them all. Jeremy (hike tour guide) is truly an asset to this park. All the layers of history at this location is very interesting. Highly recommend this park if you enjoy hiking. Most trails are medium difficulty level, but there's a couple of more challenging ones if you are up for it. The full moon and devils backbone hikes were awesome!

William Cook

Great place to camp. Quiet and accessible. Rose Island is an interesting tour and berry painting is very fun at the Nature Center.

saycy Eaglin

The first park I have visited in the US and i am so glad to get to see thr beautiful place so clean and neat !

Eric McHenry

Tour guide of Rose Island was awsome. Great overall experience and a really nice campground.

shawn pambianco

Pretty park. A lot of history, Rose Island is cool too but be prepared for the uphill walk back!

J Ander

Very cool place to walk. We loved the old, abandoned Rose Island (trail 3). It is paved and full of delightful surprises and interesting history. Beautiful views of the river as well. The bridge crossing 14 Mile Creek is really cool.

Wayne Whiteside

What a great place to stay, we were in site 66. Nice and large, somewhat level but not horrible. Water, sewer and electric. Very quite and would return for sure . Don't miss the rose island hike.

don dep

Love this state park. Being close to Jeffersonville and Louisville is a plus. It has nice and well maintained trails and is situated on the Ohio River. The campgrounds are clean and well maintained and have 50 amp service available.

nikki cunningham

Walked to Rose Island it was very neat but the steep walk down then back up was not really worth it sadly so probably wont do it again but glad we did it this time If you have trouble walking take the warning signs to heart it is Not an easy walk to the bridge!

Paige Middleton

If you enjoy hiking or just spending time in nature this park is PERFECT. Most of the trails will take you about 30min-2hr depending on your pace or how often you stop to enjoy the view. The park has tons of gorgeous water and rock features. It's definitely worth the entrance fee.

Wayne Hinkle

Great trails. Camping sites are spacious. Only complaint is the bathhouse faucets. I know they are designed to save water, but you have to hold down the handle with one hand in order to lather/rinse the other.

Janet S

I always like visiting this state park because of the large grassy sites, but they are not all that way. Some are smaller sites that are nestled within the trees, and most of pretty good privacy. The roads are well maintained and the bathrooms are well stocked and clean. We say rangers making rounds quite often, and most people who stay here are friendly family people. You will need to fill up with water before getting to your campsite. The dump and water stations are very tight for larger rigs, and the water spigots are on the wrong side of the RV. If you pull in backwards, you will be yelled at for doing so. The only reason this is not 5 stars is because they don't offer septic sites. Otherwise this is one of the nicest state parks I've seen. Our ATT service had excellent service with 3 bars, and 60mb download speeds. Our Verizon service had decent service with 2 bars and 15mb download speeds.

Gene Payne

Really nice park! Hiked trail 3 which was fairly easy. Main reason for the visit was the abandoned Rose Island amusement park. Very interesting! What a wonderful place to be able to visit in the 20's and 30's! Life was so much simpler then.

Kelley Byerly

We had a great time at Charlestown State Park. It's always so nice there. The kids have room to run and play. The playground is far away from the highway and far away from the main road of the park as well. I don't have to worry so much about cars. There is a large grassy area where they can run all their energy out. The playground equipment is well maintained and safe for them.

Dave Harlan

Lots of fun. Trails 1 and 2 are pretty flat while 3 has a nice climb up from the river. There were a few spots that needed some trail maintenance and more maps at the trailheads would make it a bit easier to navigate. The girl at the gate gave me the stink eye when I pulled up and didn’t offer me a park map when I paid.

Janet Rachel

It is SO beautiful now at Charlestown State Park and hardly anyone here now on the weekdays while school is in session. It has the nicest campsites. The second loop is now open as well at the two bath houses. Dumps operational too. Full hookups Available. Currently $23 for electric and $30 for full hookups. It is on the banks of the Ohio River near Louisville KY. It is right by Charlestown We love this park. 💜💜💜 4/13/2021

Joshua Robins

Beautiful trail (#8) and I loved the stories. Next visit will definitely be during a cooler month, like October...but, if you like to sweat...just bring lots of water.

Kristi Brady

Great campground! Sites are spacious, which the kids loved. Hiking trails well maintained. Shower rooms weren't the best but plenty of hot water and excellent pressure. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and it's on the books for a return trip.

Marci moo13

This is a huge park!! So many beautiful things to see!! Wonderful hiking trails! And the abandoned theme park is really awesome.

Shelby Daugherty

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will be coming back soon! Friendly people and a beautiful, clean area to enjoy yourself. We brought our dog and cat with the kids and had no problems.

Tim Herman

I enjoyed this area a lot. Be prepared for a nice long hike down and the up up up on the way back haha. There isn't a whole lot to see in terms of an amusement park from the 30's but there is just enough left to be able to imagine it with the help of nicely posted info signs/stops along the way that tell you what was there. The wooded area is beautiful even without the rest of the stuff to see. You can walk down right to the rivers edge at one point. If your a nature lover like me and you enjoy spotting different bugs, animals, flowers, etc. then you will LOVE this walk. Enjoy! Oh yeah... Google maps had us f*#%3d up LOL. Don't search for the "abandoned amusement park" search for Charlestown state park. There is an entry fee but we lucked out and no fee on Sunday.. Not sure of normal fees.

Ann F.

Cute park just outside of town. I was in desperate need of outside time and was looking for a place to hike for a bit and take in some fall colors. The stream was dried up. Hike was about 1 mile and pretty easy. There is a boat ramp, camping and lot of picnic areas. Several trails with different levels of difficulty. There is a charge to get in. I think it was $7 or $8 for out of state.

Tracy Lear

Great place to explore the history in the area. I like to ghost hunt which there is also some spooky history here as well!

Matt Fleenor

Terrific state park, well maintained and updated often. I have been hiking that park over 25 years and it never gets old. Great trails.... Cool Bridges.... Historic treasures hidden in the park everywhere, ridge tops, river views, waterfalls, wildlife. This is an outstanding place even in the winter.

The Gonzo Hunter

Those who know me know that I RARELY give anything 5 stars, and when I do it is well deserved. This park knocked it out of the park! Super clean, quiet, nice bathhouses, spacious sites, HUGE park with trails, boat ramp, an old historic abandoned theme park from the 1920s, helpful and multiple visible park rangers making their rounds, and Louisville and all it has to offer is just a short drive over the river. I so hope I get to come back thru this area someday, as I know where I will be staying again if I do.

Lauraine K

Love it here, perfect place to get away when you need a mental reset.

Troy “TBones” Westbrook

Beautiful park. Indiana DNR does an amazing job of keeping their parks neet and tidy. Spacious lots, room between you and your neighbor and mostly level. The park would get a 5 star but the Brown Stink Bugs were annoying and plentiful they found there way into the motorhome through every opening they could. If you don't mind the bugs this is a great park.

Aliza Brown

There is a $7 entrance fee for Indiana residents and a $9 fee for non Indiana residents. You will receive a map of the park when you enter. Miles and miles of beautiful trails close to the Ohio River. Learn about the rich history of Rose Island and visit some of the ruins.

Stacy Corwin

My husband I love to hike and I had been interested in exploring this park for a while. The hike to see what remains of the resort that was once located on this property is a pretty easy, family-friendly hike and worth it! Walking through the arch-lined walkway, one can imagine walking back in history. Beautiful scenery and some historic interest make this a great place to hike.

Tiffany Pulkowski

What a great park! The naturalists gave great programs that I highly recommend: Rose Island Tour and Creek Crawl. Very clean park. Will definitely visit again!

Michael Lynch

My family and I went camping at Charlestown State Park last weekend. We had a wonderful trip. Check-in was very easy at the main gate. All camp spaces were well marked. The campground was well maintained. We hiked on trails 3, 5, and 7. All were well maintained and marked for easy navigation. On trail 7 we met the park ranger for a tour of Rose Island. The tour brought this legend from the past to life for my family and I. Can't wait to come back!

My Home Assembly

Every interaction with any staff member has always been positive. They consistently take very good care of the park Very impressed, I try to hike there on an almost daily basis. Sometimes twice a day

Andy Crouch

Love this park! It's a great getaway if you're needing to spend a little time in nature. Miles of trails, well-kept, and great scenery.

