For those who want to get away from civilization for a weekend, but still want the comforts of home, consider renting a cabin for your Blue Creek camping trip. Find the best information on cabin camping near Blue Creek, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your Ohio camping adventure.
Our campground is located along the banks of the Ohio River. Easy to access right on the Ohio River Scenic Byway or US Highway 52. View river barges and tugs as they go by several times a day. Take in the sites of the Kentucky Appalachian foothills on the other side of the river. Wake up to the sounds of many birds that make their home in the scenic Ohio River bluffs. Toss a line in as you fish the river from our boat ramp. Take a hot shower or do laundry in our well stocked and clean bath house. Our hookups include 50/30 amp electric, sewer and water at each site. For your convenience we also offer honey wagon services and a dump station.
$35 - $125 / night
Hidden deep under the northeast forests of Kentucky, strange formations with names like Giant Turkey, Headache Rock, and The Cathedral mingle with cave corals, underground waterfalls and thousands of endangered bats. This is what awaits visitors to Carter Caves State Resort Park, approximately 90 miles east of Lexington. The park was only established, and the cave environments protected, in 1946. Prior to this, the land—and caves—have a long and storied history. It begins millions of years ago, when North America was in its development stage, with the land rising and falling, cracking and washing away. This began forming the caves as seen today. Fast-forward to the 1800s, and the caves served as a resource during the War of 1812. Today however, this 2000-acre park—both above and below ground—serves as a recreation destination for campers and adventurers. The resort at Carter Caves offers a variety of overnight options, including camping, cottages and a lodge. Campers will find a large campground with 89 RV sites with utilities, 30 primitive tent sites, eight equestrian sites, and two bunkhouses. Most RV sites are back-in, and can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 60 feet; bunkhouses can accommodate up to six people. The campground features bathhouses with showers, water faucets, picnic shelters, horse stables, and a playground. The park’s cottages are fully equipped with linens, cookware, and most have wood-burning fireplaces; these can accommodate up to eight people. The Lewis Caveland Lodge offers 28 rooms with full amenities, balconies and patios. Dogs are permitted in designated areas, and must remain leashed. Campsite rates are $18–$55/night; cottages and lodge rooms are $75–$240/night. The main attraction at Carter Caves State Resort Park is … the caves! There are six named caves in the park for exploring. Some are open year-round, some are only open during the summer. The park offers guided walking tours in four of the caves. Tours range from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours, and require some stair-climbing and stooping. There are also two caves open for self-exploration. These are undeveloped, and require visitors to provide their own light source. For the adventurous, there are also two cave crawling expeditions. These tours are three hours long, and explore tight, undeveloped passages that require lots of crawling, stooping and duck-walking in muddy conditions. For visitors who would rather stay and play above ground, the park features 26 miles of hiking trails, guided horseback rides, putt-putt golf, rock climbing, and fishing and paddling on Smoky Valley Lake.
$24 / night
At Long's Retreat Family Resort, whether you are looking to bring your own camper or to reserve a rental, we have affordable accommodations for your family with tent and RV camp sites, cabins and rental units!
While camping near Columbus enjoy water fun with waterslides, beach swimming, a splash pad and more on our 20 acre lake! Prefer to stay out of the water? Try our mini golf, go karts, kiddie train, carousel, arcades, sports courts and more!
Reservations are required and may be made up to six months in advance online or by calling (866) 644-6727.
These amenities are available in the family campground on the north side of the lake:
Showerhouses, flush toilets, laundry facilities
Dump station
Basketball court
Campsites
Paint Creek's large campground — nearly 200 sites — offers pet-friendly campsites including electric and full hookup. There are some premium deck sites. Camper Cabins
Two Camper Cabins provide cozy wooden shelters — no tent needed. Pets are not allowed.
One bedroom; sleeps up to 4 (one queen bed and one set of bunk beds)
Air conditioning and fireplace
Microwave and refrigerator
TV with DVD player
Porch, gas grill, fire ring, picnic table
No cooking utensils
No bathroom/indoor plumbing. Camper Cabin guests use the shower houses and toilets in the campground.
No pets
No smoking
Reservations are required. Contact the park for more details. Bridle Camp
A small bridle camp with 10 primitive campsites (no electric) is available south of the lake in its own area of the park. There is potable water and pit latrines available. Sites must be reserved, online or by calling (866) 644-6727. [Driving Directions]
Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites. Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach. Tater Knob, a fire tower open to the public, is nearby, offering outstanding views of the area.
