Best Tent Camping near Bremen, OH

State parks and national forests surrounding Bremen, Ohio provide several options for tent camping in southeastern Ohio's rolling terrain. Zaleski State Forest, located about 45 miles south of Bremen, offers primitive tent-only camping along its backpacking trails with multiple loop options averaging 10 miles each. Geneva Hills Camp and Event Center provides established tent campsites closer to Bremen with basic amenities. Old Stone Church Campground in Shawnee features walk-in tent sites with pit toilets and trash collection. Monday Creek OHV Dispersed area offers free primitive tent camping with minimal facilities.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature dirt or gravel pads with varying levels of site preparation. Zaleski's backcountry tent sites include access to communal well water and restrooms, though campers should bring toilet paper as it's not provided. Scioto Grove Metro Park offers reservable weekend-only backpacking sites with tent pads and fire rings where firewood is provided. Primitive tent camping areas like Monday Creek have vault toilets but no drinking water. Pops Place Camping provides rustic tent sites for $20 with access to clean porta-johns, showers with on-demand hot water, and drinking water from an outdoor spigot.

Tent campers frequently use these areas as bases for exploring the region's trail networks. According to reviews, Zaleski State Forest features "high quality trees, nice little hills, and cool rock formations," making it "a special place in Ohio" compared to the state's typically flat terrain. One camper noted that Scioto Grove's sites are "spacious" and located "right next to the Scioto River." At Zaleski, campsites fill quickly, especially on weekends, with Camp 2 being particularly popular as it sits at approximately the halfway point of the South Loop trail. Visitors to Monday Creek reported the area serves well as a stopover location with the "vaulted toilet and garbage cans a welcome bonus."

Best Tent Sites Near Bremen, Ohio (21)

    1. Geneva Hills - Camp and Event Center

    2 Reviews
    Rockbridge, OH
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 746-8439

    $35 - $600 / night

    "Tent site was nice. We could make dinner and there weren’t any mosquitoes even though it was right above a swamp. It was a nice driving distance from Hocking Hills and a neat place to camp."

    2. Old Stone Church Campground

    2 Reviews
    New Lexington, OH
    12 miles
    Website

    "Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed (according to NFS website)."

    4. Pops Place Camping

    3 Reviews
    Corning, OH
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 683-3361

    $15 - $125 / night

    "I stayed there Aug 2024 and as of that date the rustic tent camping was $20. "

    "We'd like to welcome Ed and Michelle to our platform. This prime location is 15 minutes from the National Park.  On site drinking water and firewood available."

    5. Monday Creek OHV Dispersed

    2 Reviews
    Nelsonville, OH
    19 miles
    Website

    "Camped at the west side of the vaulted toilet lot. Arrived about 5 PM and all 3 camping spots were empty. Lots of trucks and toy haulers heading up the various roads into the late evening."

    6. Zaleski State Forest

    17 Reviews
    Zaleski, OH
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 596-5781

    "There's a great loop hike in Zaleski State Forest. High quality trees, nice little hills, cool rock formations. Fine campground for tent-camping (my preferred camping method)."

    "Campsites fill up quickly & areas will be shared. Not all have fire rings. Camp 2 is very popular since it is the halfway point(ish) on the trail. Camp 1 is only a couple miles into the loop."

    7. Benton's on the Baileys

    4 Reviews
    Chauncey, OH
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (773) 837-0847

    $40 - $125 / night

    "Extremely private primitive camping surrounded by Wayne National Forest and steps from the Baileys Trail System. Fire pit, picnic table and handmade hammock supplied for comfort and convenience."

    "Excellent campground that is tucked out of the way. You have to walk to the site, up a steep hill, but it is very private and quiet. The bathrooms are down the hill too, but very clean and private."

    9. Baileys Trail Tent Camping

    3 Reviews
    Millfield, OH
    26 miles

    "Wonderful little location. We drove for about 3 hours to get from where we are. Nice wide open space surrounded by woods."

    "Spent consecutive months at this location and couldn't have been happier with the host and accomodations. Great for that "far out" feel just outside of town."

    10. Scioto-Grove Metro Park

    8 Reviews
    Grove City, OH
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (614) 949-1078

    "Free reserve ahead weekend backpacking campsites. All sites have 2 tent pads, a fire ring and firewood provided."

    "Scioto Grove is great if you're looking to test out some new backpacking gear."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 21 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Tent Camping Reviews near Bremen, OH

707 Reviews of 21 Bremen Campgrounds


  • Eira T.
    Jul. 5, 2015

    Burr Oak Cove Campground

    Quiet campground in Wayne National Forest!

