Mercer County Fairgrounds
Well kept
Nice small town fairgrounds with modern amenities.
Campgrounds near Troy, Ohio encompass established facilities with varying amenities and accommodation options. The region includes several well-rated sites like Dayton KOA Holiday and John Bryan State Park Campground, offering tent, RV, and cabin camping experiences. Most campgrounds are located within a 30-mile radius of Troy, with options spreading toward Dayton to the west, Springfield to the east, and rural areas to the north. Many sites feature water and electric hookups, though amenities vary significantly between locations.
Reservations are recommended at most established campgrounds in the area, particularly during summer months when facilities reach capacity. The camping season extends year-round at several parks including Buck Creek State Park, Lake Loramie State Park, and John Bryan State Park, though winter camping may have limited amenities. Many campgrounds provide full hookups for RVs with 30 or 50-amp service, while tent sites are generally available at all locations. A recent review noted, "Clean family oriented and spacious. Well run facility with good restrooms and showers plus electric hookup per site. Out in farm country so very little light pollution overall."
Campers rate their experiences highly at several area campgrounds, with particular appreciation for clean facilities and natural settings. The KOA in Dayton receives consistent praise for its amenities and family-friendly atmosphere, though some visitors mention sites being close together. Poor Farmer's Campground stands out for its peaceful rural setting and helpful staff. One camper wrote, "Very nice field RV camping. Well maintained and clean. The staff were very pleasant and curious and very helpful." Several campgrounds feature water features, with Buck Creek State Park, Lake Loramie, and Caesar Creek all offering boating access and waterfront sites. The region provides a mix of private campgrounds and state parks, giving visitors options from basic tent sites to full-service RV camping and cabin rentals.
"They have a short path in the woods which is a nice little loop. Great location with lots to do!"
"Best tent sites are 320 and the ones next to the creek. Quietest tent sites are 408, 409 and 410, but those are also furthest from the bathroom. Very clean showerhouses."
"The campsite is next to the 12 mile set of mountain bike trails. It is a great mountain biking/camping getaway. The trails are easy, so for all levels. Nice camping for families. "
"Great place to visit has three parks in one John Bryant and Glen Helen nature preserve and Clifton Gorge are some of the best hiking trails in south west Ohio."
"I may be biased, with it being close to home, but they have a lot for the kids to do. Beach, volleyball net, playground. Plenty of water locations. For me the bathrooms are unusable."
"This park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn’t allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach , 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails."
$23 - $35 / night
"A well manicured campground just outside Dayton, easy to get to, back in pavement site with 30A electric, picnic table and fire pit. Plenty of potable water spigots around, just not at the site."
"I did not spend enough time here to give a thorough review, but what I will say is that this site is nice if you need a campsite for a couple nights while passing through Ohio."
"If you are retired or active duty military, you have access to recreation sites maintained adjacent to many bases."
"Surprisingly it was not noisy being near the flight line. The site is clean and well maintained. There is a lot to do and visit on and off post."
$17 - $75 / night
"There is a little store, but note that the firewood is in huge, unburnable pieces, (as most Ohio state park firewood is), so you'll need tons of kindling and several firestarters, or an ax and some way"
"We stayed in Site 12, which was huge and conveniently located close to a fairly new shower house. That facility was among the very best I've seen! Amazingly clean!"
"Relax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat. Multiple launch ramps provide ease and convenience."
"Love being so close to the lake we can fish all the time. The beach is a bit of a walk from the campground but not to far. They offer canoe rentals, and bike rentals."












Nice small town fairgrounds with modern amenities.
The campsites are shaded and pretty level. I am using a pull through and it is long enough for my RV and 24’ trailer. There is a very nice cement slab with a nice fire pit and picnic table.
The sites are paved and level, had full hook ups, WIFI, cellular, shower house. Surprisingly it was not noisy being near the flight line. The site is clean and well maintained. There is a lot to do and visit on and off post. Unfortunately the Air Museum was closed because of the budget shut down but all other services were available (commissary, BX, etc). I would recommend staying here if you are active duty or Veteran.
Do you have kids? They have it covered, from playground, to lake with inflatables, train rides, Holiday fun.
Adults? I see Cornhole every weekend, Campfires, Holiday Events, Golf Cart Parades, DJ's or Live Bands on the weekend, Friendly Seasonal Folks always up for a good time.
Ameneties? Bath Houses, Laundry, General Store, Small Grill and Pizza Oven. (Pizza is not half bad either).
Amish make their presence felt on a few weekends throughout the season, from fresh Bakery Goods to a Healthy Sized Sausage Egg Biscuit. (You won't be disappointed)
Food Trucks on a few weekends throughout the season.
Wonderful facility! Pool, pool table, games for kids and adults. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is super friendly and helpful! Oh and in the laundry room they even have a sink for washing dishes! Great for tent campers ar those with small units that don't have kitchens.
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.
We were kind of stuck, looking for a place to stay as we didn’t have reservations during Labor Day weekend so found this place that was listed on Hip Camp. Near Belle Center. PROS- was relatively cheap, $24,out in the middle of fields so pretty quiet, host seems pretty nice. CONS- had to back up a 100 yard driveway, lots of bugs, smells as they just fertilized the fields (not the owners fault). Okay for setting up a tent or a small rig but wouldn’t advise for trailers. Electric was an extension cord. I think water is available. Owner could have mowed the place a bit.
This park was pretty packed over Labor Day weekend, but it still felt like it wasn’t super crowded. Our space was nice and level. Nice hiking trails in the area. Showers were very nice and clean. Several water spickets throughout the park if you needed to access them. It was a bit of a drive back into the campground, probably 3 1/2 miles.