Water skiing and swimming are wonderful ways to enjoy the lake. Muskie, large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish attract avid anglers. Hikers are fans of the Zilpo Mountain Loop Trail that extends for 2.25 miles, connecting to a network of other trails around the lake. Nature programs are regularly scheduled during peak season and wildlife watching is rewarding.
Zilpo sits on a peninsula in the middle portion of Cave Run Lake at an elevation of 800 feet. The lake spans 8,270 acres with soft, sandy beaches. The campground is shaded by a stand of mixed hardwoods, and campsites have good privacy.
The nearest community is 12 miles away.
$28 - $94 / night
The Rocky Fork Campground is the ultimate basecamp for locals and travelers alike to explore Rocky Fork State Park. On the shore of Rocky Fork Lake, the campground is excellent for tent campers and RVers alike to enjoy beaches and watersports in south central Ohio. Rocky Fork campground has 171 campsites suitable for trailers and tents, 99 sites with electric hookups, 44 full hook-up sites, and 27 non-electric sites.
Nestled on the shores of Cave Run Lake, this camp is part of the larger Twin Knobs Recreation Area. There are more than 200 sites spread out over 10 loops under a dense forest of mixed conifer and deciduous trees. The recreation area includes two reservable group picnic areas. Group camping is also available.
Summer amphitheater programs and scheduled campground activities provide family fun and entertainment. The campground also has volleyball courts, basketball hoops and horseshoe pits. There is a boat ramp and beach. Popular lake activities include fishing, swimming, motor boating, windsurfing, sailing and water skiing. Scenic foot trails include the 2.5-mile Twin Knobs Shoreline Trail and the 1.5-mile Knob Overlook Trail.
The Daniel Boone National Forest embraces some of the most rugged terrain west of the Appalachian Mountains. The forest lies within the Cumberland Plateau, where steep forested slopes, sandstone cliffs and narrow ravines characterize the land in this region. Cave Run Lake is in the Cumberland District in the northernmost part of the forest. The lake is surrounded by the rolling hills of northeastern Kentucky.
The Morehead Office Visitor Center offers information about the Daniel Boone National Forest in addition to interpretive exhibits. A popular attraction within the Daniel Boone National Forest is the Red River Gorge Geological Area, which features more than 100 natural sandstone arches.
$31 - $128 / night
Legend
"Zilpo, a large, fun-filled campground on Cave Run Lake, is a prime destination for families. The scenic campground offers a cabin rental, tent camping, RV sites with electric hookups and a selection of lakefront sites.
Views of the lake are enjoyed by those who relax on the sandy beach. Tater Knob, a fire tower open to the public, is nearby, offering outstanding views of the area."
We were planning on staying multiple night because of the reviews online but it ended up being a whole lot of families with kids running around like wild beasts for hours on end. it truly annoyed us the entire time we were there and left early in the morning. I'm sure we could have spoke to some one and moved sites. It is advertised as above as fun for the whole family so we felt like dicks haha. whatever. moving along now.
Guide
This campground has some features that are nicer than what is found in many state campgrounds. There are some secluded sites back in the woods, so you don't feel like you are camping in a parking lot in a few places. NOTE that most of these secluded sites (along the back edge of the campground) are up a flight of stairs. You have to carry all your gear up a hill or stairs to set up. You will not be near your car, which can get annoying.
The bathrooms were average, not great but not gross. We were there on their Halloween weekend, with a fun site-decorating contest and trick or treat in the afternoon, which was mildly annoying for us because they closed the roads from 2 to 6 so we could not drive back to our site, and when we finally could, someone was in our parking pot for the next hour.
The lakes are quite tiny. The one at the campground is more like a large pond- fine for paddling around on a paddleboard for practice, but don't think you'll get in any meaningful kayaking or sight-seeing on this pond. The other lake is slightly bigger, but still not big enough for kayaking more than a couple hours at most.
The new campground is on the river on what used to be the golf course- I will write a separate review for that.
The lodge has some amenities (pool, hot tub, cafe, bar), but we ate in the restaurant and it was terrible. I do not recommend. Get some apps at the bar if you have to but keep your expectations low. We had pork nachos and the pork tasted old, everything was cold and it gave me a terrible stomachache.
LegendIn the short videos I posted you will notice that I did not add a transcript. Please turn on your Google Accessibility for Live Captions to access the spoken information within the video clips.
