Best Campgrounds near Chardon, OH

Camping areas around Chardon, Ohio range from established state parks to smaller county-managed sites, with both tent and RV options available throughout the region. Punderson State Park Campground provides a variety of accommodations including tent sites, RV spaces with electric hookups, and cabin rentals. Big Creek Park, located directly in Chardon, offers a more rustic camping experience with tent sites, lean-tos, and even a treehouse structure for overnight stays. Most campgrounds in the area maintain picnic tables and fire rings at each site, with varying levels of amenities like showers, drinking water, and electric hookups.

The camping season near Chardon generally runs year-round at some locations, though many smaller sites operate primarily from May through October. "The park is very nice. Great Lodge. Nice lakes and cabins to rent. The camp grounds for RV's is not the best. Very few full hookups," notes one visitor about Punderson State Park. Terrain throughout the region tends to be hilly, creating challenges for level RV parking, and some tent sites require walking uphill from parking areas. Several campgrounds feature lakes for fishing and paddling, though algae can be prevalent during summer months. Mosquitoes are commonly reported after rainfall, and campers should be prepared with appropriate supplies, particularly during summer months.

Many mixed-use campgrounds in the area provide access to recreational opportunities beyond camping. Fishing is popular at several locations, with stocked ponds at Big Creek Park and lake access at Punderson State Park. Hiking trails connect most campgrounds to surrounding natural areas, ranging from short, family-friendly paths to more challenging routes. According to visitor experiences, sites tend to vary significantly in size, privacy, and accessibility. Sites near water features typically book quickly during summer weekends. Visitors seeking specific amenities should research individual campgrounds carefully, as facilities vary widely from primitive tent sites with minimal facilities to full-service RV parks with complete hookups. Those camping with pets should note that while most sites allow pets, some public areas have restrictions.

Best Camping Sites Near Chardon, Ohio (101)

    1. Punderson State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Newbury, OH
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 564-2279

    $38 / night

    "Staff was great, check in area also has a little store with all the essentials stocked up, lots of trails, great for biking and hiking, a park for the kids, fishing, canoeing, showers, flush toilets, all"

    "I had the furthest lakeside tent from the office. was a beautiful site but the water treatment facility had a loud hum all night, even though they said it was quiet."

    2. Geneva State Park Campground

    39 Reviews
    Madison, OH
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 466-8400

    $25 - $41 / night

    "Geneva State Park Campground:  This was our first trip here and given the COVID situation it was still very pleasant. "

    "Easy to get to, not crowded, the sites were paved and spaced decently and, it had bike paths! Another bonus is that it borders Lake Erie."

    3. Perry Township Park

    12 Reviews
    Perry, OH
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 259-5957

    $25 - $45 / night

    "The campground is adjacent to the small community park and baseball fields. Very well maintained and quiet. As an added bonus it is right next to Lake Erie."

    "Perry Township Park campground is exactly what campground should be: great accommodations, beautiful views, tremendous service, and easy accessibility to a lot of fun stuff :-) Most of the tent sites"

    4. West Branch State Park Campground

    67 Reviews
    Ravenna, OH
    31 miles
    Website

    "Ranger Review: Morsel Spork at West Branch State Park **Campground Review: **

    This state park was very welcome after our first two unlucky Ohio state park experiences."

    "Here's what's great about this campground situated at an easy drive from major cities like Columbus and Cleveland...its scenic, a fully loaded campground with bathhouses, parks, hiking paths, swimming"

    5. Hidden Lakes Family Campground

    4 Reviews
    Huntsburg, OH
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 968-3400

    "Our site was lakeside and was probably the largest campsite I ever stayed in."

    "We stayed here mid June on their premium lot, super large and right on fishing lake. We brought our canoe and enjoyed fishing and just cruising around."

    6. The West Woods

    4 Reviews
    Novelty, OH
    9 miles
    Website

    "While this is a spot in a smaller park with a lot of day use, the site is a walk off of the trail, and situated slightly lower than trail level for privacy. Amazing sounds, smells, and relaxation."

    "Great small park with a hiking trail that takes about an hour or hour and a half, it has a waterfall, small tiny cave, bridges and stairs. Really well maintained paths, tiny gravel for less mud."

    7. Thompson/Grand River Valley KOA Holiday

    4 Reviews
    Madison, OH
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 298-1311

    "Fishing lake, swimming lake, trails. Children play areas. Basketball, bad mitten/volleyball, Dog wash, dog parks (2), private fenced dog sites. (2)- pull through site."

