Sugar Creek Campground & Canoe Rentals Review

The experience of canoeing and kayaking was great, im grateful that we were able to go and use this company on July 4th. However, we had to wait at our rendezvous for 45 min after the time we were told they would be there to meet us. (Truth be told we waited for over 2 hours to be picked up from the time we were done and an hour and a half from the time we called them telling them our group had arrived and waited for pick up). We will likely use the company again in hopes that they were just terribly busy because of the holiday.

Grounds are great. Sites aren't comfortable, doable but about all. No OTA channels, wifi nonexistence. Not worth the money.

Very poor customer service. Never going back there again.

Went on a primitive camping weekend with my brother and we loved it here... Quiet and so close to everything yet you feel secluded.. We will return

Wonderful small campground on the river....quiet...could see a sky full of stars. Big roomy sites with an in ground fire pit and picnic table...lots of manicured green spaces....please put this one on your list!

Went tubing with my family and had a great time! A little confusion with getting cooler tubes at the beginning but all worked out before we began our voyage down Sugar Creek! Did 3 miles in roughly 6 hours with stops to eat, swim, and forget about the world at the moment We will definitely be going again!!

Beautiful place to camp. Appreciated the staffs openness to communicate a few issues we had. Very clean facilities. I would love to be able to return.

Nice, clean campground, mostly full hookups, Staff is extremely nice & helpful. Pet friendly. Nice play area, walking & camp store w some goodies, RV accessories, ice, but no LP gas. Stocked fishing pond for guests only. About 1/2 mi. borders Sugar Creek. Canoe & kayak rentals + guided excursions available for $.

The water was low, so we walked more than we floated. Obviously the campground can't control Mother Nature, so I would suggest calling ahead if you want to float!

Probably caring staff little over caring actually are way too concerned about water levels

Nice, Quiet Place. But I think the double standards on the speed limit are unreasonable. I initially pulled in at 10mph seemingly unaware of the 7mph signs posted everywhere ( my mistake on that) I was going 11mph the whole time and had a female staff member proceed to scream at me "SLOW IT DOWN". I heard her and brought it down to the posted 7mph around the bend past the office when I see a golf cart pull up going at least 15mph in my left mirror and almost ran my truck off the road in order to not hit him. He got right up next to me and demanded "YOU NEED TO SLOW DOWN!" Nearly hit the guy because of what he did. Very unsafe. Not to mention there was nobody with in 15 feet of the gravel road I was on. I feel this was a very foolish way of taking care of the situation that put me and that said staff member at risk. But aside from that I very much enjoyed. I have been here once before and I loved it, clean facilities, secure area & good overall access to Sugar Creek and the pond. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Our calls, six in total, were never returned. We went to Sugar Valley Canoe Rentals anyway, hoping for the best. We were told all canoes had been rented. Reasonable considering it was Friday the 3rd of July and a very nice day. When we asked we were told "We get four-hundred messages a day" (acknowledging messages were received), which was "too many to deal with", that "We don't listen to the messages", and, "We don't return calls." The outgoing messages on their machine had been changed perhaps daily, reporting the water was too high, then, it was going down, demonstrating there outgoing message was being attended to. I believe there could/should have also been a part of the message stating Friday, and any other applicable day, was completely booked full. Sugar Valley Canoe Rentals has lost any potential future business from us forever. If there were an option to leave zero stars I would rate them at that.

An absolute diamond in the rough. Super friendly and helpful staff. Clean and wonderful facilities. Great playground for the kids. Nice level spaces with shade. Easy access to creek & they offer canoe & kayak rentals. We will definitely be back.

I wish I would have brought my discs, forgot all about their nice little disc golf course there. I also loved the improvements they have done to their campground and the addition of the canoeing access. I had a great private time camping in their primitive section right on the creek and found an abundance of wild edibles. I used to camp there on the Fourth of July most years but have not been back since I moved out of the area. Even though I have not been there in a few years I was greeted happily and with remembrance, felt like being home on Sugar Creek again.

I just moved to Indiana a year ago and came here for a day of tubing in the river,can t get enough of the fun we had here. I booked 2 camping sites for the 4th of July with the family looking forward to doing everything their is to do at the campground. Some people say that the staff is screaming slow down, well if an individual is driving faster than the speed limit posted EVERY WHERE !!!!!!!!! Down your street where your children play you would tell them to slow down too. The problem is that some people feel that they are exempt from any rules and them they want to Bash the staff for doing their job. To the staff members of Sugar Creek Camgroud I say GREAT JOB in keeping the campground safe

Staff member Julie was extremely helpful. I called to talk about primitive camping, where camp sites are located, and to inform the campground we would be in after hours. Julie was very polite, offered to move us to an amazing creek side primitive spot, and explained how the after hours check-in would work. When we arrived our passes and maps were located where she told us they would be, the camp site was easy to locate, and the primitive spot was great. The bathhouse is very clean and the camp sites were in great condition. I gave it four stars because the primitive sites are pretty close together, and the bathouse is far away from primitive sites. The only option is a 14min walk round trip to pee or to get creative. All in all it was a great place to camp, and if you have children there are lots of fun activities to keep them busy.