First the good: the campground is big and spacious. Some areas were like RV parking lots- no trees, no shade, but there was a grassy area in the middle with nice big trees and shade. There is a nice pool and splash pad. Weirdly, the pool closed from 4 to 5, leaving us with nowhere to go on a 90+ degree day.
Now, the not-so-good: we stayed in a camper cabin and it was very shabby and dirty. It had bunkbeds, a full size fridge, and a folding table and folding chairs, which was nice (and rare in Ohio state park camper cabins). The bathrooms were average. Not new, not especially sparkling clean, but fine. Not gross, at least.
Now, the terrible: the entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo. You feel like you are breathing feces when you approach the water. We were right on the water so we couldn't escape the smell.
This lake is notorious for having algae blooms that prohibit swimming. So I did a google search before our trip and the Ohio Department of Health reports that the bacteria level in this lake is dangerously high, and no one should swim in this lake. However, when we walked to the campground beach, there was no sign or warning or anything indicating the bacteria in the water- and people were letting their children and dogs swim in it!!
We opted to not kayak or paddleboard in the lake because it was clear that it was full of poop. So we had nothing to do at the park except go to the pool (it was too hot to do anything else). We ended up driving around the country roads and seeing the sights so we could escape the smelly lake and hot poo fumes. Neil Armstrong was born in nearby Wapakoneta so there are some sights to see there, and the towns of Celina and ? one other are cute too.
Overall, I will not return to this lake or this part of the state. If you can't get in the water, paddle board or kayak, the only thing left to do is ride around in a boat and hope the water doesn't get anywhere near your mouth or your skin. No thanks.
Camping spots near Troy, Ohio span from established campgrounds to secluded waterfront sites within a 30-mile radius. The region sits at approximately 900 feet above sea level in the Miami Valley, creating a mix of wooded terrain and open fields with seasonal temperatures ranging from 20°F in winter to 85°F in summer. Several campgrounds offer access to water recreation on area lakes and reservoirs where motorized boats aren't permitted.
Paddle the calm waters: At Kiser Lake State Park Campground, the lake is kayak and canoe friendly with no motorized boats allowed. "The park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn't allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach, 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails," notes a camper.
Explore hiking trails: Campgrounds throughout the region connect to various trail systems. "John Bryan campground conveniently located near Clifton mills gorge, Glen Helen and yellow springs. There's actually a spring that is actually known as yellow springs, the water is clear, clean and refreshing," shares one visitor about the natural features.
Visit local attractions: Many camping spots near Troy provide easy access to nearby towns and attractions. "We stopped for one night. Beautiful grounds with ponds, pool and nice store. Friendly staff too! We made a note of this KOA to return for a longer stay," writes a camper at Dayton KOA Holiday.
Waterfront access: Several campgrounds feature prime lakeside locations. "Relax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat. Multiple launch ramps provide ease and convenience," describes a visitor at Lake Loramie State Park Campground.
Family-friendly facilities: Campgrounds in the Troy area cater well to families. "The campground is very nice, clean bathrooms, and showers. A stream that runs through the campground is nice for the kids to play in when it's too hot for them on the play ground," reports a camper at Poor Farmer's Campground.
Rural settings with minimal light pollution: Many campgrounds feature dark skies for stargazing. "Clean family oriented and spacious. Well run facility with good restrooms and showers plus electric hookup per site. Out in farm country so very little light pollution overall," notes a visitor.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance booking, especially during peak season. "Must reserve online as they are still doing everything virtual. Camp spots were decently sized but no cover between camp spots and little shade," reports a visitor at Buck Creek State Park Campground.
Site differences: Campgrounds vary significantly in layout and privacy. "The sites are shaded and pretty level. I am using a pull through and it is long enough for my RV and 24' trailer. There is a very nice cement slab with a nice fire pit and picnic table," shares a camper about site conditions.
Seasonal considerations: Some camping areas experience challenging conditions during certain seasons. "I think for us this park might be better in the fall. The bugs were really bad every time we were outside. There are several nice walking trails but the mosquitoes were so bad even in the day that we kept away," reports a Lake Loramie visitor.
Look for campgrounds with activities: Some locations offer scheduled events for children. "We had a great weekend of camping! The weather was perfect, the kids loved the playground and had fun at the Fun Field Day activities! Plenty of fishing and relaxing!"
Choose sites near amenities: Select spots with easy access to facilities. "Camp host on I think lot 71 or there about were great at keeping the activities going. Every night there was a movie and you could buy root beer floats for $1!! And the kids loved it," describes a visitor at Buck Creek.
Consider specialty camping options: John Bryan State Park Campground offers varied outdoor experiences. "My step dad and I stayed here and it was a fantastic experience! It had amazing amenities, super easy to navigate and find and super affordable! Most of all it was safe, we left out stuff there all day while we were out exploring and nothing was ever disturbed," shares a camper.
Site selection for level parking: Choose sites that accommodate your vehicle size. "This park was pretty packed over Labor Day weekend, but it still felt like it wasn't super crowded. Our space was nice and level. Nice hiking trails in the area. Showers were very nice and clean," reports a visitor at Buck Creek.
Utility connections: Wright-Patterson FamCamp offers good services for RVs. "The sites are paved and level, had full hook ups, WIFI, cellular, shower house. Surprisingly it was not noisy being near the flight line. The site is clean and well maintained," notes a military camper with RV access.
Seasonal facility status: Check what amenities are available during your planned visit. "The campground has no full hookups but does have electric. RV sites have a view of the lake. Sites are clean and paved. There is a new shower house that's pretty nice, but the other bathrooms are pretty nasty. For $29 nightly it's a good campground," shares a Kiser Lake visitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Troy, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Troy, OH is Dayton KOA Holiday with a 4.3-star rating from 22 reviews.
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