Best Tent Camping near Chesterville, OH

Tent campers around Chesterville, Ohio will find several primitive options within Mohican-Memorial State Forest, where the Park and Pack sites offer secluded walk-in tent camping experiences. These designated tent sites are accessed via bridle trails and require registration at the forest office kiosk on County Road 939 near Perrysville. The forest provides ten numbered tent sites with varying levels of accessibility, many requiring creek crossings to reach the campsite.

Tent camping at Mohican requires self-registration, with no reservation system available. Campers must sign in at the ranger station kiosk before heading to their chosen site. Most Park and Pack tent sites feature basic fire rings but lack amenities like drinking water, toilets, or picnic tables. The terrain varies from site to site, with some locations requiring moderate hiking along horse trails to access. Several sites are positioned along creeks, offering water access for filtering, though campers should note the presence of horses on nearby trails. Cell phone service is limited throughout the forest, particularly at more remote tent locations.

The Park and Pack tent sites provide varying levels of seclusion depending on location. Site 10 offers one of the larger camping areas with multiple spots for tent setup and hammocking options, accessible via a 3/4-mile hike from the upper parking area. Site 4 provides easier access for those with mobility concerns, with a wide, relatively flat trail leading to the campsite. Sites 1-3 require creek crossings after leaving the main trail. A review noted: "This site was one of my favorites as it was right by the creek. The creek was clear and cool... We felt so spoiled as it isn't the crowded state parking campsite that you often think of when you think of camping." Another camper mentioned the challenge of finding specific sites: "Make sure you look for the red blazes on the trees at the start of the trail."

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Best Tent Sites Near Chesterville, Ohio (10)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Chesterville, OH

7 Photos of 10 Chesterville Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Chesterville, OH

467 Reviews of 10 Chesterville Campgrounds


  • K
    Aug. 26, 2020

    Park and Pack Campsite 10 — Mohican-Memorial State Forest

    Campsite 10 large and beautiful

    Make sure you get a reservation at the kiosk by the ranger station in the forest. Do not go to the state park as that is completely different. For the forest office I go to Co Rd 939, Perrysville, OH 44864

    Do not camp illegally or without a reservation. They do post signs and ask other campers to report the illegal camping.  

    The sunset photo is by the entrance of the parking lot to the campsite.  This is the 2nd easiest campsite to walk into out of the 10.  If you have any mobility issues this is the second best camp site to go to as most of it is along the wide access road and mountain bike trail. The parking lot was clean and easy to access. 

    I had limited cell phone signal while here but this had the best signal out of the 10 sites. 

    All of the Park and Pack camp sites do not have a bathroom. As you can see from this site I took the time to take a picture of the moon pole.  So do leave no trace of your bathroom habits. 

    This site was great for both hammocks and tents.  You could have a small group here and not feel crowded. The camp fire set up is awesome. We had another camper over by that spot so I didn't take pictures of his gear.  He had a hammock and tent set up. He was camping at the spot for a week for his vacation. On our last night at this site another backpacker came through and set up.  Make sure you get a reservation and look closely at the board at the kiosk.  Our main camper at this site was gracious as he had booked the site for the week most folks didn't realize the site was taken as his name was so far up the clipboard.  We weren't alone in not realizing that and he enjoyed the brief company we provided as good neighbors to each other.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • R
    Jul. 16, 2021

    Park and Pack Campsite 10 — Mohican-Memorial State Forest

    Mohican Memorial State Forest, Park & Pack, Site #10

    This was my second time enjoying Mohican State Forest’s Park & Pack sites. I took my daughter to site 10 for an overnighter.

    If you’re unfamiliar w/ the Park & Pack system I found this PDF to be extremely useful.

    http://www.backpackohio.com/etrails/bpo_mohican.pdf

    As others have stated, make sure to sign in at the kiosk, you can find it here:

    950 ODNR Mohican Road 60 (County Road 939), Perrysville, Ohio 44864

    There’s no reservations, you show up, see what sites are available, sign in and drive to the appropriate parking area.

    After signing in at the kiosk we drove and parked at the upper parking area for sites 8-10. The last 1/4 mile of the road is pretty rutted, so if you have a low profile vehicle you may need to park at the lower area (which isn’t much of a parking area and the Rangers don’t really want anyone parking there).

