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Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a destination for millions of visitors each year who enjoy hiking, riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad , biking and picnicking. Whether you need an area large enough for a family reunion or just an intimate spot for two, Cuyahoga Valley is an ideal destination. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the park. Two rustic shelters, Ledges and Octagon, are available for reservation in the Virginia Kendall Unit of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
With many different facilities and attractions in the park, there is something to interest everyone. Most shelter areas have open fields for games and nearby hiking trails.Visitors enjoy riding the scenic railroad, exploring the visitor centers, catching one of the summer concerts, attending one of the ranger-guided programs, biking the Towpath Trail or picnicking in one of the park's picnic shelters.
Cuyahoga Valley's two shelters are fully-accessible. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed them with American chestnut and locally quarried sandstone. The shelters are located near Ritchie Ledges, an area with approximately 2 miles of Sharon conglomerate stone cliffs about 30 feet (9m) tall. A large play field and hiking trails are available near each shelter.Ledges Shelter accommodates up to 75 people. It has two fireplaces and eight picnic tables inside, as well as eight tables in the outside pavilion and a large grill. Octagon Shelter accommodates up to 50 people. During the summer months its walls are removed; they are in place from October 15 to May 14. Seven indoor picnic tables, two fireplaces and an outdoor grill are provided.Both shelters have electricity for normal two-pronged household appliances such as coffee pots and crock pots. Drinking water is available at a drinking fountain from May 1 to September 15. Restrooms with flush toilets are available year-round.
The Cuyahoga River flows through the park for 22 miles (35 km), fed by more than 190 miles (306 km) of perennial (permanent) and ephemeral (temporary) streams. The Beaver Marsh and other wetlands, many lined with cattails and dense patches of duckweed, provide a home for many of the park's reptiles and amphibians and help filter pollutants from the water.
Visit Brandywine Falls, the historic Boston Store Visitor Center, Ritchie Ledges, the Beaver Marsh and the Everett Road Covered Bridge. These are some of the more popular attractions in the park.
Cancellations more that 14 days before arrival will receive a refund minus a $10 cancellation fee. Cancellations less than 14 days out will forfeit the entire fee. However, the reserving party may be given an opportunity to reschedule the reservation (based on availability) within 12 months of the original reservation by contacting the park.
$80 - $110 / night
$35 - $55 / night
Hidden Hollow Camp features a beautiful one-acre woodland pond and two nature trails. In geographical terms, a “hollow” is exactly as it sounds – a small valley or basin in the land. At the bottom of Hidden Hollow is the West Fork of the East Branch of the Black River. The rich soil of its floodplain is home to towering sycamore, black willow, and black walnut trees -- along with a diverse array of wildflowers. The trees and thickets here provide ideal habitat for migrating warblers. Visitors should plan on bird-watching during spring and fall migration.
The enclosed building at Hidden Hollow Camp offers the perfect amenities for an “indoor camping” experience for up to 75 people, including a wood-burning stove, scenic wraparound porch, movie screen, electric range, food preparation tables, and a refrigerator. Alcohol is permitted inside the enclosed building only when reserved for day-use or camping.
Although there is no indoor plumbing, the frost-proof water spigots with potable water are easily accessible at two outdoor locations. A gray-water pit for disposal of dirty dish water is located adjacent to the toilets. The site includes a campfire ring surrounded with plenty of flexible bench seating and a parade ground area with a flagpole for scout ceremonies. There are turf areas for outdoor recreation activities and a team-building challenge course.
There are 2 primitive sites here. The West Woods is a 902-acre park that protects the historic sandstone ledges of Ansel’s Cave, Silver Creek and its watershed, extensive wetlands and mature forests.
$25 / night
Three primitive sites along the trail with few amenities. Remember to LNT.
$5 / night
Ranger
Review in a previous post.
RangerStayed here while visiting Cuyahoga NP although was 15-20 minute drive to park. But is close to quaint beautiful towns such as Stow Silver and Hudson. Close to a golf course. I felt the road noise was bothersome at night. Most of the sites are simple, treeless but grassy. The power station was several feet from the driveway but the camp host encouraged me to drive on the grass to access power. The price is very reasonable.
Legend
General: This campground is huge with a mix of FHU (some back-in and some pull-through), electric hookup, no hookup, group sites, cabins, and one yurt. On a Monday night in June, many of the sites were occupied.
Site Quality: All camper pads were paved and appeared level. Some sites were a little close together but there was reasonable separation and there was plenty of foliage. Site H3 was a good one as it had no site next to it on one side.
Bath/Shower house: In our loop, the bathhouse was clean. It took a while for the water to get hot but once it did, it was very hot. The water pressure was very good. The only problem with the shower was that water leaked out onto the floor outside and there always appeared to be a lot of water, which could pose a slipping hazard.
Activities/Amenities: A camper store and nature center, game room, laundry, dump station and potable water, disc golf, hiking trails, multi-use trails, marina (for large boats, not kayaks or SUPS), basketball, volleyball, archery, fish cleaning station. I think I mentioned everything!
