Indiana State Park Rules: Fees, Permits, and Penalties

Indiana state park rules set a $7 gate fee for vehicles with Indiana plates and $15 for out-of-state plates, cap camping stays at 14 consecutive nights, enforce quiet hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., restrict outside firewood to prevent pest spread, and give conservation officers authority to issue citations carrying civil judgments up to $500. Two properties price differently at the gate, alcohol is banned at some sites but not others, and drones are prohibited unless you’re at a designated location. The details below cover what changes your trip: fees, camping, firewood, conduct, and permits.

Entrance Fees and Annual Passes

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources charges by license plate, not by driver. An Indiana-plated vehicle pays $7 for daily entrance; an out-of-state plate pays $15. Two exceptions: Prophetstown State Park charges $8 in-state and $16 out-of-state, and Indiana Dunes State Park charges $7 in-state and $20 out-of-state.1Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR State Parks Entrance Fees

If you visit often, an annual pass saves money quickly:

  • Resident Annual Pass, $50. Covers the driver and all passengers in a noncommercial vehicle at every DNR property that charges a gate fee, valid January 1 through December 31.
  • Non-Resident Annual Pass, $120. Same coverage for out-of-state plates.
  • Golden Hoosier Passport, $25. For Indiana residents 65 or older, or those eligible for Social Security disability payments. The passholder must be in the vehicle at entry.
  • Disabled Hoosier Veteran Pass, $25. For Indiana residents eligible for a Disabled Hoosier Veteran license plate. Available at the gate if DHV plates are displayed, or with the signed state form.
  • Gold Star Families Pass, free. Qualifying family members receive an annual entrance pass by application.
  • Former POW Pass, free. Indiana residents who are former prisoners of war, or their surviving spouses, receive a Golden Hoosier Passport mailed automatically each year.

All annual passes cover parking at Falls of the Ohio State Park but not admission to its Interpretive Center. The passes don’t work at Indiana State Historic Sites or the Indiana State Museum.1Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR State Parks Entrance Fees

Camping Rules and Nightly Rates

Every campsite has to be registered by someone at least 18 years old, and that adult has to stay with the group for the whole trip. A single family site holds up to six people unless the property manager approves more. The maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights, and after that you have to leave the property and remove all your equipment for at least 48 hours before you can come back.2Legal Information Institute. 312 IAC 8-2-11 – Campsites and Camping Check-out is 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

Fires belong in the designated rings or grills only. Open fires anywhere else on the property are prohibited.

Nightly rates depend on site type and day of the week, with weekdays cheapest and holiday weekends highest:

  • Primitive sites: $14–$16 Sunday through Wednesday, $14–$16 Thursday through Saturday, and $16–$18 on holiday weekends.
  • Electric sites: $33–$45 weekdays, $40–$52 Thursday through Saturday, $43–$55 on holiday weekends.
  • Full hookup sites: $40–$52 weekdays, $50–$62 Thursday through Saturday, $54–$66 on holiday weekends.

The spread inside each category reflects differences between properties.3Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR State Parks Camping Fees

Booking and Cancellation

Reservations open six months before your arrival date at camp.IN.gov, and full payment is due at booking. Weekend stays require two nights minimum. Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day weekends require three.

Cancellations are where money gets lost. Cancel eight or more days out and you pay a $10 cancellation fee plus a non-refundable $6 transaction fee. Cancel within seven days and you forfeit the first night’s rental fee plus tax. Cancel on or after arrival and you lose the whole amount. Bad weather is not grounds for a refund, and partial cancellations aren’t allowed.4Indiana State Parks. Camping Business Rules

Firewood You Can and Can’t Bring

You can’t just throw a load of firewood in the truck and drive it into a state park. Invasive pests like the emerald ash borer travel in transported wood, and Indiana enforces firewood controls at every DNR property. Wood is allowed only if it meets one of these conditions:

  • Kiln-dried scrap lumber with no bark.
  • Purchased at the property’s camp store or on-site vendor.
  • Sourced from your home or another Indiana location with all bark removed.
  • Bearing a state or USDA compliance stamp.

Indiana also quarantines firewood from states with Thousand Canker Disease, including Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Non-compliant wood can be confiscated, and you can be cited.5Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR Firewood Rules Buying at the campground costs a bit more and skips the whole issue.

Alcohol, Drones, and Quiet Hours

Alcohol isn’t banned system-wide. It is strictly forbidden at Indiana Dunes State Park, all youth camps, and all beaches. At every other DNR property, the rule is responsible use rather than prohibition.6Indiana Department of Natural Resources. State Parks Rules and Regulations Visible intoxication or disturbances will still bring conservation officers over.

Drones and other motor-driven airborne devices are banned at all DNR properties unless you’re at a site specifically designated for that use. The DNR sometimes grants filming licenses case by case, and applicants may need an FAA license and proof of insurance.7Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR Drone Regulations Commercial aerial photography needs advance contact with the property manager.

Quiet hours run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. at all campgrounds. Repeat noise complaints can get you removed from the property.2Legal Information Institute. 312 IAC 8-2-11 – Campsites and Camping

Motor vehicles have to stay on paved roads and park in designated areas. Off-road driving is prohibited, and posted speed limits apply everywhere.6Indiana Department of Natural Resources. State Parks Rules and Regulations Bicycles are welcome on trails, and riders yield to pedestrians.

Fishing, Hunting, and Boating Permits

Fishing in any Indiana state park requires a valid state fishing license. An annual resident license costs $23; a one-day license, which includes trout and salmon privileges, runs $10. Residents 65 and older can buy an annual senior fishing license for $3 or a lifetime senior fishing license for $23.8Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR License Fees

Hunting is allowed at certain DNR properties during designated seasons, but never in all state parks. Hunters must carry the right license and follow the season dates, bag limits, and equipment rules in the Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide.9Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide Both fishing and hunting licenses are sold through the state’s Go Outdoors Indiana portal.

Boats operating on Indiana waterways must be registered with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and display valid watercraft decals unless specifically exempt.10Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Watercraft Registration Out-of-state residents who operate, store, or dock a watercraft in Indiana for 60 consecutive days or more in a calendar year also need an Indiana certificate of title.11Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Titles for Watercraft and Non-Traditional Vehicles Life jackets are required, and individual properties may add their own horsepower or wake-zone restrictions.

Wildlife, Trails, and Swimming

Unauthorized hunting, harassment, or capture of wildlife inside state park boundaries is prohibited. That covers feeding deer, chasing birds, and removing turtles or frogs. Endangered species, especially, are meant to recover without human interference.

Trails run from paved loops to rugged backcountry paths, and the DNR marks them by skill level. Staying on the marked route protects plant communities and prevents erosion, particularly in wet seasons.

Swimming is limited to the places and times the DNR sets. Lifeguards staff the swimming pools. Beaches operate on a “Swim at Your Own Risk” basis everywhere except Indiana Dunes State Park. Pool hours often shrink in late summer as lifeguard availability drops, so call ahead if you’re visiting in August or September.6Indiana Department of Natural Resources. State Parks Rules and Regulations

Penalties for Violations

Conservation officers hold full law enforcement authority at DNR properties, including the power to issue citations and make arrests. A park-rule violation can be charged as a Class C infraction, which carries a civil judgment of up to $500.12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 34 Civil Law and Procedure 34-28-5-4

More serious conduct, such as poaching or deliberately damaging protected habitat, can escalate to misdemeanor charges with fines and possible jail time. Firewood violations can result in confiscation of the wood plus a citation.5Indiana Department of Natural Resources. DNR Firewood Rules If you’re not sure whether something is allowed, ask a ranger before you do it.