Which camping is better:Indiana Dunes State Park or Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore?

[Outdoors4me]

Has anyone been to Indiana Dunes State Park and/or Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore campgrounds? We're planning a short trip on a weekend in July. I'm concerned about crowds, room for trailers, and cleanliness of the campground. Privacy would be nice, too. Any tips would help. Thanks!

[perm10]

I would recommend the Indiana dunes state park. The campground is clean and well maintained the sites also are a good size. We camp there 3 or 4 times a year. If you want more privacy try and get a site along the north edge, you will have the woods and dunes behind you. If you don't have reservations by now for July they will be hard to find. They do get cancellations and you may get lucky. They are trying to make that whole area a national park. The Beach is only about a 10 minute walk from the campgrounds and is one of the nicest beaches along the lake.

[Outdoors4me]

perm10: Thanks so much. That's exactly the advice I needed.

[seldencove]

Hi,
We went to Indiana Dunes state park in 2012 during the 4th of July. We thought it was nice and clean, of coarse the beach was very busy that weekend and like already said, it was a short walk from the campground. They had a fantastic fireworks show from a barge. We had a great time and would definitely recommend it. We had a nice site on the end.

[Outdoors4me]

seldencove: that's a lovely site. Now our plans have changed, but I still want to go! Maybe down the road...