    "The kids loved both the pool and the lake. The breakfast pizza was great. The food prices were very reasonable. The wrist band for kid activities is well worth it."

    8. Penitentiary Glen Reservation Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Kirtland, OH
    7 miles
    Website

    $25 / night

    "Plenty of fire wood provided and a short distance away from the gorge to walk. The second night had lots of coyotes around, which is cool but can be dangerous if not careful of course."

    "Would have given this site 5 stars but the walk to the site was a bit more of a haul than expected. It was just myself, kids, and pup."

    9. Headwaters Park

    2 Reviews
    Middlefield, OH
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 286-9516

    $10 - $20 / night

    "Best for relaxation, chill kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, and shorter walks. Four stars because it is not a vast wilderness adjacent experience."

    "I camped at site J the tent pad was level and easy to drive stakes into. I didn't use the toilets so can't comment on the cleanliness there."

    10. Big Creek Park

    1 Review
    Chardon, OH
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 286-9516

    "Most of the trails are small, well-marked, accessible, and easily walkable for families."

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Recent Reviews near Chardon, OH

577 Reviews of 101 Chardon Campgrounds


  • Zachary A.
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Punderson State Park Campground

    Solo tent camping went well

    I had originally gotten lot #81 but quickly got it switched to #83 because it was just waaaay better. Flatter ground and I was able to go deeper into the woods.

    I went the first week of October, and on weekdays, which was great because I had no neighbors.

    Staff was great, check in area also has a little store with all the essentials stocked up, lots of trails, great for biking and hiking, a park for the kids, fishing, canoeing, showers, flush toilets, all that fancy stuff was there.

    Only down side was occasional road noise which I just can't seem to escape in my area of Ohio. And I personally wouldn't go here on weekends or over the summer because there are RV sites everywhere, which is another thing that dominates my area of Ohio.

    Going again, as long as I don't have the kids, I would try for a test space as far from the road and is deep in the forest as possible. Do that at tge right time of year and I think this will be a great spot for me in the future

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Jamestown Campground — Pymatuning State Park

    Clean and Spacious

    A beautiful campground with plenty of things to do. Fishing, boating (nice docks), beach for swimming and various functions throughout the year. All bath houses and restrooms are handicap available with each toilet and shower set up individually . Really nice

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2025

    Woodside Lake Park

    Nice quiet camping

    Quiet tent campsite parked in this area. There are quite a few RVs parked here and it appears lively, but the tent area in hilltop was quiet and secluded. Very kid friendly. At night, there was highway noise in the background. A lot to do here but also very close to Cuyahoago Valley National Park.

  • S
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Geneva State Park Campground

    Beautiful and close to a beach

    You can camp right on the lake in some spots. Tons of trails to hike and a beautiful beach.

  • Jeff and Linda L.
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Perry Township Park

    Beautiful

    There are many sites taken by permanent campers for the summer. There are pickleball courts in park. Right on Lake Erie, nice hot showers.

  • Maddy T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Village Green Campground

    Long-term RV

    This site is great if you’re moving in with your RV. I’m tent camping, and while there were tent sites (about 5), it wasn’t the atmosphere I generally go for.

    Positives- there are bathrooms, showers, and laundry. Right on Lake Erie. Fine for overnight.

    Cons- this is a live-in RV site in the outskirts of Ohio.

  • Don H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Shenango Campground

    Great camping

    Great place to camp. Beautiful lake and wonderful people.

  • K
    Aug. 27, 2025

    American Wilderness Campground

    American Wilderness

    We had a good experience the place was clean and nice the amenities were great the staff was helpful and the laundry room was clean as well as bathrooms and showers.

  • Travis O.
    Aug. 27, 2025

    American Wilderness Campground

    Property is so relaxing and nice

    We had a nice time the place was clean and the people were nice as in other campers we had a good time we went to the pavilion to a get together.


Guide to Chardon

Camping spots near Chardon, Ohio vary in terrain from valley meadows to forest settings with some sites offering waterfront views of the region's lakes. The area experiences four distinct seasons, with summer camping temperatures ranging from 65-85°F and frequent evening cooling. Winter camping options are limited with select year-round campgrounds maintaining basic services during colder months.

What to do

Paddling opportunities: At Perry Township Park, campers have direct lake access for water activities. "There's a boat launch, and a private beach. There's no lifeguard on duty, so it's definitely everything at your own risk," notes one visitor. The park offers both tent and RV camping with electrical hookups.