Simon Kennedy

Amazing place to visit and also camp, however I have not camped there yet it is something I am looking to do in the near future. Charlestown State Park has a number of awesome trail walks you can do, there are 6 in total ranging from easy, moderate to rugged something or all ability and they all are amazing fun. Included in the trails is Rose Island Loop, Rose island was an amusement park in the 1920s cool right!?! This is located by taking Trail walk 3 it will tell you in the guide you can get when entering the park. Also, don't forget your bug spray, it's nature right 🙂 Few things to note and more activity and facilities. Boat launch Camping Fishing Hiking (as mentioned) Interpretive Naturalist Service (see guide) Picnic areas Playgrounds Shelters Telephone Additional information There is a cost to gain entry, again this is very reasonable and costs $7 each visit, alternatively you can buy an annual pass for $50 and makes great sense of your going to want to visit again 👌🏻 Hope this helps, enjoy the park.

Derrick Whitaker

Had been waiting to go here for so long, today on mother's day my mom and I went. Seen a lot of history in this place of rose island, I can't believe it had got flooded in the 1930's and lost everything. I believe if it hadn't it would still be here today. Trail 3 was one heck of a hike but well worth it. By the end of it mom and I were so tired we came home lol. I'd recommend seeing rose island, it's a very beautiful place with it's history there. I also wanted to find where the zoo was, so if you find out please let me know lol

Debra Adams

Our go to park to trail hike as a family

John Crash

Loved this place.. it was a big PLUS that we had FULL hookups. Was very clean and quite never did make it to the bath house no need. So couldn't tell you how they was. Planning on coming back here at the end of the year .

Krystyl_Rose

We came in the off-season so we had the park nearly to ourselves. The sites are spaced very nicely (no sardine spacing here) and are all very level. The park is well-maintained. The park ranger who helped us was very friendly and offered to give us tourist information for the area. You can't beat the pricing either, at $17.76/night we spent less here for 2 nights than we did at another campground on our way here for 1. We enjoyed our stay very much and would definitely stay again whenever we are in the area.

hguilford

My wife and I really enjoy this park. It is within an hour's drive from our home so even when we are camping we can be home in a short time if needed. We also enjoy the many trails in the park and our goal is to hike each of them. This is our park of choice for camping.

Ed Forbis

Early woodland wildflower Walk was informative, well led and entertaining. Highly recommend.

klieghj

Great trails, lots of wildlife (rabbits, deer, turtles, birds).

allen st.clair

Beautiful place,lots of trails, and camping. Rose island which is cool. Def recommend!

Karen Browning

The campground was clean and had lots of great spots! The showers were clean and had good water pressure. The Rose Island tour (ours was led by Hannah) was excellent! Our daughter attended a learning session with Hannah as well and enjoyed it greatly! Highly recommend her programs!

Trevor W

Nice trails. Some hills are steep so watch out! Spaced out sites. Good views of the Ohio. 14 mile Creek on trail 5 is nice. All around good campground for all ages. Some sites are not shaded while some are. When we got here trash was overflowing and it took 2 days to empty it. We could also smell it. We could fit our 42 foot camper.

James Easterling

Very quiet, the spots are huge compared to other campgrounds ive been too, the site my pics are from is site 6

T. J. Hart

Came here to see rose island and was not let down. Nice paved path to get to it, but make sure you are ready for a nice hike back as it’s mostly uphill.

Carl Smith

Very nice park and campground. The boat ramp can be really slippery compared to others.

Cody-Elijah Corum

Amazing place but that hike was a doozy

Dave Barone

We camped here over night, you just going to stay one night. The main negative that I see where the part is that we use the showers and they have this buttons you push you barely get three seconds of water every time you push the button which is a lot of work if you're going to take a shower. The upside is the bathroom and showers were very clean. There are walking trails if you like to do that people at the front gate are very friendly they'll answer any questions you may have. That's very disappointed that we had to pay $9 entrance fee on top of the extra money we spent for the site and the register for the site. Even though the sites might cost $30 for full hookups you're paying five dollars to register a line and $9 to enter the park. I'm guessing you probably could do better at a public park. But the public part probably wouldn't look as nice as this place.

Stacy Blunk

My love and I camped here the last 3 weekends. We had a womderful stay each time. We hiked a few trails and met some awesome people during our visits. The showers and restroom facilities were extremely clean and almost every camping spot in the park is a large size and lots of privacy too! Just reserved our spot for next weekend!!!

Shane Nichols

Trails 2 and 3 were beautiful. I saw lots of wildflowers, and the water flowing down the hills and through the creeks made a beautiful sound.

David Wolfe

Great State Park. Lots of camp sights for tents and small and big RVs. Great selection. Bathrooms were clean, but the pressure faucet and showers could be improved. Also the double charge for entering Park and camping a little much. Camping charge should be enough to use park.

billie voyles

I will most definitely be back with my family this is probably one of the best camp places that we have been to in a long time this was our 1st trip there and we will have many more to come

Miguel Crespo

One of the best state parks trails are really good so far alot of ticks on trails so make sure you take measures against them. Beautiful scenery lot of shades in the trails and some pretty good sites

Zachary Silverstein

Our family loves to go hiking here

Alexandra Bell

Beautiful park with lots of really neat trails. We hiked the trail for the Rose Island Amusement Park and it was so cool! Our boys absolutely loved exploring the abandoned park. We are definitely coming back.

martha spurlock

We enjoyed the 3 mile moderately difficult walk along bluffs over the Ohio River. Beautiful day too

Robin Demarest

We stayed here in our 34’ camper while sightseeing at Churchill Downs. Beautiful campground and facilities. I wish I lived closer so I could visit often. Great price, excellent park staff. I’ll be back 😎 …

Mary Tirmenstein

Beautiful views of Ohio River and nice paved trails however some serious steep inclines.

Susan Dolezal

Love this park! It's always clean and everyone is really friendly. Most of the sites are easy to back into and level. Our lab loved swimming in the Ohio River

scott wuest

Beautiful park. Nice small campground. 106 is a nice corner lot. Pad is a little uneven side to side but nothing major. Nice fire ring with a large grill. Next to the bathhouse and a water spigot although no threads on the spigot. They warn you on the website but there is an entry fee even if you're camping.

Shayna Riley

Travis are all pretty much all "moderate". It's a beautiful place. Some trails run along the river and you can hang out and watch the barge go by. Lots of wild life, and water falls. I once seen an eagle

Jim Duncan

The spring wild flowers are coming up.These trails are challenging and worth hiking year round. Rose island is cool, but off trail there is a old dam and old home stead stairs leading to the basement are rounded and kept in place with out mortar for the 1800s it is amazing to me.There is the Ohio River you can launch a boat. Lots of picnic tables. Camp sites are nice and shady lots of room between sites.This park will only get better with time.

Joel Villarreal

Love the trails and the history points on rose island. Very dense forest and full of wildlife .

Michael Portwood

Nice place to hike with your dog. We hiked trail 5 today. It has several muddy spots with all the recent rain. There was only one tree down across the trail. Just happened to have a snake sunning itself on it.

Naeim Torkian

Beautiful park , if you have plan to visit make sure to not miss the Rose Island area!

Matt Fowler

Beautiful place to go hiking around for a few hours!!

Candy Bailey

Fun, interesting park, with beautiful scenery. Love the history of Rose Island!

Jonathan Parrish

Visited rose island and it was amazing except for the walk out up Trail 3. If you are not in amazing shape be prepared to stop a few times on the way out.

Aiyana Nye

Very beautiful. Well maintained with clear markings. Over all a very nice park.

Maren Boehm

A favorite place to be in nature. I recommend the Rose Island tour as well as the talk about the ammunition factory. Both worth your time and the ranger is super helpful with the information he shares.

Neal

Definitely in need of mowing really bad. Wouldn't hurt to cut some trees down in the areas were campers have to park. Cant always get yours slides out all the way An trees need to be trimed over road ways. Beautiful park but management is slipping at there job. An the porta potties were not clean or touched the 3 days i was there.

Wendy Garone

Lovely park to camp in. Hiking, beautiful scenery, and nice sites. Would go back again!

Luke Andrews

Very nice park. Well taken care of. Had engagement pictures taken here and it was great! Highly recommend going and talking a look if you are in the area.

Janet Mysliwiec

The paths are easy to follow. I really like trail 5 - it gets a bit steep at times, but not too terrible if you're expecting it.

Ryan Bachman

Very interesting place to see and to learn about. But the hike to it is a workout in a half.

David Rosales (The Cycle Mechanic)

This is a very beautiful Park! However, the showers are push button, with maybe a 15 second timer! Think about it!!!

Jan Mietus (DVE)

Nice park for site seeing, hiking, boat launching, hiking, camping etc.

Johnny Newton

beautiful but, it was very crowded camping area. but , it was a pleasant trip all together.

Karl K

Pretty good place to enjoy the day. Has tables, toilets, urinals, and drinking fountains, but no place to wash one's hands. This one does have well-defined hiking trails, however.

Daniel Miller

Definitely on the top 3 list for our family! The campground features large sites. We enjoyed the Rose Island trail the most. It is really informative and well done! We can't wait to go back!

