Searching for a tent campsite near Amherst? Find the best information on tent campgrounds near Amherst, including sites, reviews, and tips. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Amherst, Ohio's most popular destinations.
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
Traveler
We went tent camping for the weekend and really enjoyed it! Many tent sites available and rather spacious sites. The beach was full since it was Labor Day weekend, but clean and shallow for kids to easily play. Clean bathrooms and shower houses and lots of places to ride our bikes. A nice place to stay if you want to take advantage of the lake, Sandusky or the Lake Erie islands.
Traveler
i pulled in around 6:30 looking for a tent site for one night mid week, there was no one else staying at the campground.
they only have tent sites- I was looking for a spot that allowed a close car- i did not want to hike my gear. I was given a leantoto with close car access-
amazing views & abundant wild life
quiet.
no drinking water on site- but there is wash up water & very clean porta potties
I would stay there again
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.
Traveler
The sites are RV and tent sites. They offer coupons for return campers. The suppounding area is nice and the owners are welcoming. Very clean.
GuideFindley State Park is a huge campground with both RV and tent sites. Paved roads. Shower facilities. Grey and black water dump sites. Laundry ($1.50 for wash or dry). Near a lake, trails. The sites off each camp loop offer the most privacy.
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.
ScoutChet's place is my favorite place! They have rv and tent sites and also a few cabins. They often have gatherings in the pavilion. There's the river to fish in. Docks for your boat. It's a very family friendly place in the middle of nowhere yet close to everywhere!
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.
TravelerWe stayed at this charming KOA for the weekend as we wanted to hike in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The staff was friendly, the amenities were clean, and the campground was quite serene. Despite some loud campers on a nearby tent site, we loved this campground and would definitely go back!
Guide
Don’t let the secret get too big but this place is great. Stayed there at the state park for a week tent camping and it’s wonderful. It’s clean and quiet. The facilities are close and clean. The whole island is fun with plenty of hikes and hidden beaches. Make sure to stop by the local restaurants and get some unique drinks and food. The Brandy Alexander is a must have drink,
TravelerWe will definitely be going back! Campground is on the lake and is beautiful! So many things to do! The camp is clean, has a playground, and movie night. Bath house is a typical campground bath house. We had a tent site and it was huge! Sites come with fire pit and picnic table. Beach is within walking distance of campsite.
TravelerDitto Rebecca’s and Sarah’s reviews below. Tent camped for 5 nights. Brought the dog and bicycles-easy island to bicycle on/around. Camp office now had WiFi in/near the office building. Loved being able to hear the waves on the beach even though our spot wasn’t on the beach. Lots of families and retirees. No issues with rowdy folks-quit time was quiet. Had a problem with our car and lots of folks offered assistance.
Guide
This campground is within a 15 minute drive to Cedar Point and the price point is much more affordable then the campground at Cedar Point. It was not overbooked which was nice because the lots are tiny. They had a pool which kids seemed to love.
Traveler
I recently camped here at South Bass Island State Park. Because of current Covid-19 restrictions, the campground was pretty empty (which I hear is very unusual for summertime). I camped in a tent-only site on the edge of the 25 foot cliff. Great for adults, but no safety barrier for young children. Campsite #97 and#99 have fire rings right on the cliff. (I camped at #99.)
The facilities at the campground are clean and well maintained and the people who work at the camp store are friendly.
The campground is well shaded with mature trees throughout and it over looks Lake Erie to the West making for great views of the sunset. Some sites are right on top of each other and others are well spread out.
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.
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.
Traveler
Staff/owner are so kind and accommodating. I can’t say enough about them. I had reservations at a different campground, but once I got there had to leave, I called crystal rock and the lady was so so kind, got me a site and gave me directions .Bathroom/shower house very clean. Lots of family activities. I stayed in a tent site and had ample space. Close proximity to cedar point and other attractions. I absolutely love this place and am so glad I called. Can’t wait to go back!
Traveler
This campground has a little bit of everything. Rv parking, tent sites and several cabins to rent. Rates are decent. Has lots of stuff for kids to do. Pools are small and can be a little crowded during the summer on weekends. They have a great splash pad and wading pool for kids. There is a new Tiki Hut to get adult drinks. A gem mine. Horseshoes, basketball court and lots of kids activities. Nice camp store that carries a little of everything. This is our second trip there.
Scout
Aug 2019, 3 nights. We were tent camping on a site w/electric & water. We had nice woods behind us, neighbors to the right and vacancy on the left (jackpot). A quick walk to the playground for the kids, lake and store weren’t much further then restrooms with showers were right there as well.
We weren’t expecting much and actually only booked it because of proximity. It’s only 20mins from our home, so we were really curious. Definitely would come back, but may opt for a primitive site as we liked the placement a little better than if we were surrounded on both sides.