Shawnee State Park (Little Smokies of Ohio)
Has a great ranger/naturalist (Jenny) she made the days go by in a memorable way as we were able to do a creek crawl with her one day, kayaked for free with her on the lake, and had several other activities that we enjoyed. ODNR has a gem in Jenny as she was able to tailor the events to a wide range of abilities, interests, and ages.
Cell Phone service is weak at the park. We didn't always have a signal at the camp grounds but if you go over to the lodge you will have a signal. You can also access Wi-Fi while at the lodge if needed. The lodge has a restaurant that you can eat at if you wish. They also have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and an indoor hot tub. If you camp at the state park campsites you can pay for a day pass. This is a great thing to do when you need a change of pace or if it is rainy and you want to swim indoors. They even have a game room (old school arcade).
Near the Shawnee State Park is a dairy bar that my family has gone to for many years. It is a part of the tradition to get Turtle Sundaes. https://www.facebook.com/Buckeye-Dairy-Bar-Miniature-Golf-166451746787194/
In the Shawnee lodge if you look closely at the main mural you will notice Raven Rock. We totally overlooked this while we were growing up. Thanks to the internet we now know this is a nature preserve. https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/raven-rock-state-nature-preserve
Our first campsite was number 12. We arrived at 5:55 PM and the camp office closes at 6:00 PM. The gal waited for us to check out the site and we promptly came back as she did indicate it was a rough site. This site and 13, 14 is what I would expect for a backpacking campsite. Not for a traditional car camping non-electric campsite. If we had any older or younger family members with us it would have been inaccessible. We didn't like the walk up to the site and the big draw back was the table in the poison ivy. We promptly for the 1st time in my camping career paid a fee to switch to a new site. Luckily the park was not super busy as it was a weekday.
Bathroom access such as the stairs, bathroom stalls ADA, and other access points will need to continue to be improved for those with mobility issues. This would have greatly impacted my friends and family had they been with me on this trip.
The showers in the bathhouse are motion sensor based. That means if you get too far from the sensor the shower will turn off. Also, make sure you take your shampoo items etc. out with you before you get dressed as if you reach back in to grab your items you will promptly get sprayed.
Another favorite spot is the fire tower https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/copperhead-fire-tower Please make sure to respect the fire tower as it is one of the few fire towers that you can still go up in and look at the beautiful view. You will not have a signal here so make sure you also ask about how to get back as we didn't have a GPS signal for the way back and just explored our way back to civilization.
The park was not super busy while we were there in June. It is a well kept secret as I found this to be one of the most charming parks that I have been to in a long time. I suspect the cell phone signal and location has impacted folks coming to this park compared to others. It isn't super close to a major city but for me that is part of the charm.
For those of you who like to mountain bike do check out the new mountain bike trails. I cannot report on those as I am not talented enough to go out on those trails;)
ScoutStayed at cabin D11. Nicely maintained. A bit on the small side but good for a place to lay your head. This cabin is directly opposite the restrooms for this loop. Cabin is about 10 x 20. The front room has two chairs a bench and table and the air conditioner. The second room has four single bunk beds.
The grounds around the cabin are nice with gravel area for setting up an outdoor kitchen or tent or lounge chairs.
TravelerI stayed at Shawnee SP campground in August 2020 (Friday night). This campground is geared towards families with kids, especially with RVs. It has all of the amenities: electric at most sites, water, flush toilets, showeres, laundry. There’s a small lake at the campground with a swimming beach and canoe rentals. They also have a gift shop and miniature golf. North of the campground there is a lodge with cabins and larger fishing lake. The campsites are very close together and the campground was full when I was there. It was surprisingly quiet at night. I prefer a little more privacy and separation from other campers. Looking around the campground I’d say that Site 8 is the best site for car camping or RV camping. There are 2 tent camping sites (111 and 112) that provide separation from other campers but you have to park and carry your gear back to the sites
Traveler
Longs is an amazing place! There is so much to do here. Unfortunately they no longer do overnight camping so your options are to do seasonal, or rent a cabin. Their cabins are very nice. There is so much to do like go karts, swimming, water slides, etc. Be prepared to really go off the grid, as there is no phone service out here at all, and the wifi is terrible.
ScoutNice primitive cabin with luxury
Legend
I was looking for this camp site on Dyrt as I had a fond memory of the quiet night that I spent there on a Sept. school night. I needed to be close by and this was perfect for me.
