Whitewater Memorial State Park

1418 S. State Road 101

Liberty, Indiana 47353

(765) 458-5565

http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2962.htm

Pros: Great trails, wooded sites, large pull-through sites

Cons: No full hook-ups, no enclosed dog area, older bathrooms

Overview

Whitewater is an Indiana State Park located near the Ohio border in eastern Indiana. It is south of the town of Liberty and just north of another Indiana State Park; Brookville Lake. The state park offers over 300 campsites, eight of which are handicap accessible sites. There are 45 non-electric sites, and 236 electric sites. Whitewater has 12 pull-through sites. We stayed at campsite #143, which was a back-in electric site. In the future, we hope to reserve one of the following pull-through sites; 126 or 148. For horse lovers, there is a horsemen’s camp just north of the main campground with 37 primitive sites. Nine miles of bridle trail circumnavigate the state park. The campground has a youth tent camp area. Whitewater has a camp store with basic camp supplies, firewood, ice, and food. You can rent bikes ($8/hr.) there at the camp store.

For cars, trucks and campers, the entrance fee is $7 per vehicle for in-state plates and $9 per vehicle for out-of-state plates, seven days a week including holidays. Electric campsites cost $30/night. One perk of camping in Indiana State Parks is that check-out time is 5:00 on Sundays and holidays. This really extends the weekend of camping when you have that additional time.

Appearance

Whitewater is a typical Indiana state park. There were plenty of wooded sites, well-blazed trails, and nature for the avid camper. There was decent amount of space between campers, however, we have seen more in other state parks.  Although there was no extravagant landscaping, the staff at Whitewater maintain the grass and the grounds of the park quite well. The campsites and the roads were paved and in great condition. Located out in the countryside of Indiana, this park was very quiet and stargazing was great!

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Family/Pet Friendly

There are many opportunities within the park for families. There are five major trails in the park ranging from moderate to rugged. We highly recommend the Memorial Loop which is a moderate 2.5 mile loop accessible near the entrance of the campground. The Lakeshore trail is also a nice trail with hardwood trees and beautiful views of the lake. Whitewater has boat rentals, bike rentals, picnic shelters, playgrounds, fishing pier, horse stables, and a beach. A basketball court is located near the camp store. The paved roads throughout the park ad campground are great for biking or walking. The amphitheater hosts movies during the summer months.

Whitewater Lake is a 200-acre lake that permits electric trolling only. There is a beach for swimming and many places along the river for fishing. An Indiana State fishing license is required.

Though there were plenty of road and trails throughout the park to walk the dog, we were disappointed that Whitewater did not have a fenced-in dog area. There was plenty of room to have one. It only requires a commitment and investment on the part of state parks.

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Area Attractions

Whitewater Memorial State Park is located just south of Liberty, Indiana. It is a small town yet has some nice restaurants and attractions. We ate at El Reparo, a Mexican restaurant located downtown. The food and service was good and the prices were reasonable. Another place we highly recommend, especially if you enjoy good craft beer, is Norris Pub. The Chicken Pot Pie is excellent and I highly recommend the Dark Knight beer. Check out the pub at http://norrisenglishpub.com/

Miami University is a short, 35-minute drive over the border into Ohio. This small college town hosts a variety of restaurants, bars, specialty stores and of course the college itself.

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Restrooms and Shower Houses

The restrooms and shower houses at Whitewater were typical of Indiana State Parks; below average. The restrooms were dirty and in need of some renovation. We tried to use our camper’s bathroom more to avoid the use of their facilities. The shower was lukewarm and was activated by a push button that gave you 25 seconds of water.

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