TravelerWe stayed at one of the primitive tent sites at South Bass Island State Park and had the most enjoyable time. The site was on a cliff overlooking Lake Erie. The campground was very well kept and clean. The park staff was friendly and helpful, and the park office was stocked with necessities at a decent price. If I had any complaint at all, it would be that the sites are really close together, which could be a problem at busy times. Fortunately we only had one neighbor directly beside us, and they were very nice folks. Would highly recommend this campground!
RangerWe tent-camped in well-shaded loop D, which is a non-electric tent area. Loop D is much smaller and more private than the larger non-electric area (loop A). If you're in a camper, then the area next to loop A (loop B) is your best bet for shade. We loved our stay here. It's a great base camp for exploring the area and the beach is just a short drive. I wish the bathrooms in the non-electric loop were updated, but they were cleaned on a daily basis. Daily nature programs for kids at the campground 's excellent nature center were great. Take the ferry to Put-in-Bay while you're at East Harbor, or take a road trip to the Mad River & NKP train museum in Bellevue.
GuideThis is a cozy spot with the a laid back atmosphere and very clean shower house. It's was also cool to see a campground where tent camping is thriving!
We did stay in a Travel Trailer next to seasonal campers and they were very kind and helpful. The lot size was ok...not spacious but not as small as I've experienced. They are grass sites so in the summer months you will need insect repellent at night.
The shower house is older but very well maintained and regularly clean. You can tell the owners care about the campers experience.
Lots of cool activities for kids: putt-putt, ping pong, foosball, playground, etc.
Close to so much in Sandusky and worth a stay.
GuideHad a great camping trip! Miller’s Ferry to the island. Completely Shaded. Mostly level. Some are narrow-ish. Our site 32, was long back into the open wooded area behind us. Everyone was respectful. Shower houses decent. Older and clean. Private shower stalls. Plenty of drinking water stations and grey water dump too. We were there with the mayflies 😂 harmless but plentiful! Wifi worked. Office open after 3pm-ice. Lake is beautiful. Tent sites-no electric-on the lake and are picturesque. We rented a golf cart to get around the island, which was a lot of fun. Sunsets near Perry’s Memorial are magnificent. Goat Soup and Whiskey-best restaurant! Second best-Upper Deck.
Guide
This is a quiet campground near Lake Erie. The campground seems like it’s mainly seasonal but they did have some transient camping and tent sites. We stayed at site 156. The site was large with a large grassy area right on the lagoon. There was a large flock of geese that stayed near the lagoon which meant goose poop around our site. It was also very buggy in the evenings. The electric is 50 amp. They have connectors you can use for a $25 deposit and then get your money back when you return the cord. They accept check and cash, no credit cards. The roads are paved and they have a nice outdoor pool, small playground, and small miniature golf course.
GuideI chose this campground for its proximity to Cuyahoga NP. It's located somewhat close to an industrial area, so it's not really that quiet but is a good place to stay if you want to be near Cuyahoga or Cleveland (relatively) inexpensively. It was, however, one of the most expensive campgrounds I've ever stayed at! I was there at the end of August and a tent site w/ no amenities was over 35 bucks for the night.
The showers were free (unusual camping bonus), but all the bathrooms/showers were in pretty rough shape and not that clean. Getting around the campground is also pretty confusing because the roads are pretty winding (like most campgrounds), but none of them have street signs.
The campground served its purpose for what I needed, but I probably would never stay here again given the choice.
ScoutWe spent a night here to celebrate my husbands birthday with a couple of our friends. The campground was great! It was well setup with lots of things to do. The only complaint I have is that the tent sites aren’t very well designated. There aren’t any markers showing where sites start and stop. We rented two sites next to each other and when we pulled up the one we were assigned was being used by someone else. Luckily the one on the other side was open so we could still set up next to each other, so it really wasn’t that big of a deal, but I’m sure if there were better markers/signage it wouldn’t have been a problem to begin with. Otherwise it’s a great campground, we are definitely planning on coming back with the kids. Lots of fun things to do.
TravelerLoved this campground, lots of trails to walk and mt. bike trails to ride. The beach is ok but you can rent various styles of watercraft to explore the lake. I would recommend doing a some research on campsites as they range from small to large for the same price. The original site I booked was a tent site to small for 2 tents ( one larger n one smaller) #131 non electric however I was able to switch to another sight #118 which was a larger. The campground office was super nice and friendly in switching the sites to accommodate me.( site 118 had water 2 sites down, an outhouse 5 sites down and nice clean rest rooms just a short walk away maybe 9 sites down, playground and camp store/ nature center isn’t to far away to walk but biking would be best, camp store is on the small side but had all the basic essentials and they had good wood bundles to choose from with a reasonable price, If they done have something a dollar general is 7 min down the road)
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
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Amherst, OH?
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 12 tent camping locations near Amherst, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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