We enjoyed our two-night stay here, and if/when we return, we would consider taking a ferry to some of the smaller islands nearby.
Scout
We tent camped. Loved the place. Loved the kayak launch. Some of the sites are super close together. We took a look around and got an idea of where we went to stay next time.
Scout
We tent camp. They have a great spot that’s set back in the woods. There are lots of trees. Very peaceful. Dislikes are no shower houses or toilets back there except one port a potty. The shower houses they do have not a huge fan of. Def bring your flip flops. They have a nice pond.
Traveler
I have camped here 3 times as an adult and most of my childhood here. It's quiet, the campers and staff and friendly. They have large shaded sites and a few tent sites in the back still. It's not going to blow your mind here, but I will continue to enjoy T&C because of its cost, how close it is to home, and how enjoyable of a time I've had here.
Legend
The owners are very frank about what they have here. This isn't a place to get away from it all. It's behind a car dealership and next to a fairly busy railroad. But they do offer amenities to make your stay easier.
We normally stay at State Parks, so didn't understand all the options they had, and ended up with a deluxe dual site which had more than we needed, but was a pleasant surprise.
Our site was not in the tree shaded area, but instead included a Shelter with table, a patio with furniture and a fire pit, a grill and a free-stranding sink and electricity. the sites are close together, but our neighbors were friendly and comradery was the norm.
The showers are a bit cramped, but plenty of hot water. There are TWO heated pools, which we didn't have time to use. Plus there's a big bouncy hill for the kids, something I've never seen before. A good General store and friendly staff.
We spent all our time at Cedar Point, but here are things for the kids to do here, including a crafts barn.
Guide
I had a tent site and it wasn't bad. The site next to me was blasting music but turned it off around 8 so I won't dock points. The bathrooms were clean and it was easy to get to from the highway. There was a lot of road noise though. The tent platform was level and clean. I would stay again.
Scout
Super nice people- small sites- bathroom/ shower cleaned - a interesting area by Lakerside which is an 1800s art with very nice restaurants and shops most closed after Labor Day / do not take your rv /small roads - skip Sandusky
Traveler
Eagle point is more rustic than the campground by the marina. Gravel pads, many on sloping ground. No way to know which sites might work for you until you look when you arrive. Someone did answer the phone, though, and let us move to another site.We had electric-only, by choice, for 2 nights. Water nearby. Not very many transient campers, but lots of "seasonal" to permanent-looking larger trailers. Quiet in our loop because only a few sites were occupied. Very nice bathroom and shower building. The dump station here is set up for emptying totes- not much room to park a trailer/RV for dumping at it. We drove to the dump station by the marina to have more room to work. Rinse water hose at the sewer opening had no water hose fitting on it (just a skinny brass angled spout), so no way to rinse our blackwater tank. Potable water was 40 feet away, but all water came out of a backflow preventer, so no way to use a hose. Disappointed with the dump station. Overall, it was fine for 2 nights. If you have a boat, there are lots of covers to explore on the lake. The water is very silty, and rather shallow in most places.
GuideI don’t have much to say about this campground but to start off on a high note the pool was nice. Now the reasons for our low rating. WiFi was nonexistent, everything was dirty and run down. Our RV site was ok. Family rented a cabin and it was disgusting. Dirty furniture-dishes-run down. Toilet looked like someone died in it. For $250 a night our recommendation is get a hotel-cheaper and cleaner (which is what our family ended up doing). Oh and letting permanent sites fly all sorts of political flags makes this KOA unwelcoming and honestly a little scary. Do not waste your money here.
Ranger
This state island campground is more than expected! worth the ferry travel, a paradise kept secret. We stumbled upon this island by accident along our travels after Labor Day and we totally fell in love. The water front camping, swimming, boating, kayaking, historic sites, attractions and facilities are superb. Everything you need and more than you expect. We traveled in with our 34’ trailer. The ferry cost was a bit high, around $200 round trip for us, truck and camper….but it was worth it!! The campground is immaculate, quiet during the week especially after Labor Day, the weekend brings a larger crowd. Walking trails, sites, boating and swimming all available from campground. Sandy shallow beach with beautiful view. Ice, firewood and a store conveniently located at campground. The campground is small and sites a bit tight but spaced accordingly and comfortable. Two waterfront cabins and two yurts available for rent as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the island overall. The glacial grooves, limestone crusher, north loop trail, beach and boat launch all withing walking distance. We rented bikes downtown to explore rest of island, including winery, cantina and local bars. Counting the days to go back.
GuideAshland fairgrounds has $20 tent sites or $35 full hookups. You may need an extension cord. All back in sites. Bathrooms are open and close by. No showers. Very clean and quiet. There were 4 others staying here. All were nice. If you arrive after hours grab an envelope and drop payment in an envelope. If you stay in the grass parking lot while no other events are going on you can stay for free.
