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Shirley Creek Campground

Hoosier National Forest — hiking

Location: French Lick, IN, IN

Price: From $20 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

Shirley Creek is a primitive campground. There is no use fee at this site. A primitive campground, vault toilets, picnic tables, and hitching racks are available; Water may is seasonally available for livestock (not potable for humans) but bringing water is recommended.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 0%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/shirley-creek-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Free primitive campground with vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. Access to Shirley Creek Trail system for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and backpacking.

Wildlife alert: Bobcats present in area; also Northern Bobwhite, Carolina Wren, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Gray Ratsnake, Eastern Box Turtle, and Eastern Hognose Snake

Insider tips for Shirley Creek Campground: Pack your trash out — no trash service available Bring your own drinking water; seasonal livestock water available but not potable for humans Free camping with no use fees; trail use fees apply for horse and bike riders

Skip Shirley Creek Campground if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You have an e-bike — e-bikes not allowed on trails. You need camping outside May-October — seasonal operations only. You prefer developed amenities — this is a primitive campground.

Best time to visit Shirley Creek Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Youngs Creek Campground (Paoli, IN), Hardin Ridge (Bangor, IN), Blackwell Campground (Heltonville, IN), Hickory Ridge Campground (Norman, IN).

Cell Phone Coverage at Shirley Creek Campground

Cell signal at Shirley Creek Campground (French Lick, IN): weak overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: Verizon.

  • Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›IN›Shirley Creek Campground
Shirley Creek Campground — photo 1
Shirley Creek Campground — photo 2
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Hoosier National Forest — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Shirley Creek Campground

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French Lick, IN, IN★ 4 (0 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Shirley Creek is a primitive campground. There is no use fee at this site. A primitive campground, vault toilets, picnic tables, and hitching racks are available; Water may is seasonally available for livestock (not potable for humans) but bringing water is recommended.

Best for:HikersFamiliesBackpackersSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You have an e-bike — e-bikes not allowed on trails✕ You need camping outside May-October — seasonal operations only✕ You prefer developed amenities — this is a primitive campground

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Pack your trash out

no trash service available

Bring your own drinking water; seasonal livestock water available but not potable for humans

Free camping with no use fees; trail use fees apply for horse and bike riders

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 100%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: Verizon.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Bobcats present in area; also Northern Bobwhite, Carolina Wren, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Gray Ratsnake, Eastern Box Turtle, and Eastern Hognose Snake

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Brownstown Ranger District Front Office: 812-275-5987· Hoosier National Forest
SM.FS.R9HOFwebsite@usda.gov

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Hoosier National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Hoosier National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Shirley Creek Campground cost per night?+
Shirley Creek Campground costs $20 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Shirley Creek Campground open?+
Shirley Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Shirley Creek Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Shirley Creek Campground?+
Shirley Creek Campground is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Shirley Creek Campground?+
Shirley Creek Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Shirley Creek Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Shirley Creek Campground is rated weak. Best carrier: Verizon. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Shirley Creek Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Shirley Creek Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Shirley Creek Recreation Area Information and Recreation Opportunity Guide
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$20 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Shirley Creek Campground cost per night?+
What season is Shirley Creek Campground open?+
Does Shirley Creek Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Youngs Creek Campground

Paoli, IN

From $20/night

Hardin Ridge

Bangor, IN

From $24/night

Blackwell Campground

Heltonville, IN

From $20/night

Hickory Ridge Campground

Norman, IN

From $20/night

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