    We enjoyed walk-in site #3 during a holiday weekend. The walk-in sites afford more privacy and tree cover than the drive-up sites, where you can see your neighbors on all sides. No showers or sinks, just several vault toilets. Potable water available throughout the camp. Camp sites are $10 a night.

    Neighbors were fairly quiet, and there is one trail that leads down to Burr Oak lake. The trail is 1 mile, but it seems to link up with some longer yellow and green-blazed trails that go around the lake. The campground is also a short drive from the Wildcat Hollow trail head in the Athens Unit of Wayne National Forest

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2017

    Blue Rock State Park Campground

    It's moss I think....

    Blue Rock State Park is outside Zanesville, Oh off I70. Rt 60 takes you South and then you have a choice of routes in. Good Ohio farmland scenery.

    Out of the way, small camping area with basic sites. A cool feature is a few of the sites have pavilion type covered patios that you can pitch your tent in to help stay dry during inclimate weather.

    Otherwise the sites are close together. Though there are a few sites that are more off to themselves, they are still wide open with sparse tree cover.

    The restroom is basic, the showerhouse is located at the reservoir beach as well as the camp store and boat rental.The staff was very knowledgeable about the area and conversational.

    Several trails are in the area, the Horse Camp is up the road. In addition to this area there is the Blue Rock State Forest that offers several out door activities, check out their map and site online.

  • Anna S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Scioto Trail State Park Campground

    Tent only sites - quiet, wooded

    I stayed in the non-electric, tent-only campground NOT the RV campground. Out of curiosity, I drove through the RV campground and it was so loud and cramped! But the tent-only area is separate. Walk-in sites with pit toilets and potable water. The map of how the sites are laid out online is extremely inaccurate, I would not have picked my site if it had been accurate. But there was only one other camper and we all had plenty of space - I could barely see them through the trees. All sites appeared to have a picnic table and fire ring. Many miles of trails / dirt roads for hiking and biking. Clear skies at night. Very relaxing.

  • Nancy R.
    Jun. 9, 2018

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Puzzled Campers

    We had reservations, but didn’t figure out how to check in. The site numbers were very hard to see and figure out. The numbers didn’t appear to be sequential. The worst part for us was that there were no tent pads for pitching the tent. We were there during a very rainy time and had to pitch the tent in a ditch. Water flowed under the tent so we had quite a bit of mud on the bottom of the tent when we packed up. Luckily our tent kept us dry inspite of its location. Space was extremely limited. The picnic table was on the driveway. There was poison ivy less than a foot from our tent. Restrooms and showers were adequate, but toilet paper rolls would fall in the floor if you weren’t careful. All three showers drained into the middle stall making it difficult to keep thing dry.

  • Dave V.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Close proximity to natural attractions

    Hocking Hills State Park, Oh-Site 89. https://thehockinghills.org/

    Hocking Hills State Park offers close proximity to most of the popular natural attractions...Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, etc....but for a tent camper that prefers solitude and space, I found it unappealing.

    I did arrive late on a Monday evening, mid-October and got one of the last available sites. Packed on a Monday night!

    I found the camping sites a bit cramped both in depth and width. Site 89 and 90 shared the same parking pad. Limited flat locations existed for a tent and my tent footprint is fairly small. You do have a firepit and picnic table with all three in fairly close proximity, so you must be extremely cautious with wind direction when deciding for a fire, else you’ll have embers dotting your tent and picnic table. Even though the neighbors were trying to be respectfully quiet...you heard every conversation and saw their every move.

    No electric, which is fine in my book...the water spigot is centrally located on the loop and happened to be next to my site.

    The restroom/shower facilities were not well cared for upon my visit. The floors were very muddy and trash was piled up in the corner of one stall and out of necessities.

    Construction and dump truck noise started early with a project behind the restrooms.

    The visitor’s center was well-stocked and the employee was pleasant. Cell service is unavailable and even sketchy at the visitor’s center. Wood can be purchased at the visitor’s center.

    Close proximity to local attractions and a swimming pool are likely the big draw.

    Knowing that I prefer solitude and distance when camping, I’ll likely not return but choose nearby Lake Hope State Park for my local visits.