Kevin Popeck

Beautiful scenery and some amazing trails and paths. Great place for enjoyable walk or if you're looking for some good cardiovascular exercise, Charlestown State Park has it for you.

Donnie Judd

Great place with 6 or so walking, hiking trails nice sites

Joe Speer

A lot of the spots were just gravel. However, if you pay attention to what you reserve, there are nice spots as well.

carey herring

The park was really nice and the shower house was really good had trail’s to hike

Betsy Bond

A fine overnight stop for us, need to come back for an extra day to hike the trails. Did enjoy a bicycle tour of the untrafficed park roads. Hillier than expected! Very clean, large easy to level sites. Many wild rabbits, also saw a beautiful doe grazing near the boat launch. Super quiet overnight, campground maybe 10% occupied.

Natalie Walters

Every trail here is wonderful, and their events are really fun (like the moonlight hikes!). Staff is friendly and property is kept clean. Camp sites are not hammockable, but they are level. Wonderful place to star gaze.

Chef Penny

We had a good camping trip. Weather was not the greatest but what you expect for March. Our Camp site was paved and level for us It was electric only. Bath house was very clean. The park was so quite all we heard was the occasional airplane. Campers were friendly.

Gail Newton

Charlestown Park is a place we often go. We love all the natural creations God made for us.

Jeff Ricketts jtr arrowheaad man

What fun state park and the trails are amazing

Nick Hammond

Great campground, a pool / restaurant would make an amazing state park!

Martha Gaines

Very clean, underused park. Great hiking trails.

Jignesh Shah

Huge state park. Some very good trails.

Nightstalker 816

I'm camping here for a week and possibly longer because of it being so nice. Its very clean and is very well taken care of.

Shannon Davis

Not worth the walk down to the historic area. Not down, and certainly not up it. There is nothing there left! Nothing to really look at. Very boring and disappointing. And the few things that are left, aren’t even labeled. So you have no idea what this one and only tiny mound of rocks actually are. Also there was NO trash cans throughout the entire park. Not even in the historical area. Even in the actual picnic area. But seriously... should there not definitely be some around the picnic benches, of all areas. It’s like they are encouraging people to litter. And the bathrooms were terrible. Not even gonna talk about them. The gate guy was nice though

HeRe So

Nice rugged trails. Campground could use a few signs reminding folks to pick up after their dogs. There is no camp store. Shower houses are average.

Kevin Blanton

Having never stayed at state park previously ,we figured we would try one while visiting family in Indiana. The whole park was meticulously landscaped. I was a nice setting, however during the weekends it was too busy for my liking with all the weekend warriors. During the week days it was nice and quite. Being a full timer I suppose I have become accustomed to staying in more secluded and quiter places. But it was a nice park.

E K

Amazing place to explore and hike and spend the day with nature

Rod Dowell

Campground is pristine and sites are nice and level! Cell service is decent too, with 5G available at times.

Matt Heinzel

Lots of fun and crazy to see the flood levels.

Pat McGroyne

Very nice park. First visit. The hike down/up to Rose Island is really a fun little adventure. We'll be back to explore more. I'm not sure if there are plans for further development, but it's a fairly large park with nice trails and river overlooks. Could benefit from additional restroom facilities at the Rose Island trailhead (or any, for that matter). Office/visitor center is small but very well kept with a variety of items you may need or want, including t-shirts and ice cream treats.

Diana Ferguson

Stayed 4 days. No charge at all. Most of campground was blocked off. Bathroom on site but didn't use so not sure if it was open. Quiet and I felt safe. I'm sure it is busy during the camping season but it was perfect for me while traveling thru the state.

Sam Whatley

Had a great time on the guided hike at Rose Island, and I'd heard about the steep road, but dang! I had to jog down it 😂 I returned via Trail 3, which was thankfully very shaded and cool. Got in about five miles total that day, and it's just a beautiful place to visit! …

Kenneth Applegate

This is one of the largest state parks in Indiana. Also one of the youngest state parks. Great place to visit. It would be even better if they would open more area and build a lodge.

meriah flores

Hell of a walk down hill but definitely worth it in the end loved this place

Kendra Zumhingst

We love Charlestown State Park campgrounds! Great trails, nice spacious lots, full hook up lots and scenery is gorgeous!

Dot Jones

This park is clean and Trail 2 is lovely for a little family hike.

Victoria Fikan

Only complaint is the showers. But other than that a really good campground!

Pat Leuthart

The place is so thick with invasive plants you can't see anything when hiking

kiskankey

Great trails to hike in. Beautiful scenery.

Rebecca Copeland

Very well kept, bathrooms an showers were clean an always had hot water.

Earl Buck

Great place to go hiking. Many trails.

T Luna

We had a great family camping experience!!

Heath Chambers

Great place to check out... worth the trip

Delisa Chinn

It’s a beautiful place. Quiet and easy to walk. Hiking to the waterfalls gets a bit muddy in spots so wear your old shoes. Have a great time. It is uphill hike to falls and bridge.

BanditHQ32

A hidden gem for nature lovers and those looking for some outdoor exercise. Many well maintained trails and spectacular sights all around. Pet friendly, get out there and enjoy what nature offers

Martin Cabela

Nice park on the Ohio River. Enjoyed the rich story of Rose Island. Site of Indiana's first inground swimming pool. The hike was beautiful but possibly too steep for some.

Danielle Oeffler

Very nice park!! Large flat sites!!! I wish there were more full hook up sites but that certainly wouldn't stop me from coming back!! 10/10

Garrett Smith

Great people, quit at night, an over all great experience!

margaret russell

Nice small campground, appeared well taken care of, looked like most sites nice size. We just stopped over night on our way south. Early spring and water was not turned on yet so can't comment on restrooms. The dump out was open and one winter potable water faucet available.

Rachel Shields

Ready for a hike that'll burn your calves on the way back up? Check out Rose Island and twirl in the dance hall or catch a few butterflies by the pool. Want a beautiful view while you eat lunch on a bench with your favorite person? Take the road before the boat ramp and enjoy a large paved lot and maybe spot a sail boat in the distance. Needing a peaceful drive through lush greenery with a continuous parade of wildlife? Charlestown State park is the hidden gem you're looking for!

Shawna Scott-Hamilton

Trail 2 was awesome, but we've had a lot of rain the last 2 days to help the waterfalls be active. Many fun trails here, campsites are spacious and many have some shade sometime throughout the day. Full hook-up was awesome!!Cell service and data available throughout the park. Camp store is really just a small souvenir shop, so don't count on getting essentials here, but town is very close. Wish there was an interpretive center! Very clean and pleasant!

Donna Barton

I buy a pass every year and I love walking the dogs along the road during hot weather. Less ticks. The park employees are awesome and the park looks great. I wish they had a gravel path along the road for walkers because some cars go too fast.

Ethan VanAernam

Good trails for adults as well as a mild loop for children and an excellent play ground and picnic shelters. You can even go to rose island for those more interested in history than nature. It's a great place to be.

Anna Roark

Beautiful park! We went to see Rose Island, the hike there at night was a little scary, but once we got to the bridge the view was amazing. We visit quite often to walk to Rose Island and plan on going hiking and doing picnics when the weather gets warmer.

madisontadpole Wis

Do not follow google directions when coming from the north on hwy 65 when pulling a trailer. Hwy 160 through henryville is Narrow, hilly,winding road with no shoulder. Stay on 65 south and come back up highway 62. Once there, camp was pleasant with good facilities and friendly rangers. Only there for one night, but would come back to explore more. Sites are a little more separated and private than most.

scarlett kessler

3 stars because I enjoyed having full hookup. The showers in the bath house were frustrating. Water goes on and off before you can rinse off. We paid ahead for our reservations but were charged $9 to enter the park. (Indiana residents have to pay $7) Y'all come to Kentucky, our parks are beautiful, bath houses are nice and you aren't charged just to enter!

Whitney Albrecht

The camping spots are great! Each spot is paved and ours had gravel in the sitting area. We were in the paw paw loop and most of the spots has trees surrounding it so you have some privacy. We did trail 6,3, and 7 (Rose Island), and enjoyed them all.

Robin R

Beautiful campground!! Quiet , very clean, lots of facilities.

J. Case

Amazing waterfalls, abandoned buildings, and views of the river

McKenzie Iglehart

Very clean and well kept. Very beautiful park.

Donna Nedrow

Great park and campground. Unfortunately lots of ticks!

Bruce Venable

This is a great state park even though it doesn't have much in the way of amenities. The campground is really nice with both full hookup sites as well as electric only sites. The trails are nice and Rose Island is pretty cool to see as well to see how people spent their summers in the 1930s. It would be great if they would add some more trails and maybe even a lodge but it's still a great state park.

