Brown County State Park advisories
- The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has adjusted services, events and operations to protect Hoosiers and prevent further spread of COVID-19. Please visit on.IN.gov/dnrcovid19 for a listing of what is open, closed, restricted and canceled.
- FAMILY CAMPGROUND: All RVs and vehicles towing trailers MUST use the park's west entrance on State Road 46 two miles west of Nashville, Indiana. The park's north entrance east of Nashville has a historic Covered Bridge with a 9-foot height clearance and 3-ton weight limit. Oversized vehicles cannot use the north entrance. Horsemen's Campground: For equestrian users, the Horsemen's Campground entrance is on S.R. 135, five miles south of the intersection with S.R. 46.
- All campground users should note that GPS directions may not always send you to the correct entrances.
- Description
Nicknamed the “Little Smokies” because of the area’s resemblance to the Great Smoky Mountains, Brown County encompasses nearly 16,000 acres of rugged hills, ridges and fog-shrouded ravines. Glaciers from the most recent ice ages stopped short of the “hills o’ Brown,” but their meltwaters helped create the narrow ridges, steep slopes and deep gullies of Brown County State Park. Indiana’s largest park is a traditional fall color hot spot, with nearly 20 miles of tree-lined roads and many scenic vistas overlooking miles of uninterrupted forestland.
The park’s rustic Abe Martin Lodge offers accommodations that include motel rooms, cabins, dining and conference facilities and an indoor water park. Large campgrounds, hiking and mountain biking trails, interpretive services, a saddle barn for guided horse rides and a separate horseman campground with 70 miles of horse trails are some of the things that make Brown County State Park popular year-round.
During the summer, pool hours may change because of weather and staffing. Please contact the property office for exact times before your visit.
The surrounding county and nearby Indiana town of Nashville are famous for their unique shopping, dining, arts and crafts, history, entertainment, and outdoor adventure opportunities.
Top five things to do
- Climb the 90’ Fire Tower for a breath-taking view of the hills o’ Brown.
- See the rare (and state-endangered) Yellowwood tree on Trail 5.
- Visit the nature center to see the rare, state-endangered timber rattlesnake.
- Jump in the Water Park pool, newly constructed at Abe Martin Lodge.
- Watch a sunrise or sunset from a vista.
Stay connected
- Nature Center
- Activities
- Trails
- Maps
- Photos, Video & Audio