  • A
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Burr Oak State Park Campground

    Nice trails, not so nice campsites

    Most of the sites at this state park campground are very small and don’t have much level ground. Even the sites meant for RVs and trailers are right on top of each other. It’s almost like they took what should have been one site and made it two. There’s a handful of sites that offer a little space and level ground for tent campers. You may or may not have a picnic table and fire ring with a grill at your campsite when you arrive. According to staff, people take the fire rings and I guess there’s nothing they can do. Bathrooms were clean. The lake view trail was nice and accessible from the campground.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2020

    A.W. Marion State Park Campground

    A Good Place to Meet is in the Middle

    A new site for us at this campground, site 59 which is an inside site. We also had friends who booked 2 inside sites very nearby so we were able to all set up in the middle and share a large space for 10 people and 7 dogs. We were able to be socially distant, have space for cornhole and lots of room for the dogs. Our site pad was pretty level. My husband went over the pad just a little onto the grass, as the other side sloped. So when we stepped out of the camp, we wouldn't be stepping down on a slope. This is one of the quietest campgrounds we go to even though there is plenty for kids to do (playground). Had the weather been better, we would have brought our kayaks for the lake. You have three different types of restrooms. The ones closest to use are the drop toilets, a little further is a porta potty and the furthest was the flush toilets (no showers). It's our little slice of heaven so we like to try a new site each time if we are able. We take our dogs with us so we have to be a little more picky so we don't bother anyone.

  • Ruby W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2019

    Zaleski State Forest

    Ranger Review: Banner & Oak Firebiner at Zaleski South Loop

    Campground Review: With a close friend coming to visit from Spain, I wanted to show her a cool backpacking location in Southeastern Ohio. Zaleski State Forest seemed like a good choice for a new backpacker. There are multiple loops to trek, averaging about 10 miles per loop. Overall the trails are well maintained (minus a few dense areas). There was almost an excessive amount of blazes. Campsites are plentiful along the trails. We stayed at Campsite C. Each site has access to communal well-water and a restroom. Each site usually has a small fire ring and logs to sit on. Overall, the campsites were pretty decent and secluded, but nothing special view wise aside from the typical Ohio forest. I would say pretty overall, but nothing quite outstanding.

    Product Review: The Banner & Oak Firebiner is a neat little tool that has some really fun features! Most notable being the fire starter. The Firebiner uses a small spark wheel and replaceable ferro rod to create sparks. The sparks are pretty large for the little tool. I now use my Firebiner to start my MSR stove quickly and with zero plastic waste! I haven’t used it to try to start a straight up fire, but friends have successfully before. Most importantly, the spark wheel is just darn right fun to play with. The device has other little uses like a bottle opener, utility blade, and screwdriver. I absolutely love this device! Only complaint would be that I wish it came in different colors, but who really cares.

    Here is a link to check out the Firebiner yourself: https://bannerandoak.com/products/banner-and-oak-firebiner?variant=9696793034788&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwnMTqBRAzEiwAEF3ndu9CmerLos5Y1yvjGHJ2L4FG732wg9bMpyPAJRa3m8dxlxffZ6Nt-RoC6LQQAvD_BwE

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 4, 2022

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Beautiful scenery!

    General: 172-site state park with a mix of full hook-up, electric, and no hook-ups in separate areas plus a 33-site family hike-in camp, two group camps, and three cabins. All sites need to be reserved – no walk-ins are allowed. There is a beautiful visitor center, and the camp office has a small store as well. There is a very nice coin-operated laundry room. Don’t count on cell service– with a fleeting one bar of Verizon, it was just enough to tease us, but the break was also a welcome respite. 

    Site Quality: Standard issue for state parks with paved driveways, picnic table, and fire ring, however, there are a few things to note: Some sites are decidedly not level (#105 is very sloped). 103 and 101 meet at a V at the back end and this impedes the separation between the sites. Our site (103) had a drop-off between the driveway and the rest of the site that could pose a tripping hazard if you are not careful. All of the restrooms emit a hum, but the wastewater treatment facility is very loud and is located directly behind the first 9-10 full hook-up sites. 

    Bathhouse: The restrooms were clean, but the showers were just adequate (not the worst camp shower but definitely not the best I have experienced) but at least there was hot water. 

    Activities: We came for the hiking, and we were not disappointed. This park is gorgeous! We hiked the Blue trail (Grandma Gatewood Trail) to Cedar Falls, taking in Upper and Lower Falls, and Old Man’s Cave along the way, and returned via the Rim Trail, which was much easier (fewer roots and up and down). We received a color-coded map of the trails upon check-in but had difficulty deciphering it, especially the mileage. We went to the Camp Office before starting our hike to get clarity. Once on the trails, they were well-marked with either signs or blazes. While you could do a long hike (12 miles one-way) from one end of the park to the other), don’t miss Ash Cave – we drove there the next morning before leaving. There are also mountain biking trails, two playgrounds (the one more centrally located is a bit dated and does not look very safe but there is a newer, larger one at the very end of the road (near the lake trail) and there are also horseshoe pits and a volleyball net there. In season, there is a large swimming pool. 

    The campground itself gets 3 stars for some of its flaws but the scenery is so beautiful, 4 stars are merited, in my opinion. I would recommend reserving in one of the “spurs” as there would be less traffic.