Joe McBride

Great campground and spacious sites. Unique things to do. Helpful that Charlestown is right by the park access to a grocery store and other things. Kings Donuts are awesome!!!

Verena Mahlow

A very beautiful, well kept and peaceful campground!

Frustrated Opossum

You should check up on the history of this area if you haven't already! The people that work here are absolutely wonderful and don't have a prejudice bone in their body. The park is usually astoundingly clean too but remember we all gotta do our part so please at least pick up after yourself. Definitely one of my favorite state parks and I've heard it's a wonderful place to work too!

Adrian Crenshaw

I just go out there to hike a lot because it's my closest state park. Really like it. If you want an easy pretty trail, do number two, whoever the prettiest one is number six and it's a little bit more difficult.

Marla Fox

Full moon hike is always a great adventure!

Shawn Hett

Great trails and history all in one place.

Kenny Taylor

Nice quiet spot in the back of the park fishing hasn't been great but it sure is peacuful.

Tamara Mazzoccoli

This is one of my favorite hikes (#3, 4 & 7) if only for the history. There are signs throughout Rose Island providing information about it's claim to fame in the roaring 20s. There are markers that show the height of the flood waters. There used to be wind up narration on some of the signs but because of the pandemic, they've been removed. The hike is easy but getting out is up a steep paved road but there is a picnic table in the middle of the hike up to rest and enjoy the view 💚💚💙💙

Madison Young

Very informative park rangers. Very clean. Friendly! Gift shop was small but had essentials you may forget when camping. Rose island was a little disappointing. The signs were informative but it just fell flat from what I was expecting.

Tony Coleman

Very quiet and very clean. I enjoyed my stay. One thing that's odd, if you paid for a reservation, you still have to pay an entrance fee. I wish they would include that as a line item on the reservation.

Jenny Nogov

This park is absolute beautiful. The Rose island trail is near to see one time but it’s not the most beautiful. Make sure to give the other trails a chance. Number #1 is very nice with a lot of moss and wildflowers.

Melissa McFail

Our off-season visit in mid November was great! We stayed 2 nights Sat/Sun. Charlestown State Park is a well managed, lovely park in Southern Indiana. Everything was clean. Grass and trees were trimmed and neat. Rv camp spots were level and plenty big enough for our 40' rig and Jeep SUV toad. Sites have very nice spacing, new picnic tables, and fire rings with attached grilling rack. Campground was nearly empty when I visited. Shower house was closed for winter. They have a little camp store, but I didn't visit. Will definitely return! Would love to explore when time and weather allows.

Josh Middleton

Amazing state park lots of history a must see

Jon Geise

The park is pretty. It has some good views of the river. I wish there was a bathroom where we parked our car.

wayne schwiegerath

Great park with huge lots. So are shaded and some are open. Limited number if full hook ups. Easy dump station access for electric sites. Lots of water stations around loops for water. Boat Ramp is very large and has lots of trailer parking. Ramp is a little steep.. But Ramp is concrete with tractio ct uts for grip.

Chas Wilson

I love this park it's so beautiful and peaceful. They have some awesome trails to hike and a great campground too. It truly is a beautiful, clean and friendly park. Pets are welcomed too (on a leash, and please clean up after them, not only is it a rule, it's also the right thing to do. No one wants to step in 💩. Thanks 😃) that's a plus in my book. Our little dog loves the park as much, if not more, than we do. 😊

James Stevenson

Amazing trails of all difficulty levels. Picnic areas and access to the Ohio River.

David Waddell

Spent a good part of the day here, beautiful area. Massive with multiple areas. Campground looked really nice albeit a little civilized for my likes when it comes to camping. Checked out all areas of the park. Walked on the trails to Rose island. Was both beautiful and creepy / fun to be in an area that had been reclaimed by nature. Saw a family of wild turkeys and a deer. Didn't know there was a $7 fee to enter but was more than worth it. Me and the family will definitely be back.

Garrett Downing

Nice park, nice bath house. One camping loop is full hookup, the rest are just electric but they have a filling station right across from the dump station on the way into the campgrounds . Lots of nice hikes here but we really enjoyed going to Rose Island, the abandoned amusement park. Worth the trip, but be warned, the hike to the park is steep and a bit difficult. Then you got to walk back up it!

Heather Kane

So fun had a blast with my kid and his friend

Daniel Devadatta

Interesting and different kind of hike. The focus of course is the flood of 1937 that destroyed the amusement park, resort and zoo. I just hiked the Rose Island trail but there are more trails in this latest Indiana State Park..

Larry Davis

Its perfect for hiking. Beautiful trails and right next to the Ohio river. We went to see the Rose Island Abandoned Amusement Park. Only downside is there is a very steep and long hill at the beginning that there is no warning sign about. We had a stroller and it was a pain in the butt pushing it down and back up. Lol. But the place was great besides that! Highly recommended!

Lisa Decker

Lovely little state park! Has full water/sewer hookup, nice hilly roads for biking, a few nice rugged but short hiking trails and is a great location from which to explore southern Indiana and Louisville. Sites are paved and level but most have no shade.

Tom Williams

We love this park. It's huge and lots of nature.

Candace Ganahl

Very interesting park. They have an abandoned amusement park on an island inside the park. The hike to and from the island is very steep in and out. Wouldn't recommend for young children, strollers, and elderly. Other than that very nice park.

Skip

What an amazing State Park and campground. The trails were nice and there is a lot of history in this park to discover. It is right on the river so sitting down by the water was very peaceful. We stayed at the campground which was very spacious, very well kept and modern with full hookups and 50-amp services. Close by to all your grocery and shopping needs and nearby all the attractions to be very convenient. Far enough off the roadways to be completely quiet also.

Jose Avila

Enjoyed Rose Isle, but that walk up the hill is something else!

Criss Searcy

I had not been here in a long long time we took our dog and we went and walk some trails it was beautiful very well taken care of Park love this place

Mark Hischier

Wonderful State Park for camping (Tent to large RV). Excellent hike trails. Some paved, some rugged. All beautiful. "Front" loop of sites are all 30 amp service. The back two loops have 50 amp. Some have water and sewer. You can only fill tanks at the dump area or pirate from an empty full service site.

Brent England

Visited for first time on spring break , overall very good , no water hookups due to cold weather, DNR came around alot which is good, only negative was dumper was over flowing and all staff were great

Mike Bower

My wife and I had been going hiking here for years. Then 3 years ago we got a camper and this has been a pretty convenient place to get away from things. The campgrounds are always clean and orderly. The shower houses are some of the cleanest I've seen in the 3 years we've been camping. The staff is always friendly. We've never had any issues with ppl breaking into our vehicles at trailheads. I would give this park/ campground 5 stars if it weren't for the lack of activities. Once you've hiked all the trails there's not much else to do unless you have a boat that you can launch into the Ohio river.

Tracy Woods

This is a huge beautiful area to hike, and explore. Filled with such rich history!! This is one of my most favorite places!! There is something for everyone! Easy to hard trails. They have night hikes, once a month, and they are amazing!! Trail 3, tells of the history of Rose Island. There are still some relics of the times past, and very rough terrain off of trail 3. They also have a beautiful play ground area. It is a must visit for the whole family!!

Lori Nagel

The park and campgrounds were beautiful - I'd give them 5 stars. The Rose Island trail was a lot of fun. However, the bathhouse (men's and women's) in the Mulberry Loop weren't cleaned until the day we left (I'd give them 0-1 star). We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon (not clean), Wednesday (not clean), Thursday (not clean), Friday (cleaned right before we left at 1:30 pm). The garbage was smelly, there was hair all over the shower floors, the mirrors were spattered, and I had to clean out the sink myself. Only the toilet paper seemed to get replaced. It was disappointing since everything else about the place was just wonderful. But the showers were so dirty that I decided not to take one on my last day!

Ds Nightmarez

Was eerie a lil to me but I loved the experience. We only did trail 3 and 7 but it was a bit intense steep. Have a wonderful hike.

Mark Reece

Really enjoyed the hike and the history. We went down to Rose Island...just a heads up, this is a decently hard hike no matter if you go on the paved trail or the hiking trail through the woods. Take water and the description of rugged on the map is fair.

Ethan DeGonia

We had our sons first birthday party here today. It is a beautiful park well kept. Only disappointment was no trash cans at the shelter house we reserved.

Trish Sewell

The campground itself is beautiful. It is very well maintained with spacious sites. The hike to Rose Island was very pleasant. Definately not as grueling as I expected. My main complaint is the showers. They are push button and cold. I could not figure out for the life of me how to get hot water during my shower for longer than 30 seconds. I guess it's the 2% rule. Oh well. Other than the showers (which is big since I was a tent camper) the campsite would be 4 stars.

