Camping in Ohio is the ideal destination to spend the weekend camping, hiking, bicycling, and soaking up the state’s natural landscape, thanks to its beautiful natural scenery, calm lakes, steep mountains, and deep, wooded valleys.
Ohio boasts hundreds of campgrounds and campsites, so there’s something for everyone.
You might need to check if certain attractions are open because most of them are temporarily closed or require reservation before your visit there.
Some restaurants only provide pick-up, and it is a possibility that their hours have changed and might not be available at all times.
Summary
| Guide | Camping In Ohio |
|---|---|
| Things to bring | Torch, tent, etc. |
| Campgrounds | Barkcamp State Park, and more |
| Best places to visit near | Cincinnati, and more |
| Situated | Columbus |
Camping In Ohio
1. Alum Creek State Park
This park is a 4,630-acre park with gently undulating fields and forests that provides a variety of outdoor leisure and activities, including camping in Delaware County.
Alum Creek State Park offers a large campsite with a boat launch pad, a campers’ beach, a dog park and dedicated dog beach, and playground equipment for children.
It is home to the Alum Creek Reservoir, a popular place for boating, fishing, and swimming.
Alum Creek Campground has 24 full-service campsites with water, power, and sewer hook-ups, as well as bathrooms, showers, and a dump station.
You can go swimming, fishing, hiking on the mountains, riding bikes on mountains, riding horses, and all other naturalist programs in the area.
Address: Alum Creek State Park, Lewis Center Rd, Lewis Center, OH 43035
2. Barkcamp State Park
The Barkcamp State Park is a public leisure area in Belmont County, close to the hamlet of Belmont.
This family-friendly state park includes great recreational amenities and gorgeous natural landscapes of undulating meadows, deep forests, a lovely lake, and plentiful animals.
This remote 1,005-acre park, located in the center of Ohio’s coal mining district, provides camping, boating, fishing, swimming, and picnicking, with several electric sites, bathrooms with showers, and a dump station.
Volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, and miniature golf are among the other recreational activities available in the region, with attractions ranging from the Belmont County Museum and Friends Meeting House to the Dysart Woods.
Address: 65330 Barkcamp Park Rd, Belmont, OH 43718
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3. Ohio Camping: Countryside Campground
Countryside Campsite is a charming, family-oriented campground near the Mogadore Reservoir.
The campsite has beautiful scenery in a calm, secluded setting. It provides both tent and RV camping, with 95 RV sites that have full hook-ups, water, and power hook-ups, as well as a propane filling station.
In the campground, the available amenities are restrooms with showers that have hot water, facilities for laundries, wireless internet for free, a store where you can buy important stuff, and a dump station.
You can also do primitive tent camping in a magnificent area with picnic tables and fire rings on each of the sites. The ground also has cottages for rent.
Address: 2687 OH-43, Mogadore, OH 44260
4. Ohio Camping: Dillon State Park
Dillon State Park, in Muskingum County, is near Zanesville and provides a variety of outdoor and recreational activities, including stunning hiking and mountain bike routes, as well as gorgeously lovely surroundings for boating, fishing, picnics, and camping.
It has rented cabins and camping sites with water and power hook-ups, modern restrooms with laundry facilities, showers and flushing toilets, and a dump station spread throughout 2,285 acres.
Archery, basketball, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and stargazing are other recreational activities available in the park.
Address: 5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport, OH 43830
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Best Places To Visit Near Ohio
Cincinnati
Despite the fact that some of Cincy’s areas are a touch run-down, the city’s renovation winds are strong.
Look no farther than the historic Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood for proof.
The colorful Findlay Market, which attracts thousands of foodies on weekends, and Cincinnati Music Hall, home of the famed Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, are both in this area.
Downtown is another example of this revival. s seen by the riverside Great American Ball Park’s recent restorations and the pedestrian-friendly Fountain Square.
Sandusky
Sandusky attracts a lot of water enthusiasts and adventure seekers because it is on the shores of Lake Erie.
The community is home to Cedar Point, an amusement park that has the world’s tallest and fastest roller coasters.
There are other rides for children, a sports center, and a water park at the site.
Outside of Cedar Point, there are other attractions, like Merry-Go-Round Museum and Conventions Sandusky, the state’s largest indoor water park.
Checklist Before Camping In Ohio
Taking too much gear is inconvenient when camping, but bringing too little might be disastrous.
Using a checklist can help you avoid these problems. Keeping note of things you don’t use is also a smart idea.
With that in mind, here’s our list of essential vehicle camping gear for camping in Ohio.
- Dome tent with poles, rope, and stakes in the case
- Extra stakes and rope
- Ground tarp
- Tent repair kit
- Duct tape
- Single-burner propane stove
- A small cylinder of propane fuel (additional cylinders if you are going to be out for a while)
- Flint and/or matches (for igniting burner)
- Swiss army knife
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FAQ
What are the rules for camping in Ohio?
These rules generally change from campground to campground, you can not expect a set of rules when you are camping in Ohio, but it is a good practice to know your limits set by the state itself.
Can you camp anywhere in Ohio?
Backcountry camping is permitted in most of Ohio’s state forests and along a lengthy hiking path that runs through the state.
Almost every state park in Ohio has a campsite with varying levels of development. Many campgrounds feature woodland sites with no hook-ups, providing a more rustic camping experience.
Where can you tent camp for free in Ohio?
Again, this depends on which campground you choose as some of the campgrounds could offer free tent camp areas whereas some could not.
Please take a look at the campgrounds we have listed above to make your decision.
Shefali Jain is a Content Writer & Editor at USWorkforce.org
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes. In her time at the organization, she has written and edited content on a range of topics, including employment law, human resources, and business management.
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