Disc golf courses: Multiple campgrounds in the area feature disc golf facilities for players of all skill levels. "Opportunities for disc golf, archery range, canoeing/kayaking/row boats, swimming (no lifeguard) and golf," mentions a camper at Punderson State Park. Equipment rental is available at some locations, though bringing your own discs is recommended.

Trail networks: Explore the hiking options at The West Woods where primitive camping connects to extensive trail systems. "Great small park with a hiking trail that takes about an hour or hour and a half, it has a waterfall, small tiny cave, bridges and stairs. Really well maintained paths, tiny gravel for less mud," writes one hiker. Most trails are under 3 miles and suitable for casual hikers.

What campers like

Lakefront sites: West Branch State Park Campground offers direct water access from select sites. "We can launch our kayaks right from our campsite. The shower house and bathrooms are large and clean. There is even a book exchange shelf at the shower house in case of rainy days," explains a frequent visitor. Waterfront sites book up 6 months in advance, especially for summer weekends.

Private camping areas: Several parks feature secluded sites separated from main camping areas. At Penitentiary Glen Reservation, "It's like you have the forest to yourselves out here," reports one visitor. The trade-off for privacy often means a longer walk from parking areas, as another camper notes, "the walk to the site was a bit more of a haul than expected."

Clean facilities: Geneva State Park maintains well-kept bathroom facilities, which visitors frequently mention in reviews. "Nice facilities. Quiet and a lot of friendly campers," writes one visitor. The campground offers both tent and RV sites with varying levels of hookups, though sites can feel less private when the campground is at capacity.

What you should know

Site layout challenges: Many campgrounds in the region feature uneven terrain that can create setup difficulties. At Hidden Lakes Family Campground, "Our site was lakeside and was probably the largest campsite I ever stayed in. Some areas where not as big, especially the pull through sites toward the front, but most of the sites on the back side were large. Most sites looked pretty level. Ours sloped up toward the road."

Firewood regulations: Local campgrounds have varying policies on outside firewood. Hidden Lakes Family Campground has strict rules as one camper explains: "They don't allow outside firewood and your have to pay $12 a bundle for theirs. This adds some cost to the stay, thought I'm not sure how much they enforce it."

Booking windows: Reservations for popular sites should be made well in advance, particularly for summer weekends. At West Branch State Park, "Make reservations! (6 months in advance). Waterside sites fill up quickly!" Most campgrounds accept bookings through online reservation systems, though last-minute availability varies by season.

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly features: Thompson/Grand River Valley KOA Holiday offers numerous family amenities. "The kids loved both the pool and the lake. The breakfast pizza was great. The food prices were very reasonable. The wrist band for kid activities is well worth it," shares a recent visitor. The campground provides planned activities during peak season.

Unique accommodation options: Beyond traditional tent and RV sites, several parks offer specialty lodging. Big Creek Park features "two rent sites (A and B), two lean-to sites (C and D), plus a tree house." These alternative options often book quickly during summer months.

Wildlife viewing: The area's parks provide various wildlife observation opportunities. At Headwaters Park, one camper recommends "Campsite G is the one. It is an open lean to with a stone fireplace facing the inside of the three sided wooden structure. Various watercraft rentals available, but look at availability before you go if that is included in your plans."

Tips from RVers

Leveling requirements: RVers should come prepared with adequate leveling equipment. At Punderson State Park, "The lots are not even close the level. You will need a lot of blocks to get close to level. Saw one RV with auto levelers with his tire about foot off the ground."

Hookup limitations: Full service sites are limited in the region. At Hidden Lakes Family Campground, facilities include "electric hookups, fifty-amp hookups, thirty-amp hookups" but no sewer connections at most sites. Many campgrounds offer dump stations but not full hookups at individual sites.

Seasonal considerations: Several campgrounds operate with reduced services during off-peak months. At Thompson/Grand River Valley KOA, the camping season runs "May 1 to Oct 1" with full services, while others like Perry Township Park operate from "early May-late Oct." RVers camping in shoulder seasons should verify which utilities remain active.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Chardon, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, Chardon, OH offers a wide range of camping options, with 101 campgrounds and RV parks near Chardon, OH and 1 free dispersed camping spot.

Which is the most popular campground near Chardon, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Chardon, OH is Punderson State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 34 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Chardon, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Chardon, OH.

What parks are near Chardon, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 9 parks near Chardon, OH that allow camping, notably Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Michael J Kirwan Lake.