Kelly G

Very clean park. The rose island hike is really worth it.

C Bonner

Very clean and well maintained State Park.

Jenny Blocker

Beautiful area. Very busy though.

David Rettig

Crazy steep hike to Rose Island. Not for the faint of heart. Once you arrive, Rose Island is an interesting historic spot, but there is very, very little of the site left.

anthony taylor

Bathroom was clean but has spiders and bugs in the shower

kristy Kimbler

Beautiful place to visit

tracy bartlett

Excellent State Park to stay at , clean, well kept, and many full hook ups.

Cody Spoon

Stay here a few times with family being only 15 minutes away from the park. We have never had any issues. Stayed here one time in the middle of the summer and had a bad breaker on our box. The ranger was out there in 10 minutes to fix it so we could run our AC. We have also stayed in the winter.... only the main loop is open, and water is only available behind the ranger station in the camp ground. Electric still works, and the dump station is also open.

Jacob Phillips

I love this park. I've been visiting this place for years, mainly for hiking. The trails take a bit out of you, which is unfortunate if you're not fit enough. The only trail I would say is "easy" for everyone is the well known Rose Island loop, but it's connected to a trail that takes people up and down a rather steep incline. Camping is fun. The hookups are great, and the playground on the property is fun for young guests. The boat ramp on the Ohio is one of the best ramps I've used. Parking exceeds all expectations, and the ramp easily accommodates large trailers. The only thing that kills it is the lack of a dock. There was formerly a very small dock that did nothing more than what it was designed to do, but it has been gone for quite a while now. I hope there will be some sort of dock constructed there in the future.

Debbie Schaefer

We hiked 4 different trails today. I loved every one! They were all well marked and you could tell they had been recently maintained. Sure do wish Indiana would give more money to the parks to fight the invasive plants.

Amberly Bromley

Really cool place, nice campground.

D. Ice-Cable

This park was a good visit. We camped in the RV campground and other than some serious overgrowth in places it was a good overall experience. We did receive a power surge from the electrical hookups that caused our AC breaker to blow but that was our fault for not having a surge protector. I would recommend this place to any of my friends.

Nick Doub

Campsites were very nice had plenty of privacy in the Paw Paw area. Roads in Campgrounds and park are very nice. Only downfall was small fire pits with a cooking grate that took up quite a bit of space.

Scott Reynolds

We had a really good experience. Some really good campsites. Shower houses are available for those needing those facilities. A few handicap sites as well. Only downfall is the fire pit rings are a little ways away from your site. Offers a camp store, but didn't get it go in there because it was closed. Other then that it was overall a great place. Looking forward to coming back again soon.

Brent Gavin

Underrated Indiana state park. Has an excellent and clean campground that offers full hook up sites!! Full hook ups are very uncommon at state parks. Also, ideal location if looking to find a campground in the vicinity of Louisville.

Phillip Riley (Just Plain Phillip)

I just went there for the first time. It's early spring. The trees are budding and all the spring wild flowers are blooming. Took trail 3 loop and went to Rose Island. It was all pretty neat. Lots to see. There's many posters that explain the history and what happened there. There are a few shelter houses, but if you want a great shady spot picnic spot, hit Cedar Grove. Will definitely be back!

J Sing

The showers and restrooms were immaculate. The park was very clean. Did not like the $9 per per car entrance fee. Hated the one car limit per campground. We brought two vehicles and paid $18 and could not keep both vehicles with us. That was a major hassle as far as appropriating our equipment between cars.

Sagnik Bhadury

During the September it stays so green that you'll fall in love with the forest. We went on the Trail 6, did a little picnic with our friends. Temperature stayed around 77-79 degree Fahrenheit. Seeing aquatic fossils on some of the rocks we found high on trails will definitely make anyone wander about the Ohio River.

mike checkley

Great hiking, beautiful place

Heather Forler

This is a nice park. We have camped here often. This last time was not our favorite. The grass was really tall! Should have been cut before the weekend!! Do they ever plant grass seed? Both of our sites had alot of grass (though way too tall!) But 1 site had bare spots that were right where you would park camper and enter and exit out of it. Nothing but mud!!!!! Also, I understand there are rules and signs posted but certain situations should not raise such a fuss! We had 2 campsites. 1 had our camper trailer and tow vehicle and the other had 2 tents. My husband and I where camping with our son and a few of his friends. It rained all weekend! On 1 night a park dnr officer stopped and told us we had too many vehicles on 1 site. There were 3 cars but all were parked on concrete pad. No one in road or grass. Again, it was pouring down raining all day! Who wants to walk back and forth from parking lot to campsite if they need something from their car! He was nice about it and said he would let it go until it stopped raining. But if rules were updated he would have never stopped. Not to mention, all 3 of these cars had to pay to enter park! Then another night a different dnr officer stopped because we had a visitor(who also had to pay to enter park) on our site. Again, I understand there are rules in place. I do feel like these rules need to be adjusted. How can you be allowed 6 people per site but only 1 vehicle?! Esp if you are in tents and there is room on the concrete pad. What's the difference of people having large rv's AND a vehicle or people having 2 or 3 cars?! Along as no one is in grass or road! The rule seems a bit out dated and personally doesn't make much sense! Alot like the 6 people max per site! Our camper trailer sleeps 9 people. What is the point of having something big enough to sleep your family and a few friends if you are only allowed 6 people?? Maybe its just me but these rules don't make much sense and again should be updated!!!!

Denver Lilly

I've been going here for nearly 10 years with my friends. There are some amazing trails with some great sights. One of them has a big waterfall, one of them goes right by the river. They also have full moon hikes once per month. It's an awesome place to go hiking and get some exercise while enjoying some amazing views. It's only $7 to get in if you're an Indiana resident.

Hikergirl Adventures

Had a fantastic time here hiking the trails. Only regret was that I didn't have enough time to do all the trails. The trail 7 Rose Island trail was very interesting. The climb up on the way back was a slight work out but worth the effort to see Rose Island. Trail 6 was stunning. Loved this trail! It starts by the Ohio River winds it's way thru the trees and up the hill, then you arrive at a small but nonetheless stunning waterfall. After you cross the bridge you start back down but not before you get a peak of the Ohio River from the bluff. Absolutely worth the hike. Strongly recommend this trail.

Dana Money

Super cool and has some amazing stories!

Jeremy Klein

Hottest showers, cleanest bathroom, and best maintained bathroom facilities out of all the State Parks I have attended. Even the toilet paper rolls were mounted at a normal height, and they use real toilet paper not sandpaper being dispensed 1 square at a time out of a locked up dispenser that's mounted 1 foot off the ground like other bathrooms. We always have a good time here. Never have had any issues with anyone or park staff.

Susan McManus

It was great! Only wish they had a splash pad or wading pool.

Mark Stratton

It is a nice park to visit and take the kids. All to explore and have fun. This time of the year it's free to get in.

Erin R

Nice state park. Some sites a bit muddy. We're 44' and while they're website says "up to 45'", we had to lift our Newmar mud guard to back in enough to fit. 30 mins to Louisville KY with much more to do there than one would think... Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby Museum, Big Four pedestrian bridge over the Ohio River from KY Waterfront Park (with k7ds free waterpark) to Jeffersonville IN, which is too cute.

Jana MacRae

Loved the history and trails. Well kept.

Damon Wiggs

Great trails not to busy loved exploring the creek beds when the water was low! Will go back to see some of the many waterfalls after some heavy rain! We did trail #2! Moderate

J Morazzi

Need more time to find the devils backbone. Today was about Rose Island.

Craig Kelly

Great State Park to camp. Restroom/ shower house was excellent. We will make this a regular goto place. Sites were huge. They have some full hookups sites.

Christy Wilkerson

FANTASTIC state park! We travel full-time in our RV and spend a lot of time at state and federal parks, and this one is my absolute favorite park after 9 months since we started full-time in San Diego, California! They have nearly equal number of sites with only electric to sites with full hookups (50 amp, water, and sewer). They have about 7 trails under 3 miles to hike, one of which is at an abandoned amusement park from the early 1900's, so cool to see! We saw rabbit everywhere, deer walking right through the middle of the campground, and a turtle crossing the road (it was nearly there when we passed by). We will be back here if we are ever anywhere near this area again! Oh and Verizon worked here and the park is super quiet with huge spaces to each site.

Cheryl Race

This is the second time we have been here. I read some of the other reviews and have to disagree with a few that were leaning more towards the negative. True, no pool and also true, some sites have little shade. However, if you read the description prior to coming, it doesn't say they have a pool so it's no big surprise when you get here. As far as shade, we make our own. It also depends what time of day it is. This has become one of our favorite spots to camp. It's very well maintained and clean. We had a problem when we got here with the breakers for electric and called the camp office. The lady sent the security officer to our site and after he switched out the breaker we had no further problems. Definitely a family atmosphere. Alot of kids but not noisy.