Guide to Bremen

Tent camping near Bremen, Ohio offers access to the forested hills of southeastern Ohio's Appalachian foothills, with elevations ranging from 700 to 1,100 feet. The region receives approximately 42 inches of annual rainfall, creating lush forests with oak, hickory, and maple trees. Most primitive camping areas connect to trail systems that traverse the rolling terrain, with sites often situated on ridge tops or in protected valleys.

What to do

Mountain biking at Baileys Trail System: Located near Chauncey, about 40 miles south of Bremen, this trail network offers over 30 miles of purpose-built mountain biking trails. At Baileys Trail Tent Camping, campers can stay within easy access of the trails. One visitor noted, "Wonderful little location. We drove for about 3 hours to get from where we are. Nice wide open space surrounded by woods."

Backcountry hiking: The region offers multiple backpacking loops of varying distances. Zaleski State Forest features a popular trail system with several loop options. A backpacker shared: "I only came here for a 2 day backpacking trip and it was kind of hard. I'm a backpacker and this was tough... The trail was about 19 miles and was definitely worth it because of the views."

Offroad vehicle trails: Dedicated OHV areas provide trail access for dirt bikes and ATVs. Monday Creek OHV Dispersed area offers primitive campsites with access to trail networks. A visitor commented, "Camped at the west side of the vaulted toilet lot. Arrived about 5 PM and all 3 camping spots were empty. Lots of trucks and toy haulers heading up the various roads into the late evening."

What campers like

Private tent sites: Many campers appreciate the secluded nature of sites in this region. At Benton's on the Baileys, one reviewer mentioned, "Excellent campground that is tucked out of the way. You have to walk to the site, up a steep hill, but it is very private and quiet. The bathrooms are down the hill too, but very clean and private."

Clean facilities despite remote locations: Even at more rustic sites, campers comment on maintained facilities. At Old Stone Church Campground, a visitor noted: "Easy pull-thru site for our small travel trailer. Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed... The only facilities here were a single pit toilet (surprisingly clean) and a trash can at each site."

Accessible water sources: The availability of drinking water at many sites is frequently mentioned. A camper at Geneva Hills - Camp and Event Center shared: "Tent site was nice. We could make dinner and there weren't any mosquitoes even though it was right above a swamp. It was a nice driving distance from Hocking Hills and a neat place to camp."

What you should know

Limited cell service: Coverage varies greatly throughout the region. At Old Stone Church Campground, a camper reported: "I had good 4G ATT cell service. Worked well, with no drops. Data was a bit slower than usual but still good."

Weather considerations: The area experiences distinct seasons with humid summers and potentially muddy spring conditions. Pack appropriate gear for your season of travel.

Honor system fees: Several campgrounds operate on self-registration. A visitor to Old Stone Church Campground explained: "Campsite fee is $15 on the honor system. If you have a National Park's Golden Age or Access pass, they honor a 50 percent discount."

Trail difficulty: The terrain in this area can be challenging. At Scioto-Grove Metro Park, a backpacker advised: "The backpacking site was a great site for new backpackers. It isn't too long but doing the full loop does let you know if your gear is working or going to be an issue."

Tips for camping with families

Try beginner-friendly backpacking: Several areas offer shorter hiking distances to campsites. A Zaleski State Forest visitor shared: "Wonderful overnight backpack trip for our family. We did the South Loop at Zaleski - 10.9 miles. The hike was great. Lots of ups & downs, a pond & beautiful rock outcroppings."

Look for kid-friendly amenities: Some campgrounds offer recreational features. At Pops Place Camping, a camper noted: "The common grass area has wood lounge chairs, common fire ring, playground, and cornhole boards... There is a basketball backboard near the current cabin if you happen to bring a basketball for your kids to use."

Consider weekend limitations: Some parks have restricted camping schedules. A camper at Scioto-Grove Metro Park explained: "Only weekend stays and it ends in wintertime... Need to reserve online, books up very fast."

Tips from RVers

Small trailers work best: Most camping areas near Bremen accommodate smaller RVs rather than large rigs. At Old Stone Church Campground, a camper noted: "Easy pull-thru site for our small travel trailer. Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed."

Bring water supplies: Many primitive sites lack hookups. An RVer at Pops Place Camping mentioned: "There is a spigot on the outside of the shower house to get drinking water."

Consider generator policies: Check restrictions before arrival. The Monday Creek area has designated spots for various vehicle types, with one camper noting it's a "Primitive (off the grid)" location that's "My kinda place."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bremen, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bremen, OH is Geneva Hills - Camp and Event Center with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Bremen, OH?

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Bremen, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.