Guide
We recently stayed at the Yogi Bear Campground and, while the overall experience was fun, the condition of our cabin was absolutely unacceptable, especially considering the$900 we paid for just two nights. Upon arrival, we were shocked by the state of the cabin. There was hair all over the sink, toilet, and shower. The floors were filthy, with dog hair everywhere. It was clear that the silverware hadn't been properly cleaned, and the fans were caked with about a quarter-inch of dust. To make matters worse, we found trash and wrappers lying around, and there was a huge stain on the mattress protector. Crumbs were scattered throughout, indicating that the cabin had not been cleaned prior to our stay. I tried to clean the futon myself after realizing how dirty everything was, and the amount of dog hair and dirt I collected was appalling. When I spilled something on the floor and wiped it up with a paper towel, the towel turned black, showing that the floors likely hadn't been scrubbed in ages.
The water situation was equally disturbing. The water smelled horrible, and both the shower head and faucet were caked with scum. My kids begged not to have to take a shower because of the smell. While I understand that water softeners and filters can be expensive, this was simply unacceptable, especially given how much we paid for the higher-end cabins. At the very least, the website should mention that guests might want to bring a shower head filter or be prepared for the poor water quality.
To add to our frustration, unlike the other cabins, ours didn't have a WiFi access code panel. Some of our friends stayed in nearby cabins, and only a few of them had the WiFi password. When we called to ask for the password, nobody ever called us back. This was especially concerning for our friends who had babies with them and needed WiFi to set up their baby monitors.
This level of cleanliness might be expected in a$50/night cabin, but for the price we paid, it is beyond ridiculous and incredibly disappointing.
Scout
We loved staying at Tall Timbers RV Park in Tyler, Texas. We booked on their website https://www.ttrv.org and had a great time.
Guide
Everyone at this campground is so friendly even the staff is great. The campground has season spots to daily and weekly spots along with yearly. Of course your stay length can determine your views. The campground has waterfront spots with tree coverage to no tree coverage to close up against one another spot where you can hear your neighbors. It’s the you get what you pay for. I have so far enjoyed my spot so far along with my neighbors. I have enjoyed the owner and managers despite other reviews on google. I would recommend and come back. My reasons for 4 stars is your are responsible for maintaining and cutting grass for your campground if you are seasonal to yearly, which is crazy since it’s not our grass and everywhere I have been before takes care of this. This campground does not have sewage and pumps you out twice a week if seasonal and yearly. If you need a pump out it 20$ for emergency situations.
Guide
We stayed for a quick overnight. Plenty of grass and good spacing between the sites. Most appear to be seasonal or full time living. You aren’t allowed to walk a dog around the park which was a very odd rule. Had to stay at your site.
Scout
After booking online, they changed my reservation site to a small spot no where near the bathrooms as I asked. She told me it was right across from the site. Not true. No fire pit in this spot and the site was so small, (my driveway is bigger). Not the picture that supposedly represented what I was paying for. We went home very disappointed. The kids were so excited to go camping and it wasn't worth paying for. We will NEVER reserve a spot at this campground again.
Guide
Some days you just need peace and quiet sitting by the campfire and enjoying the creek and the woods. Other times you want to get up and go dance to the band, swim in the lake, join the bingo and other games or throw a grand picnic. Willow Lake Campground offers it all.
ScoutStay here for the holiday weekend, they offer plenty of activities for everyone. Had a band each night! Bad Juju was definitely a favorite of mine. During the band and the day they have a concession stand open with really good food, the girls that work in there are very lovely. The facilities were clean and staff members were respectful and friendly, really the whole park was. This is a great park for a weekend getaway for the family or even just for yourself.
Scout
Such a great place to camp. We had such an enjoyable trip. The campground was just incredible.
We visited with our family and really made
Some happy camping memories, which will always treasure. Our site was really pretty and we would visit again!
GuidePark on the lake and close to many amenities including Cedar Point Amusement Park. Sites are very tightly packed. Park was mostly empty while we were there early in season. We camped at East Harbor State Park in a Motorhome. Sites in our section were back in and would be difficult to back a trailer into a site with a full campground.
Scout
This campground has been wonderfully updated! The owners have added in an additional playground, dog park, newly paved roadways, newly redone building, a new pavilion, fire pit, and boat parking! We love camping here every chance we get! It is convenient to the turnpike and Cedar Point is just a few miles away!
ScoutI absolutely love this place!!! No party people very family friendly
ScoutWe enjoy camping in this local park. It's quiet, and everyone is very nice here. The park Mgr. is very nice and helpful as well.
TravelerAbsolutely love Findley. So much wildlife and great campsites. Amazing trails including bike trails for beginners up to advanced. We always have a great time.
GuideSome of My Favorite Things About This Campground
Tent camping near Amherst, Ohio offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from well-reviewed campgrounds to unique amenities, there's something for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Amherst, OH is Cuyahoga Valley National Park - CAMPING NO LONGER OFFERED with a 4.4-star rating from 26 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Amherst, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