A. Thompson

Very friendly staff and beautiful picnic sites.

Shiney LuLu

Park is great for hiking, biking, boating. I would have given 5 stars except the showers are not a convenience as they are push button which I understand is to conserve water. Three steps ahead of primitive.

Lori Hile

I only rated so I could comment. The hours on Google for the camp store are not accurate. So if you are camping and need ice, it does NOT open at 7 am as listed. I don’t actually know when it opens as no hours were posted.

Andrew Okerson

A great addition to Indiana State parks! I love the history element of walking through the old amusement park. This park is ideal for older kids and adults as there is quite a steep incline to get down to the water. It would be hard to do with a stroller.

David Wolfe

Great State Park not far from Ohio River. Plenty of sites for big and small. Seem to be plenty with full hookups and just water n electric. Some sites are rather private. The park is a hike from I-65, north of Louisville. We camped here in a 28ft trailer in August

Nicholas Metz

Great park for hiking. We are a family that loves hiking and there are 6 trails of varying difficulties and scenery. All are worth a hike. Trail 2 is even next to a playground which the kids like to play at after a hike. And there is a trail that starts in the camp ground as well for overnight campers.

Lonnetta Sumner

Could not give a Five Star rating because I don’t agree with paying a $7 or $9 park entrance fee if you have already paid your campsite rental fee. I know it is necessary for upkeep but there should be some kind of discount for campers. The campground it’s self is nice, but overly priced with the additional entrance fee. Probably a “been there, done that” one time trip for us. We camped with our camping group and the park made an additional $114 on top of the 12 sites that were rented for 3-4 nights.

Karen Phillips

Campsites are clean and we'll kept. Bathrooms are cleaned daily. There is a variety of sites from tent sites to full hookups. A mix of open and private sites. Nice hiking and has boat launch.

MommaGirl

Enjoyed the rows of rosebuds along the campground road. The place is well kept and clean. Campsites are roomy. Very reasonable price for a full hook-up. The only thing I didn't care for is the push button shower that you have to constantly press to keep the water flowing.

Albert Dooley

The park has a collection of well maintained trails and some neat stuff you can find if you stray a little from the beaten path. There are plenty of places to park and explore. You can follow the main road to the river and get a great view and see some history. The number of bathrooms is limited, but there are plenty of places to have a picnic.

Cory Brown

Beautiful place...had our wedding there!!

Sandra Longest

We love hiking at Charlestown State Park, all the trails loop around and are usually clear. The view no matter where you are in the park is excellent and very peaceful. We love the history of Rose Island and the park. We go there at least once a week. When we travel to other areas we hold them to the standard at Charlestown State Park. (Most other trails to not stand up to this park.)

Tami Johnson White

Nice campground, nice trails.

Erika Chapman

Beautiful park. Not tons of people so we got to truly enjoy nature.

Patrick Witt

What a wonderful, serene place! Fantastic views!! You cannot help but feel at peace here.

Joe Sosh

Very well maintained park. Sites are a little narrow but not bad. The additional $9 entry fee was a surprise and a little over board since you have already paid to camp. The camp manager is overly strict. Seems to me to be a power trip. Once of the strictest parks I have ever been to. (We camp 6 months out of the year). If the manager lightened up a little this would be a 4-5 star park.

William Ball

Very nice park. Clean campsites for RV's and tent camping. The park is right on the Ohio River with beautiful views. It is also home to Rose Island, an old amusement park from the early 1900's and is now abandoned. I highly recommend this park as it seems to be less busy than most parks.

Karma Common

Very green, beautiful park. Lots of road to walk the dog! Bunnies everywhere!

Krista Cooper

We camped over Labor Day weekend. This is one of my new favorite campgrounds. It was clean, quite and all the staff were so nice. We had a 4 hour power outage and the staff of the campground went out of their way to either stop at each campsite to inform what was going on or they called the number on your registration. When you have pets in a camper and the power suddenly is out, we are grateful for the call. It was some record temperatures but we all had a great time.

Faded Weeks

By far, my favorite state park. 7 different trails, with over 13 miles of hiking, along with fishing, camping, and even an abandoned amusement park! The only thing I disliked was how Indiana likes to charge for entrance to their parks, but in this case, it was worth every penny.

Lisa Campbell

Nice place to take a ride or a hike

Donna Finnell

My family and I camped here for the first time over the weekend. There is plenty of room between the sites and many are separated by natural growth to give more privacy. The roads and pull-ins are paved. All of the buildings are well kept. The grass is mown just enough to be clear around the camping spots and still give a sense of being in the woods. All sites in the trailer area have sewer hookups. The camp store is only a couple of coolers and a bookcase of bare necessities. We were told the store used to stock quite a bit more, but not enough was sold and the goods spoiled so they cut way back on inventory. Everyone we encountered were cordial. Great place to go to get away, but unless you plan to hike, fish, or boat this isn't the place for you. We loved it and will definitely will return.

Rebecca Ireland

Rose island is a must. Took trail 7 down, and 3 back up. Very cool! Campground is just, okay. Very clean, but we like wooded lots.

Steven Kitchen

Park is great, however it would be a great improvement to have stone or small gravel to sit picnic table and chairs on. It rained during night all 4 days we were there and mud came up thru our mat. We were there with two other couples and all had problems draining our tanks to the sewer . Our outlet is 18 inches off pad but sewer was 15ft to rear and was higher than my outlet. We were on site 186, the others 185, 187. This was not a problem with most other sites. We will be going back but selecting other sites. TV

Kenneth Chipchase

Wonderful park. Well maintained. Great trails, fields, playground, Campground, etc. We come often

TERESA AKERS

Beautiful park to take a walk. Campground is large with many shaded sites that are large. Has electric only sites along with many full hook up sites.

Lyana & Carissa

Very easy to get lost here, and pay close attention to where GPS takes you. We decided to go the the Rose Island and got to see one of the waterfalls. The place itself was a little creepy with small kids. And the hike up was a lot. We counted 1,559 steps all uphill. Together with little kids but a cool place to check out.

Marie

Beautiful park with generous sized sites, several hiking trails, and clean bathrooms! When making your reservation be sure to note that some sites are 30amp and sone are 50amp...no difference in price, just seems to be older boxes vs newer.

kate.

trail 6 is beautiful. use caution if it just rained, some parts are steep and mud makes them slick

Dale Buckner

Great for families, nice big camping sites. Some are full hook ups, some with electrical only.

mitchell crowe

Nature Park. Much improved campgrounds are pretty good. The only thing really missing is a man-made lake to fish, kayak, or canoe. You have 14 Mile Creek and yes the Ohio River I don't feel like walking a mile to put my boat in in a mile back.

David Hoffman

I live close by, but while camping there to test my RV, we spoke to several people out of state who just love this park. I'm taking a local gem for granted. Camp sites are great, decent hiking trails and just minutes from Charlestown should you need something. I will visit again.

Flying Free RV

Nice State Park and campground. Fairly new so it's a little barren compared to older parks. Great place to make camp and use as a central area to visit Louisville, Madison, etc. Camp spaces are good sized with level paved spaces. Historically significant to WW2. Has an area with a amusement park that was washed away during the 1937 Flood called Rose Park.

Tamara Hamilton

Tranquil trails and lots of picnic areas.

Don craig

Top 5 state park on our family list. most def return customers. annually. PERFECT location to camp at very reduced prices compared to the other available options for our favorite music festival ever; Louder Than Life. not to mention this park is beautiful and full of great history

Kamillia Saylor

Absolutely beautiful park! The hiking trails are well maintained and lovely, Rose Island was really cool to see, and it's so gorgeous everywhere you look.

Zachary Sams

Surprised to have a adventure birthday party all in one place wonderful trails.

Chris Jacobi

The hike to Rose Island is worth the trip. So much history on that island and great views of the Ohio River too! We also came across a group of 10+ wild turkeys while hiking. Such a great experience.

angela neal

Rose Island is amazing!! Beautiful scenery and history!!

Mindy Schieman

Such a beautiful, Serene place. Camping Was loads of fun. Rose island tour super informative. The DNR guide tells great stories, even kept the kids interested.

Bunny Hawkins

Beautiful trails and plenty to see!

Kim Hay

Pop up camped Friday and Saturday night. About $36 per night. Large campsites. Clean restrooms. Rose Island trail and history was very interesting. That hike back up the hill was a workout!

Steven Lockhart

We really enjoyed the park and will be going back. If you are coming from the north and pulling a trailer I found taking SR56 at the Scottsburg exit to SR3 was a much easier drive then SR160.

