Best Tent Camping near Carey, OH

Tent campsites near Carey, Ohio provide several options for campers seeking a primitive outdoor experience. White Oak Campground stands as one of the most well-regarded tent camping locations in the region, offering walk-in tent sites with sandy, level pads specifically designed for tent setup. Tee Pee Family Campground, approximately 12 miles from Carey, provides additional tent camping options but with more developed facilities and closer proximity to other campers.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature basic amenities suited for traditional tent camping. White Oak Campground provides free firewood for campers, clean restroom facilities with flush toilets, and dedicated dish washing stations with hot water. Sites typically include picnic tables and fire rings. Tent campers should note that while some locations like Tee Pee Family Campground offer electric hookups, more primitive options like Wolf Creek Park Campground provide minimal amenities beyond toilet facilities. Seasonal availability varies across locations, with many sites operating from spring through fall (typically April/May through October/November).

Tent-specific camping experiences in the area range from secluded to more developed settings. According to one visitor, "White Oak Campground has nice flat sand pads for tents to set up on" with sites that are "nicely spaced and shaded." Several campgrounds connect directly to hiking trail systems, making them excellent base camps for day hikes. Areas with walk-in tent sites generally offer more seclusion and a quieter atmosphere compared to campgrounds that accommodate both RVs and tents. A camper noted that White Oak Campground feels like "a gem hiding within plain sight" despite some occasional road noise. For primitive tent camping experiences, the Oak Openings area provides tent-only sites connected to multiple trail systems, including the Scout Trail loop which runs directly through the White Oak Campground.

Best Tent Sites Near Carey, Ohio (11)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Carey, OH

4 Photos of 11 Carey Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Carey, OH

299 Reviews of 11 Carey Campgrounds


  • Napunani
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Indian Lake State Park Campground

    FHUs Sites in a field

    PROS 

    Able to reserve 144 days prior to arriving 

    Very nice campground but the design leaves a lot to be desired 

    Friendly camp hosts who were busy picking up trash in common areas and cleaning sites Moveable picnic table 

    Metal fire ring with cooking grate 

    Site D45 level asphalt parking pad surrounded by grass 

    Great view of lake from D loop; some had water access at rear of site 

    Quiet except for campground party animals who kept it going into the wee hours of the morning 

    Coin-operated laundromats in non FHU loops $1.50 wash and $1 dry 

    Free WIFI available and able to connect at campsite 

    Dump Stations at Park exit have complimentary hoses 

    Camp store sells hard dipped ice cream 

    14 miles from the Airstream Service Center in Jackson Center 

    CONS 

    No senior discount

    $6.50 reservation fee for self made on-line reservation 

    Basically the FHU loops are out in a field…no privacy from neighbors and no shade what so ever 

    Grass around sites desperately needed mowed, if you could get thru the large mud puddles 

    FHU loop D has narrow roads and require driving on grass to back in trailer and some campers in other sites had to move their vehicles 

    Short length of campsite required creative parking of tow vehicle 

    Damn Canadian Geese poop every...what a mess! 

    Site number on electric utility box 

    FHU sewer connection at the back of the campsite so bring the looooong stinky slinky FHU loop D had tiny toilet building, but no showers; showers were in non-FHU loops 

    No entry gate personnel on a Friday afternoon to accomplish check-in. Went to park office next morning and was informed no check in required prior to Memorial Day. Never saw a Park ranger driving thru campground

  • Megan T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2019

    White Oak Campground

    Peaceful Greenery

    I had a friend's wedding at The Stables (which I didn't realize was 3 min away) and decided to camp here rather than get a hotel. I set up right at 3 at Site 7 - there's no check-in process or attendant. I hadn't printed my permit, so I wondered if I would get a visit from a ranger but all was quiet. The site was spacious, sandy, and well suited for both tent and hammock. The fire ring was in good condition and fire wood was already stacked. The property was well maintained and the bathrooms clean and cool - the women's did have some standing water from a leaky toilet it looked like. You can hear distant cars and some not so distant planes. Also, while all the sites are wooded the woods are not very thick so you can see and hear your neighbors pretty well. Site number three looks at the most secluded to me while site number four was pretty much in the open beside the bathrooms. Group sites were full sun it appeared. The stream behind my site was dry. Nice map and brochures at the parking area. Sturdy picnic tables.

  • L
    Oct. 15, 2018

    White Oak Campground

    BEAUTIFUL! 10/10 would camp here again!

    Campground is nicely kept, only 5 individual sites, has two group sites. Nice restroom facilities, FREE firewood available. Grey water sinks for dish cleaning. Picnic table and fire ring at each site. Parking is general, but close to each site. We were there on a Monday night, only had one other tent in the campground. Nice flat sand pads for tents to set up on!

    DOWNSIDE: MUST RESERVE ONLINE BEFORE 4PM. There is no walk-up service, and online site goes down after employees go home at night.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 26, 2020

    Mt Gilead State Park Campground

    Fall is here!