    Site 10 is about 3/4 of a mile down the trail from the upper parking area. Well marked and easy to find. There are plenty of areas to set up shelter and hang hammocks. After my daughter and I set up camp near the fire ring we explored and found spots below the SE edge.

    You can find a short “trail” at the NE edge of the campsite that leads down to a ledge where a couple unofficial fire rings have been built. You can also get there by continuing east past the last Site 10 trail marker. The trail is a bit over grown but was still easily followed. It will loop around towards the south then back west leading into the lower area.

    The whole area is beautiful and scenic. I’d like to head back in the fall and or winter to enjoy the view of the gorge in different seasons. The site is fairly remote, we only saw a hiker while hiking in and heard mountain bikers riding down the trail NW of Site 10. The only con I would give the site is there’s no water source, so you have to pack in all your water needs. Being the middle of summer that was quite a bit for my daughter and me. Packs were much lighter on the way out.

  • Megan M.
    Sep. 6, 2018

    Mohican State Park Campground

    Beautiful river, trails, running water in the toilets, yay!

    I love Mohican State Park. There is so much to do- canoeing, kayaking, tubing, creeking, and great trails also.

    This campground is nice but is crowded in the warmer months. Look for a site along the water, that's where the tree cover is. I stayed in a camper cabin which was very nice, with microwave and refrigerator.

    There is running water in the toilets, which is nice for a state park in Ohio. The showers were decent, nothing to complain about there.

    The primitive tent camping sites looked nice and peaceful- take care to get a shaded spot, though, as some were just exposed in a grassy field. There is a long bumpy walk from the parking area to the primitive sites, so bring a wagon or sled or something.

  • A
    Sep. 28, 2021

    Mohican State Park Campground

    Excellent Campground

    The campground has plenty of great sites to choose from, in two different sections. Whether you want to rent a cabin, have a trailer/RV or basic tent camping, you will be all set. There shower facilities, bathrooms, pool and camp store are awesome. Such a great place to stay! Really look forward to going back!

  • Andrea F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 27, 2020

    Pleasant Hill Lake Park Campground

    Nice Quiet Campground with a lot to Offer

    We arrived Friday late afternoon and set up in the rain. Didn’t see much of the park on Friday,  but Saturday we went exploring and saw the marina, beach, horse camp area, and walked some of the bridle trails. They also have playgrounds that are open and some food trucks in case you don’t want to cook.

     This is the second park we have stayed at that is part of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and so far I am impressed. Large landscape sites that are full hookup with large concrete pads. Each with its own picnic table and fire pit. They also have a boat dock for the campers to use.   The lightning bugs even put on a nightly show.

  • K
    Jun. 19, 2021

    Mohican State Park Campground

    Level campsites

    These walk-in tent only sites were level with a decent amount of space. The river (that you can float down) runs right next to the sites. There was a high turnover every night. This was a fun place to camp, with an awesome playground. The showers were hot and clean.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 9, 2019

    Malabar Farm State Park Campground

    Rustic

    I found Malabar Farm in Lucas, OH on my way home from Mom’s house. Never heard of it before and I have been this way for over 20 years now. Louis Bromfield was a conservationist and among many other things (including winning a Pulitzer) he was in the forefront of organic and self-sustaining gardening. This place is amazing! ( and would be an excellent home schoolers camping trip!) Not your typical going hiking kinda campground (there are trails but they are not “major”) you come here to step away from city life and tour a working farm. Ohio countryside at its best. Primitive camping with a gravel parking pad and water, fire ring, picnic table and hitching post. No reservations, this is a first come campground. There’s also a small rentable cabin open year round. Definitely worth a visit and very family oriented events. ( your teenager will roll their eyes at you but probably secretly enjoy the visit)


Guide to Chesterville

Nestled near Chesterville, Ohio, tent camping offers a fantastic escape into nature, with a variety of campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.

Tips for tent camping near Chesterville

Local attractions for outdoor enthusiasts

  • The scenic trails around Mohican State Park Campground provide excellent opportunities for hiking and exploring the beautiful landscape.
  • Nearby, the Park and Pack Campsite 3 is situated beside a wide stream, making it a great spot for fishing and enjoying the sounds of nature.
  • For those who enjoy horseback riding, the trails near Park and Pack Campsite 4 are well-marked and offer a unique way to experience the area.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Chesterville, OH is Mohican State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 5 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Chesterville, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.