We've tent camped and RV camped here. Peeps are great, sites are wonderful, little fishing lake. One of our favorite places to visit and relax.

Went for a kayak ride down the creek. Loads of fun. Next time we'll take the 5 mile because the 3 mile is too short.

We had a Creek side, full hook up site. The campground is large, with two ponds, open fields, basketball court, and frisbee golf. Lots of options for full hook up, water and electric, and primitive sites. Creek access for launching canoes and kayaks, and an area to wade/swim. They also rent tubes, kayaks, and canoes for trips down Sugar Creek. Sugar Creek is the gem of Indiana waterways, with great smallmouth fishing, beautiful views, bluffs, and wildlife, including Bald Eagles, Turkey Vultures, and hawks flying above.
The only negatives for me were the sites were packed in along the creek. There was more room between the trailer and the creek, but the neighbors are close! Also, they do rent to seasonal campers, so some of it seemed a bit like a trailer park.
Overall, we had a great experience, and will probably return! Check it out if you are in the area.

Beautiful scenery, however better instructions should be given

Had a blast! Very happy and helpful...will being going again soon

It's a just fine place to camp but the shower rooms are pretty gross

Good family owned and family friendly campground and canoe/tube rental place. Camp sites are pretty narrow and I'd prefer more space/privacy but the price is reasonable. We could see the staff cleaning and restocking the bathrooms frequently and did a fairly decent job considering how busy they were. Would stay there again if we're in the area.

Great camping right on the creek. Real nice people!

Took the 5 mile trip due to low water level and the actual canoeing was fine. Staff was nice at the front desk. Short video on where to end the trip and showed us a picture of the end trip point. A sandbar, tree and sign were indicated on the photo. Then the guy says but there s no tree or sandbar there anymore and tells us not to go over the dam and that there would be a short walk to the primitive camp sites and then the office. A yellow danger sign that says port is hung above the creek. A huge red building are at the portage point on the other side of the creek so we knew it had to be in the area but there s nothing there that looks like a port. There s the word step with arrows painted onto part of the dam but no sign that indicates the canoe company like in the picture. Evidently your supposed to pull the boat over the dam that has a sign which says do not stand on dam. The step is more like an un-level piece of concrete or a rock that s about 2 ft from where your at. I called the office because we couldn t believe that it was the port and she was kind of rude. We ended up pulling the canoe out of the water next to this dam and crawling up this dirt hill. We walked the path and there were benches or tables periodically. Then the trail made a Y so we took the trail with no weeds instead of the one where the weeds were starting to grow. This eventually took us to a softball field so we back tracked and got back on a different trail that eventually led us to the road and a UPS where we called a taxi. Would have been nice to have some signs indicating distance and which trails to take. My son put it on his gps and if it was correct then the right trail would have been 2.5 miles. He s 13 and exaggerating in the review he did. That s why I m doing this one. Got back to the office and the woman seemed kinda of out of sorts that we didn t bring the canoe with us. Have no idea if she meant partial or at the dam point but made the statement it s all the way at the dam so take it however you want. Memorable trip.

Our 4-H club took a canoeing trip. Staff very friendly and seemed to appreciate our business. They were very accomadating. We had a great time. We didn't camp but are considering going back sometime.

Me and my family have been here a few times within 5 years or so. We love it. It's simple, inexpensive & beautiful. We always camp on the primitive sites which give us plenty of space. It's $10 per night, per person which is very affordable. It's right by Turkey run. We love the stream that's literally right by the campgrounds and enjoy fishing and hanging out in it.

We will be back here, this place was great for family adventure quality time we had an awesome experienced here 5 stars.

Super friendly!!! We did the 5 mile kayak trip, and everyone was very knowledgeable and helpful!! Thanks so much. We will definitely be back!!!

I camped by myself in a tent in a lovely site on the river. Although the site was pretty, I was greeted there with lengths of slightly-used toilet paper and other trash strewn about, which filled a bag. Despite being the only camper in the whole tent area and displaying a large, fluorescent red tag on the car dashboard,, I was repeatedly challenged every time I drove in: "Are you staying with us? Who are you guys?" Once he even drove back to my site at night to shine headlights into my tent. The shower lacked hot water for three days even though I asked them to fix it. One day I drove in briefly to put my rain fly on, with my 96-year-old dad in the car. When I got home there was a $2 charge for a visitor! I would not stay here again.

This was my second time coming here. The staff were so friendly and we had such a beautiful camping spot. Great for tents, campers, and family friendly.

We took the 5 mile trip on 6/15/2018 and Sugar Creek was incredible! The fishing was great but the scenery was beautiful. There were large shale banks with several small waterfalls cascading over them. At the confluence of Little Sugar Creek and Sugar Creek there was a Bald Eagle perched on a precipice. Although he took flight we were able to land the canoe and get a few pictures from our phones. The portage at the Crawfordsville Power Plant was easy and we were able to step out of the canoe on the upstream side and easily move the canoe over the stairs provided. A great day on the creek with the gage height about 1.7 feet. Once again the equipment and employees at the Campground are the best around!