David Brown

Very nice campground. Full services available. Nice size spaces.

Thomas Hudson

Nice campground. Not much shade, but we'll spaced. Some full hookups, but most, electric only. Would be nice to add water hookups to many of those electric sites! Great hiking trails, picnic areas,, and shelters.

Ben Biddle

Some long walks with scenic spots. Enjoyed a picnic lunch under one of the shelter houses. Exploring Rose Island was fun but the uphill return was a whopper.

John Striby

Can't really tell much, we just walked the camp grounds. Must say sites are all low to no grade. CLOSE TO LEVEL. Not a lot of mature trees, so sunny days, 3 loops with 3 comfort stations.

Matt Hopkins

Beautiful, well-kept park. The trails here are awesome. Beautiful views. If you're in the area, it's worth going.

Jason Ogasian

Beautiful park with nice signs. Everything was extremely well signed. Walking to Rose Island was fun and informative.

Misty Chandler

The walking trails are beautiful. They have many flowers, ravines, and small cascading falls. I have been on them all. I have camped here many times with my husband and children. It is so peaceful

Shawn Benningfield

Very interesting place to visit. The scenic views of the Ohio River are wonderful. Also there is a abandoned amusement park called Rose Island that everyone should visit while visiting.

Vlad Voloshin

One of the best small state parks close to Louisville

Angel M

Great place my GSD loves to walk the trails with me.

Angie Stepp

Nice clean park but doesn't have much to offer been to several other states their parks are free of charge and usually have more to offer.More trails more to see and do including pools lakes golf courses among lots of other things to do

Darius Davis

Trail #6 is pretty dope. Saw a baby snake and some sick views 🏞 …

David Beverly

Great place to hike with widely varying terrains. The descriptions on the map the park provides are accurate, when they say it's rugid it's rugid. Wear sturdy shoes. Be prepared to pay for out of state admission fees if you're not an Indiana resident.

Tom Gorrell

This very large State Park used to be a Munitions Factory during World War II. today it is a tranquil site along the banks of the Ohio River. We were fortunate to come when it is very uncrowded, however there is no Water this time of year. We simply had to be stingy with our water.

Jack Stepro

Not bad. Trail 2 has best scenery by water. We're old and we made it. The other Trail 3 is paved but much too steep and long for us.

Mike Adams

Local park for me... but we don't go often. Even after 20 years, campsites have few mature trees and shade. Aside from hiking or motor boating, few amenities or things to do... no pool or lake for swimming, no nature center, no canoe/kayak launch site, no lodge or cabins. State DNR is missing the boat on this one. So much potential, but so few resources being dedicated to it.

1bluepatches

I love nature and they have a beautiful waterfall trail and rose island trail, I love all their trails and love walking by the river. Great park, highly recommend!

Suzy Hardin

Nice camping. Most sites are separated by some trees. Mostly quiet. Nice hiking trails.

Jennifer Amburgey

Halloween trick'or-treating for the public was fantastic!

Troy Windhorst

*GOOD* Great hiking. If you are an average hiker and would like to spend the day (or just an afternoon) on a decent hike, this place should please. There is a selection of trails to choose from that loop back to the starting point (which is great if you don't want to see the same things twice). A variety sights and landscapes are dished out on the trails--some easy and some difficult. *MORE GOOD* What's extra great? The property once served as the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant. Years before that, some of the land was used for Rose Island amusement park. There are remnants of both on the property and it adds a little mystery to the hike. The Rose Island property became fully accessible in the late summer of 2011. The state park system has graciously allowed close up exploration of some of the amusement park remnants such as the fountain, pool, and riverside park entrance. Access to long abandoned Rose Island amusement park from the main park area is provided by a historic bridge that was relocated from Portersville, Indiana. Very cool place to explore! *NOTE* This is not a free park. There is an admission fee that is usually less than $10/carload. So keep that in mind. For that reason, this park is usually not crowded at all (since there are too many free parks that exist). However, I feel it is worth the free, especially for an occasional visit. They have really done a lot with this place. The effort they have made to provide access to the Rose Island property is totally worth it, IMO (especially if you are fascinated by historic remnants or abandoned properties).

Jacob Kruer

This state park has about 7 hiking trails ranging from easy to rugged. There are picking tables and a wonderful playground in addition to a small campground.

Amber Taylor

Beautiful and amazing trails. Rose Island walk is an amazing experience and history lesson. Bring your family and furry friends

Seth Husted

Hiked trials #3, #4,  to make a 6 mile loop. Very pretty woods, a few areas with heavy wind damage, but trails were clear. The Rose Island history area (trail #7) was very interesting.

Tania Hanthorn

Clean, very private, but not too many trees that might cause damage. One of the best state parks I've ever been to. Not as many play grounds as I would like with little ones.

James Barton

Very clean and nice private camping sites. Only a couple of things we would like different is showers not turning off so fast and a close playground in camping area for when we bring grandchildren.

Jeremy Houle

Clean, helpful friendly staff. But whatever you do... Don't hike down to the abandoned rose island there park!!! Not worth it. Many picnic tables and chairs and walking paths.

Jim Weimer

Nice campground and boat launch on Ohio River. Interesting walk through Rose island a list amusement park. It's nicely interpreted but a hiked there is a bit strenuous.

Amanda Nichole

Awesome hiking trails

Brooke Wheeler

Nice park for hiking and to spend an afternoon outdoors but I don't care to camp here. No trees in camp area for shade and it is not tent friendly as far as sites made for tents. Also, no swimming.

Julie Black

Love visiting here. We drive 2and a half hours to visit this park and it is the best place for camping. Like the hiking trails too.

Kady Walls

This is one of my top favorite Indiana state parks. There are old structures and the trails are awesome! My favorite trail would have to be trail six because it's next to the river but the Clifts are a plus.

Pat Mann

One of the prettiest parks I've stayed in. Highly recommend. Full hookups are good. Some sites slope quite a bit though. Stayed in a 43 ft. Class A.

Kayla Ingram

Kinda creepy at night. But fun

Rachael Slater

Unexpectedly had to stay here and was pleasantly surprised. Only negative was the shower not being open but it was Nov so understandable. Had a great hike right from our campsite. Rv spot was back in.

Michelle Anderson

Clean park. Lots of hiking available. Nice campground.

Kyle Newby

Have camped here several times. Lots of good sites to choose from. DNR does a good job keeping the place cleaned up and making sure campers are enjoying their stay.

Peggy Wessel

this park is clean, well run, and a great place to camp.

Joshua Middleton

Great place to see the outdoors w/ good hiking trails and plenty of space for family picnics. Rather you like hiking, biking or fishing, the parks has many options for outdoor activities.

Michael Anderson

Great place, be nice if the campsites had more separation.

Marci Seletas

Had a great hike at Rose Island.

Greg Harty

Rose Island was the thing that I learned about on our day hiking the park. The remote locations along the Ohio river had these hand crank audio players. They required a bit of work to play the long audio tracks, I provided plenty of encouragement to keep my wife cranking the devices. The park showed the historic flood levels of 1937 that helped wipe-out the early amusement park.

Callie Noble

Not much for the kids other than riding bikes or scooters. The playground is small. Other than that the park itself is very clean and well kept.

Adeline Lamkin

So many beautiful hiking trails

M V

Clean,great trails and the staff is very helpful

Kathryn Carley

Loved this park! Multiple hiking trails each with their own uniqueness. From kids to adults they have something for everyone.

Rick Shafer

Park personnel were friendly and helpful. They also warned us of bad weather approaching and opened up a place for us to shelter if needed.

Deborah Elliott

It is always so peaceful & beautiful early here. I miss all of us getting together & just spending the day with each other. I LOVE & MISS Y'ALL MOST!!

Theresa Butler

The trails here are great - taken care of and a good variety of difficulty levels.

JOHN ANDERSON

Southern indiana at its finest

Kathy Jackson

Nice hiking. A bit disappointed at the abandoned amusement park. Not much left there but lots of good info about it posted on the trails

Justin Taylor

Is there a better IN state park? I dare say not.

Rick McGill

First time there...had a great hiking with my wife...even did the Trail 7 hill to the 'Island!' Like stepping into a time capsule.

Erica Nichole

I absolutely love this place. The hiking trails are so beautiful. There are some that have waterfalls, rose island is also extremely beautiful.

J.T. Nicholson

Nice hike to the river valley.

Vickie Steele

Nice state park. Great trails. Water levels down, so minimal flow at waterfall. Interesting history of amusement park.

Karen Vatsula

I love our Charlestown State Park they always have everything looking so nice. I bring my dogs for walks they love it and it close to home.