The cabins based on current information from their website some of them are not being rented due to the massive amount of rains we have had in recent times. The cabins were clean, warm, and safe. The price was reasonable. I enjoyed the quiet nature of the campground as I was there during a week day and non-peak season.
I also knew that it was close to an outdoor drama. I was researching the play again but I have just realized that I have missed the season again. I will try again next year to make it back to the classic play. I went as a child and want to see the play again with adult eyes. http://tecumsehdrama.com/
I am not a bike rider but I do know that I saw a bike trail very close to this camp ground.
I went by to the near by town to Frankfort and had an enjoyable pizza meal. The owner of the campsite was able to give me some ideas for meals. I then put the left overs in the fridge in the cabin. She even guided me to the cabin when I had trouble finding it as it was tucked away in the hill side (part of the charm). The leaves falling it made it tricky for me to be confident in how to get to the cabin.
LegendThis campground has it all:) I picked this campsite as it is further south in the Daniel Boone National Forest so it isn't near the chaos of the climbing that is found further North.
"Peak Season Rates as listed on website - https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232370?tab=fees
Cabin Electric$75.00 Standard Electric$30.00 Standard Electric Other$41.00 Standard Nonelectric$22.00 Standard Nonelectric Other$27.00 Standard Nonelectric Double Site$33.00
Limit 6 people and 2 vehicles per single campsite; additional vehicles will be charged$8/night; additional campers will be charged$1/night A$5 nightly fee is charged for electric hookups Each cabin has 2 double bunk beds with out mattresses, Please bring your own sleeping bags or other bedding."
We wanted to check out the cabins as they looked so darling. We couldn't quite tell if the cabins had AC or heat.
As for the beach, it was a blast and we spent pretty much the whole day there and every day with the heat. At night the beach is sadly closed but if you go up a little more on the road you will find another "beach" spot that isn't closed so you can look at the stars over the lake.
It is a pain to get back to town in my opinion so make sure you have what you need.
Guide
My daughter and I stayed here last year in late September. We rented a cabin (#4) for a weekend. While not luxurious, the cabin was clean, beds comfortable, AC worked great, functional kitchen and bigger bathroom than I expected. The lake is smaller, but nice beach area and pedal boats are fun. We hiked the Greenbriar and CCC Trails. They are not too challenging but beautiful. Parts of the CCC trail were overgrown with briars and narrow. The campground looks nice, we plan on bringing our camper next time. Not much nearby, but Waverly has some good eats. Seems popular with horse riders.
Guide
Great time! Has fishing, kayaking, golf cart trails, volleyball set up, basketball court, swimming pool and super nice cabins.
ScoutI enjoyed every second I spent at this camp ground... very friendly staff.. great cabins.. awesome environment!! I plan on going back often this summer!
Guide
something for everyone ,rv to tent camping...also cabins and a lodge is available for reservations. great dinning at lodge. wonderful hiking trails...And cave tours.
ScoutSo much fun for the whole family. They have beautiful cabins and water fun for the whole family. They have water slides, swimming, kayaking and much more. It's so much fun to take the family here.
ScoutPrimitive camping and rv space. You can rent a cabin and such. There is a resort. Everything always looks really nice. So many recreational activities, caves, hiking, horses and a lot more. I would really recommend visiting.
Legend
This campground seems more geared towards small campers and cabin stays. Though tent sites are on site. It's located right off rt. 35. They have a campground office as well as a good shower house.
RangerNestled close to the Ohio River and the Shawnee State Forest, you will find rolling hills and valleys that offer serene beauty and picturesque landscapes. Wildflowers run rampant throughout this enchanted state park, and deer, raccoons, and turkey frolic throughout the more than 1,160 acre paradise. Challenge your family members for a round of mini golf or basketball, or set out on a geocaching adventure. Cruise along one of the numerous hiking trails and or set off on a relaxing ride on the two bridle trails. Rest your head at one of the campsites offering a dump station and showers, or stay in a cabin. If neither of those are your thing there is a beautiful lodge that provides swimming pools, a game room, and breathtaking views of either the river or forest.
Guide
Blue licks features a great lodge, restaurant and cabins. Our family used to visit the restaurant a few times a month for its down home cooking on the buffet. Camp grounds are clean and well spaced out, and there's great fishing spots.
We still fish there on a regular basis.
TravelerIt’s peaceful and the area we were in was not too close to each other. They have spots for tents, campers and they also have cabins. It’s surrounded by a huge lake with fishing and a boat ramp. You do have to make sure you have all your supplies, the closest store is 30 to 40 minutes away.