Super friendly staff and unlike other canoe rental facilities, the showers are clean and they will carry your canoe for you. Hardly any work involved at all.

We loved staying here. Very clean, extra nice people, only wish we had more time to go canoeing! We will definitely stay here again!

I will start with 5 stars and will leave it that way if I have a great experience. I am easy to please. Looks like a great place

Camped here overnight, the site was pretty and the prices were good but management seemed pretty disorganized. Creek and lake didn't look especially clear but seemed decent to canoe in if you have the time.

Customer Service is essentially non-existent. No matter the complaint the first response from every person is that We do not do refunds. We had a sinking kayak that we had to pull over half of a 11 mile trip in and when we told them about it they said it would be a $300 charge if I did not retrieve the kayak. The owner and the boys loading and unloading boats were very polite but the front desk lady and others were very rude and were not willing to acknowledge or accommodate mistakes. Bathrooms were not very clean either.

The kayak and canoe trip was fun and relaxing worth it can't wait to go back.

Secure camp grounds. Fun time tubing. Fantastc bus driver. Will be back.

Another great experience at Sugar Creek!! So nice to spend time with my family and The Sugar Creek Crew. Thank you!

Very nice place! Close to IRONMAN NATIONAL and COVERED BRIDGES!

Nice place
Clean and friendly

Awesome week with camping and Ironman Motocross race! Would highly recommend!

We are camped along the Creek side. Not very many campers out here. If course it's during the week. Staff is so nice. A very clean camp ground. If you have kids, there is a great play area. Deffently on the return lust. Thank you.

Just got back from overnight camping trip and canoeing with my son and father-in-law. Great place. Primitive campsite #1 was clean and well situated right next to Sugar Creek. Took us about 30 seconds to walk down to the beach for some evening fishing. Lots of catfish, bass, and carp. Also, two stocked fishing ponds for catch and release. Clean restrooms and showers, a basketball court, and two big dumpsters for throwing away trash. Also, the office had ice, firewood, and worms for fishing, among other things that you might need and not want to head out to town for.

Water in the creek was low (apparently this is normal for August, but we didn't know ahead of time), so while canoeing we dragged bottom in a few places and had to get out and move the canoe. There were also 3 of us in the canoe, so I'm sure this made it worse. Even still, canoeing was fun - a lot of great views, clear water (you could see the fish swimming right next to the canoe), and some fun rapids and other obstacles to make it interesting. You can take as long as you like. We stopped about 3 times to have some snacks and explore, and we finished our 5 mile trip at about 4.5 hours. At the end, just pull your canoe and gear up on the beach and walk 5 minutes to the office to pick up your ID.

Julie was extremely helpful with setting up our reservation, since I had to make some last minute changes. Very friendly and helpful staff. Couldn't have asked for a better time.

Had a good time it would have been better if the water wasnt down but overall a great day with the family!

Canoe trip was perfect for our family of four. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. We will be back for sure!

This is hands down the best place to canoe, kayak, and camp. The owners are amazing and really want every guest to have an amazing experience. Cant wait to go back!!!!!

We stayed 2 nights and had a great time .very well kept clean bathrooms lots of activities for the whole family..we really enjoyed this place and definitely will be back

Amazing Campground. Price is just right. VERY clean and well maintained.

Great campground. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Utilities in good shape and entire campground appears well maintained. Has lots of kid friendly facilities. I don't consider it a negative, but the campground IS busy with the canoe/kayak/tube business.

Such a great place to kick back and relax! I recommend a Cooler float and a water proof speaker for the Creek Float.. Pictures taken 7/26/2020
*Please do NOT mistake Sugar CREEK with Sugar Valley.. I've done it- and believe me there is NO comparison.. Sugar CREEK is far more superior- especially the friendly staff.. Sugar Creek stops online reservations only 24hrs before ( Sugar Valley is 7days) and Sugar CREEK Actually returns voicemails!

Clean campground, well placed hook ups, gravel site, easy in and out for an overnight. Pay at time of reservation, site information on door at arrival.

The camping is beautiful creek side and the staff is friendly. Canoe, kayak, tubes are available onsite. The biggest drawback is the camps sites are right on top of each other. However if you want primitive there is more space.

Great, CHEAP campsite. I stayed at one of the primitive sites and had the place all to myself. The bathroom and showers were clean.

Camping and tubing. We almost missed the sign at the three mile mark for tubing, so watch out the second bridge. Was had a great time though

Staff went out of their way to see to our needs during a nasty rainstorm.

River is great just lots of rules but good for a family trip

Families are denied the ability to camp here if they write bad reviews. Criticism of this campground falls on deaf ears.

Second time staying at Sugar Creek Campground. Loved it! Went on tubing excursion. Great time and experience. Top notch staff! Thanks for a great time!
Will definitely be back!

Our favorite campground! Been coming for years. Well run and nice folks

Family owned and operated. Had a nice canoe down the river.

Great place, very nice hosts, will definitely be returning