Rusty Swank

Visited Rose Island while there and was very pleased with the gorgeous outdoor trails!! Always research the trails before visiting as some are very rugged

Benjamin Judah

Located on the former grounds of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, this park has numerous trails, relics from the old plat, and an abandoned amusement park. Good hiking and plenty to explore.

Matthew Goodlett

Great clean campground! Full hook-ups! 3rd time we've been here. Check out the Rose Island tour. Very interesting!

James Wilson

This is a very nice park that was restored from a very old military base. You can still see left overs in a few places of the old base when out on hikes.

Terri Lynne

This was a very nice an clean place an the gift shop had nice things in it also.there were plenty of picnic tables

Mike Bullard

The camping area is well kept and the lots are fairly good size for camping. Rest room areas are well kept and not to far from any site.

Mike Thornton

Very nice park! We were only making an overnight stop but want to certainly come back.

Maria Schwartzman Webb

We went on trail 3 and trail 7 (Rose Island). Very peaceful and a wonderful hike at the beginning of spring. There is quite a bit of incline to get to Rose Island (and back) so be prepared for that.

Ashlee Kraus

We absolutely love going to Rose Island and trying to imagine what it looked like! Get ready for a heck of a hike to get to it but worth it ;) I love it that it is a tucked away almost little secret !

Floyd spoon

Next camping trip check us out on YouTube

Andrew Gay

Great park. Clean bathrooms and showers, and nice campsite. One attendant at front gate was less than friendly, but everyone else was very helpful.

Robin Allison

Clean, quiet, nice soace between sites.

A M

Eventful day with friends, family and a pack of coyote that felt dinner time awaited their appetite at sunset . Ok time to leave.

cathy norris

Very interesting tours enjoyed it so much

Craig H

A lot of history here indeed! It's a beautiful park sitting along side the Ohio River near Jefferson City, Indiana.

Andrew Shewmaker

Sadly, this park could be so much more. I do recommend everyone visiting Rose Island for a trail full of nostalgia.

Sharon Brown

Very nice and we'll maintained park. Most camping spots have at least some shade at some point during the day.

Bruce Newton

Best local park in the area. Hiking trails are well kept. Great picnic area down by the river next to the boat ramp.

Cathy Pipes

Love this park, so much many trails and so much history to learn and discover.

Connie Smith

Nice park. Great place to ride bikes and fields for play ball. Need to build swimming pool.

Justin Conner

Empty campground, lots of bunnies and a few deer around, with decent hiking trails. Rose Island is a pretty cool piece of history.

Danny Leachman

Nice park but no pool or nature center. They have a boat ramp that leads to the Ohio river, a playground and campground. They also have 6 hiking trails.

Travis Kron

Nice park!👍 …

Mallory Richards

Neat park, trails are exhausting when going uphill. Definitely recommend trail 7 with the bridge and old amusement park grounds.

Gary Bishop

Trail number one is well maintained, even in the rugged parts of the trail. The sign was not kidding about rugged, there were parts that made for a fun hike

Ashley Ocker

Well maintained. Easy parking. Picnic tables available. Lots of trails with various terrain and distances. Recommend the annual pass!

Josh Meiman

it's nothing jaw dropping or challenging, but a nice place that's well maintained if you want to get out in the woods for a while in Southern Indiana.

Roscoe P

Beautiful park. Great campsites and well maintained. There are some full hook up sites. We will go back.

Pat Taylor

Great state park to camp. Lots of trails to hike. Clean facilities.

Marc Frazer

Beautiful park on the banks of the Ohio River. Site of the world war II Indiana Army ammunition plant. Also site of the Rose Island amusement park from the 1920s

Jessie Jenks

My husband, dog, and I frequent this park and we love it! So many fun trails to walk, pretty waterfalls, and lots of Critters!!

MIKE BECK

I would give it five stars but the lady that told me to pick any spot and then come back and tell her where it is at blew it. Picked my spot, set up then went to tell her where it was and she said that we couldnt have that spot for three nights we said only one night. My wife then asked her why did she tell us that the rates for sun to wed is 30 a night and thurs to sat is 40 for full hookups and write it on the map she gsve us. So I had to tear down find another spot that she marked on the sheet where we could stay three nights. Found our new spot. went to pay, office closed. Went to main gate to pay, computer down. Said ranger would be by and could swipe the card. Ranger came by and asked us to go back to entrance and pay, the computers were up. I'd say, pain in the you know what.

Dylan Prichard

Went for trick or treating in the RVcamping error. What great fun to see all the RV decorated. Everyone was nice and the kids had a blast.

Jerry

Wonderful park. Lots of wildlife and wooded area. They have about 6 hiking trails of various difficulty.

Zac Rister

Very clean park and a ton of fun! Great access to “Rose Island” if you are not sure what that is, look it up. You won’t be disappointed

Greg Griffin

Very impressive RV park with huge spacious parking, plenty of green space, open year round, good new roads. Will definitely make this a pit stop when passing through again.

Jessica Shea

Very peaceful campsite. Not a ton to do in the park but the hike to the see the abandoned resort was really neat.

Sarah Oliver

Nice, clean, and friendly! Trails are awesome!!

Nick Light

Felt like a really clean park, didn't get to walk around a lot but trail 3 to rose island was a really well taken care of trail.

Craig Huffman

Beautiful place to hike and catch up on history. Just watch out for that hill on your way back, it will take your breath away.. ;)

Cassandra Mendlik

Always a blast. The trails are kept up but not so much that they don't feel like trails.

Joette Martin

Got here yesterday and it's a really nice campground... I'm sure we're going to have a great time!

Bobby Ross

Watch for ticks here! Scientists just studied the park and found a lot of ticks that produce lyme disease so be careful. Check your children eapecially. All it takes is leaving a tick on for 24 to 48 hours to catch lyme disease and all it takes is not checking for ticks!!

John Shipman

It's a wonderful hike but the way out is a long steep hill. Loved Rose Island and the history

Wendy Whitney

Camping here for 6 nights. Nice park beware of ticks though. They seem to be an issue.

Tracey Fransisco

Such a beautiful day exploring

Joshua Gowans

Fine place to camp, fairly flat and featureless, but nice with decent sized spaces, grills, electric. Was very quiet when were there (october).

Alison Hill

Great spot to camp with our RV while visiting Louisville. Clean and quiet with nice hiking trails.

Maria Blanton

Love going to this park. Amazing hiking trails, some awesome historical sights, with waterfalls on the trails, plus a river outlook!!!!

Tracie Callis

Went hiking with granddaughter, nice relaxing place to go

Alicia Overberg

Loved trail 3 rose island remnants are stunning

Bruce B

Very large state park in southern Indiana. Very nice drive through the scenic area. Awesome boat ramp to get down to the river

Harold Putman

Beautiful park.so much open space and so peaceful. Plus great amenities like a playground and boat ramp.

Shang Leonard

Great place a variety of trails and more.

Tracy Belcher

Very nice and quiet campground, definitely will camp here again!!

Clayton Compton

Great place to camp. Park is enormous. Lots of area to

Raul Cepeda

Very nice place, where you can make your grill and after that walk through a beautiful trails around the park. The rose island is a very magical place.

Bedford Crenshaw

Not much here in the form of facilities...this close to Louisville it is foolish for there not to be an inn here...there is certainly room for it. Still, if you just want to get close to nature, or camp and you live close by, it will suit your purposes.

L Dixon jr

This Place is Beautiful. Nice trails. Well maintained. Loved it. Definitely be back.

Naomi Tracy

Great camping spots with super clean bathrooms showers and electric on all spots!! Great trails and staff as well...cute gift shop

Matt Brewer

My favorite state park because it's close. I love getting out and just being around trees so this is a great place to go. The trails are awesome!

Dennis Farmer

I have been here twice and love it every time I go there. it also seems like the roads grt lo ger each time I go. Ilove this place though. So much history too.

Julie Knight

Great park for hiking!

Nad Fink

It's very beautiful but kind of pricey. And the campsites have no privacy whatsoever. And the firewood we bought was soaked.

Luke F

Awesome hike!

Edward Aistrop

Lots of wildlife to see ,but the ticks are lousy. Make sure you really spray the tick repellent

Mark Hardy

Had a great weekend camping. Nice sites great people and a lot of history.

Brian Tyler

What a wonderful walk we had! Be ready to stretch those legs, take your time on the way back up from Rose Island.

Debbie H.

It's a nice and simple clean place. Didn't get the chance to check out the trails.

Molly Fitts

Lovely park, but the trails obviously don't get much use. Spent the whole time knocking down, or walking through spider webs

Taylor Hurt

Pretty solid trails. Nothing too rugged. Everything is pretty mellow. Best in the spring and fall. Trail 6 has some cool outcrops.

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