    Site 29 - this was a nice site in tall pine trees and colors all around. The pad was gravel and pretty level. We had trees in our site that could be used for hammocks as well. We were able to set up our ez-up and still have room to walk our dogs. It wasn’t the biggest site, but definitely not the smallest. We had electric for our camper. We had a good storm one night that caused a small pool of water out front and around the fire ring, but both areas drained very well the next day. There are vault toilets at the end of the road and a very nice shower house as you drive in that were clean all weekend. The park had a couple of playgrounds for kids, disc golf course and lots of hiking trails. The camp store is now open with limited hours. Wood is available but it’s all slab cut. There are also permanent cornhole boards. There are full hook up sites as well but are right next to one another and not a lot of trees. You can drive down to the lake and kayak and fish. It’s a very small campground with a very big park.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Mary Jane Thurston State Park Campground

    Lots to do here

    The camp sites on the river are excellent. Some sights are by the highway. They are still nice, but lots of road noise. There is no water at the camp sites, but water is available. There are no shower facilities. There are great hiking trails and a nice frisbee golf course.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 26, 2021

    Mt Gilead State Park Campground

    Nice State Park

    Campground was nice and well maintained. The "Camp Host" came around a few times a day to ensure trash was picked up and needs were met. Site 8 has full hookups and a concrete parking pad. The roses are narrow and the larger rig next to us had issues getting in. The sites on our side of the road sloped away from the parking pad. It there wasn’t a level spot off the concrete. We had to use our leveling blocks under the picnic table.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2020

    Delaware State Park Campground

    Lots of shade and mosquitoes

    We stayed in site 174 on the farthest loop from the entrance. This site provided full shade all day long. The pad was pretty even so not a lot of leveling to do for our a-frame camper. The pad was easy to back in to and we had plenty of room to pull our truck forward. The site has 30 amp and 50 amp and our 30 amp was not working. We notified the park staff and they responded quickly to come out and fix it. The site had a great fire ring and lots of space for chairs, an ez-up, pop-up bathroom tent off to the side and it probably could have held 1-2 tents. There were trees close enough to set up 1-2 hammocks as well. The park staff came out it seemed to be every 3 hours to spray the water fountain in the middle of the turn around. There is a showerhouse in the middle of the loop, not a far walk or you could drive as there were a few parking spots nearby. The showerhouse had plenty of flush toilets and sinks. There were three showers that had doors, but it was just one space and no bench inside your stall. There were plenty of hooks, but you could get your items wet if you weren't careful. There is a bench outside of your stall and there is a curtain that separates you from the toilets and sinks. Not the greatest changing area if you are shy. You could tell it was the weekend as the bathrooms were a little messy, but I've seen way worse. There are also two dumpsters outside the showerhouse for trash. Watch out for the masked bandits (raccoons). They were not shy at all and we had to chase them off from our campsite. Do not leave out any food or trash, they will get into it. There are lots of trails (we found a lot of mushrooms!), a beach, playgrounds and a frisbee golf course. The mosquitoes were really bad this weekend, but we had been there last year and didn't have any issues.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Van Buren State Park Campground

    Small and peaceful

    We stayed one night on our way to IN. We’ve never been here before and wanted to check it off our list. It’s a small campground with one side as equestrian and the other side not. All sites had electric and water, no full hookup. There were only drop toilets and no showers. They were clean but I don’t think I’d want to do more than a weekend there. It had a nice playground for kids and plenty of trails to hike or go horseback riding. They also had a dog park and small wildflower garden. The check in cabin had ice and wood for sale but no store. Our site was really nice. The pads were recently paved and had a huge bumper at the end. The fire ring was nice and the site had plenty of space for tents.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Indian Lake State Park Campground

    Lots of sites

    Our pad was not level front to back so we had to adjust a little bit. The fire ring was nice but our picnic table was beat up. I went to move it and the seat pulled right off. We stayed on a Sunday night so it wasn’t packed. There are a ton of sites. Some had great shade and others didn’t have any at all. The bathrooms were flush toilets and they did have shower houses too. The camp store is really big and it’s right next to their pool. They have a dog park, place to dock your boat and a small beach. I would imagine this would be a pretty busy during the summer.


Guide to Carey

Tent camping near Carey, Ohio offers a variety of experiences, from serene natural settings to family-friendly amenities, making it an ideal getaway for outdoor enthusiasts.

Some prices for tent camping range from $20 to $40

  • At Tee Pee Family Campground, you can enjoy a well-reviewed site with access to drinking water and picnic tables, perfect for family gatherings.
  • Wolf Creek Park Campground offers tent camping with fifty amp hookups, making it a convenient choice for those who need electrical access.
  • For a more rustic experience, Saulisberry Park Campground provides basic amenities like picnic tables and fire pits, ideal for a simple camping trip.

Local activities to enjoy while tent camping

  • Families will love the inflatable slide and dock at Tee Pee Family Campground, which provides a fun way to cool off during hot summer days.
  • Explore the hiking trails and natural beauty surrounding White Oak Campground, where you can immerse yourself in the tranquility of nature.
  • For those interested in fishing, Rockland Lake offers a beautiful quarry setting, perfect for a relaxing day by the water.

Tips for tent camping near Carey

  • Arrive early at Tee Pee Family Campground to secure a good spot, as sites can be close together and fill up quickly during peak season.
  • Bring your own firewood if you're camping at Farnsworth Campground, as it does not provide free firewood, but you can enjoy campfires in designated areas.
  • Always check the amenities available at Clearfork Marina & Campground before your trip, as some campgrounds may have limited facilities like showers and trash disposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Carey, OH is Tee Pee Family Campground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Carey, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.