Salamonie Lake State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Salamonie Lake State Park borders a man-made lake that was created in 1966 when the United States Army Corps of Engineers built the nearby dam as part of a flood-control plan for the area. During the 18th century, the entire area was the territory of the indigenous Miami people. Many of the towns in the area take their names from indigenous people and languages. Salamonie Lake is named after the yellow paint that First Nations peoples made from the bloodroot plants that grow in the park and its surrounding areas. The park is an excellent destination for recreation throughout the year because of the varied activities you can enjoy while there.
Spring 48-73 F
Summer 73-86 F
Fall 50-77 F
Winter 18-37 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Salamonie Lake State Park
There are three campgrounds in Salamonie Lake State Park, one of which is in the state forest that's within the park. The modern campground has 245 sites, some of them having electric hookups. The equine campground is primitive and has 88 campsites, 38 of which are in an apple orchard. The forest also has an equine campground with 15 primitive sites. The primitive sites feature fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets. In addition to its hookups, the modern campground has showers, restrooms, a nine-hole disc golf course, a playground, horseshoe pits, and an amphitheater. It also offers access to the Pirate's Cove Marina and a dump station. All of the campgrounds have communal potable water.
What to Do at
Salamonie Lake State Park
You may hunt during the applicable seasons. Enjoy horseback riding, hiking, boating on Salamonie Lake, or dropping a line from the fishing pier. Many guests bring along their cameras and binoculars for bird watching and telescopes for stargazing. In addition, you can enjoy a swim in the cool, refreshing water of Salamonie Lake during the summer.
Hiking
Certain areas of the hiking trails are marked with red signs that indicate "safe areas" where hunting is not allowed. In all other areas of the park, including on the hiking trails, always wear hunter's orange. The trails range from about 1,500 yards long to 13 miles long. The trails are mostly for both hiking and biking and range up to moderate difficulty. The equine trails are separate and are only for horses.
Stargazing
Salamonie Lake State Park provides Class-4 stargazing on the Bortle Scale. You'll need the right filters for your telescope to see the fainter objects in the night sky, but all the major constellations will be visible during their seasons.
Flora and Fauna
Yarrow, baneberry, columbine, and jack-in-the-pulpit are some of the wildflowers that you can see and photograph in Salamonie Lake State Park. The park is on the Indiana Birding Trail, and the songbirds in the park include warblers, thrushes, and orioles. Salamonie Lake also features pelicans during their migratory seasons, and waterfowl like ducks and wading birds are plentiful. While exploring, you may also spot wild turkeys, deer, and smaller animals like rabbits, foxes, and squirrels.
Fishing
You can visit the interpretive center for a brochure of the available fish species in the lake, but the shortlist includes catfish, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, and walleye. Fishing licenses are available online. One-day fishing licenses cost $15 per person, and annual licenses cost $60 per person.
Swimming
You can swim at the lake beach, but there are no lifeguards on duty. The water rises to a temperature approaching 70 F during the summer.
Boating
There is a boat launch, and if you don't bring your watercraft, then you can rent one from the Pirate's Cove Marina, which is privately owned. The rentals are for a 12-hour period that begins at 7 a.m. Contact the marina for the most up-to-date rates. The area near the shore and in the marina is classified as a no-wake zone.
How to Get to
Salamonie Lake State Park
Proceed to Fort Wayne. From there, drive southwest on Route 24 through Huntington. Shortly after leaving Huntington, turn south on Route 105. Watch for signs for Salmamonie Lake State Park.
Entering Salamonie Lake State Park
At the modern campground, some of the sites are accessible, as are the restrooms, showers, and other buildings. The park also has a tracked wheelchair available. Salamonie Lake State Park is large, so there are places where you can park and enter on foot. To camp in an equine campground, you must have at least one horse with you. The beach is only open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are parking lots near the entrance for day use.
Salamonie Lake State Park Entry Fee per vehicle (Indiana license plates) : $7.0
Salamonie Lake State Park Entry Fee per vehicle (out-of-state license plates) : $9.0
Salamonie Lake State Park Entry Fee (walkers/bikers) : $2.0
Frequently Asked Questions About Salamonie Lake State Park
Summer is the best time because the beach is open, the weather is mild, and the fish are generally biting. Winter time is also good, though, because you can snowshoe or cross-country ski on the trails, and if the ice is safe, you can ice fish.
Mammals and birds make up most of the wildlife in the park. Birders can look forward to seeing a variety of songbirds, raptors, and waterfowl. While hiking, you may spot deer, foxes, squirrels, and chipmunks.
There are plenty of RV-specific campsites in Salamonie Lake State Park. Some sites have electrical hookups, and they all have picnic tables and fire rings.
Reservations are not required, but they are strongly encouraged. The rates for the campgrounds at Salamonie Lake State Park depend on the days of the week, the season of the year, and the type of campsite you want. Equine camps require you to have up-to-date and valid horse tags for each horse you bring, in addition to the daily entry fee and the fee for the campsite.
Your pets are welcome at Salamonie Lake State Park. Housepets must be on a leash when outside your vehicle or tent. Horses must be hitched to an available bar or post when not being ridden or quartered in your trailer. You are also expected to clean up after your four-legged family members.