Scout
This campground should be a must visit on your list 🤗
We have camped in many places & this is definitely a 5 star 🌟 place. The spaces are so spacious & clean. The bathrooms & showers are so clean as well (Hardly see that anymore) The campground is relaxing & quiet 😁
The hosts & owners make you feel right at home & like family 💕 Beautiful views of the Ohio River & access to the water (beach) 🏖️ You can see the barges go by, watch the beautiful sky, & see the mountain range across the river. So much beauty to truly relax. Close to Cincinnati but far enough away to be in a peaceful relaxing place. You can tent, rent a cabin, or bring your own camper. Perfect for family camping 🏕️
Great events for families to enjoy.
Truly a wonderful place to be.
Love love love this campground 🏕️🏖️🛶🐟❤️🌟
GuideSandy Springs is our RV home away from home. From the beautiful views of the Ohio River, fishing, quiet out in nature, there is just not enough great words to describe this campground.
The owners Julie and Darcy are the best when making sure your stay is pleasant and we've made this our go to campground since 2018.
From the simple registration for RV/Tent spots as well as cabins, it doesn't get any easier to book a site. Unlike some campgrounds, where the full-timers get all of the premium spots, it is the opposite at Sandy Springs, the river view spots are left open for the "weekenders".
Some weekends, there are special events going on, from bands to bouncy houses and there are also those weekends where nothing is going on, it you are looking for the slower pace camping.
You cannot go wrong camping here :)
Feel free to reach out if you want more info, always glad to share,
Joe Testa
GuideI found this jewel during the pandemic. I wanted to stay closer to home than usual for vacation. It was the cutest, most affordable, safe for solo female campers, clean, wonderful owners, tons of things to do, or just relaxing. I fell in love and have returned many, many times. I have stayed in all of the cabins and campers except SS Sandy Springs and Flair. I am familiar with this area and Shawnee State Forest, aka, The Little Smokies!
TravelerWe’re very familiar with twin knobs. Zilpo is the backwoods cousin. A bit more remote, but we found the campground to be fantastic. It is more densely wooded than twin knobs. The sites are generally just as good, but there is more variety between primitive/hookup/cabins. The beach is not quite as big, but plenty big, and wasn’t crowded over July 4 weekend. The beach store has bare essentials. There doesn’t seem to be ranger programming. Not all the loops have showers in the bathroom buildings.
Ranger
Amazing views of the water and surrounding wooded areas. Good place to fish for bluegill and catfish. Awesome place to swim during daytime hours, just remember to us caution and don’t go out of designated area. Nice trails for hiking or taking a cruise on your bike. Spend the night at the camper cabin or if you have an RV hookup to one of the electric sites and enjoy the sunset. Wonderful place for the kiddos to learn about the great outdoors while enjoying some family time.
LegendShort visit here, but it was enjoyable :) This park as a few shorter hiking trails, which were nice, as well as historic sites, mini golf, and a pool. The park has a lodge and cabins as well as a campground. In the campground area is basketball and volleyball. Campground is not very large, but ‘secluded’ is not a word I would use when describing it. The tent camping sites, ‘primitive’ were not :( It was an okay experience, but there was road noise and no seclusion (we were in a field essentially with the other tent campers).
ScoutSandy Springs Campground is this awesome little gem on the Ohio River. It is a small family owned and family oriented Campground with some amazing views of the foothills of Ohio and Kentucky. The Campground is super clean and well maintained. They have full hookups and 30/50 Amp service. There are pull through sites and river front sites. They have several rental options and the coolest house boat over looking the river with a wrap around porch. They have really nice shower and laundry facilities. There is a pretty cool camp store there too. The best part is the friendly people and atmosphere. The owners work very hard here. They take very good care of the guests and there are always plenty of activities on the weekends and holidays. The prices are definitely affordable and can't be beat anywhere I have stayed before. Couldn't recommend a better place to stay on your next camping adventure.
TravelerCouldn't be happier, nice site, nice bathhouse, lake side, wooded, nice people 👍. A hidden getaway.
Cabin camping near Blue Creek, Ohio offers a fantastic way to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the comforts of home. With a variety of campgrounds featuring cabins, you can find the perfect spot for a relaxing getaway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Blue Creek, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Blue Creek, OH is Sandy Springs Campground with a 5-star rating from 31 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 26 cabin camping locations near Blue Creek, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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