Hueston Woods State Park, Oh.
http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/huestonwoods
Campground Overview: Hueston Woods State Park is very close to Miami University…in the Southwest area of Ohio. The direction we traveled from the south took us on numerous winding country lanes through farm country that actually meandered in and out of Indiana and Ohio.
(Disclaimer: I am a tent camper, preferring backcountry sites of solitude and privacy…so take my reviews of campgrounds with a grain of salt).
The campground area is separated not only by roadway, but a short walk, ride or drive from the reservoir, docks, boat rental beach area and tiny nature center.
The Campground Office sits at the campground entrance and does offer quite a bit of camping items for its tiny size should you have forgotten anything. The cabins and lodge are on the opposite bank of the reservoir. The tent site area was sparsely occupied and the particular area was empty that I chose.
All campground sites are line of sight, no barriers or buffer between neighbors(something I do not enjoy)…the trees are mature and tall so offer no privacy. Noise/sound travels so when full, you’ll likely hear your neighbors conversations.
Unknowingly, it appeared every weekend in October has a big Halloween emphasis, so the upper campground was sold out. I was advised the lower non electric loop would also be sold out…which reinforced my gratefulness for midweek camping.
With the vast old growth forests, dried/dead branches for firewood was plentiful for a chilly night(38) fire. We evaded the impending rain for once and pressed on. Weekend campers experienced heavy storms as we left.
There are several hiking trails and biking trails. Streams were dried up at our visit. A cool restoration covered bridge was a short hop from the campground. The lodge has a restaurant, a gift shop, an outside pool and a nicely equipped activity room for older kids complete with numerous arcade games, pool table, and ping-pong table. There is also a token tiny exercise center-Key card entrance for lodge stayers. The A-frame lodge, though nostalgic, needs some TLC and updating(especially the exterior).
Traffic noise is noticeable, especially during quiet hours. While not excessive, it’s disruptive.
Deer sighting were plentiful as were chattering tree rats…ahem, squirrels, sorry. Woodpeckers stayed busy overhead. At dusk an overly friendly“masked trash panda” encroached seeking to share my delectable and perfectly toasted s’more…having to be chased off(unfortunately, it appeared he has been fed by campers to be that bold). Other small birds were plentiful as were migrating Canadian honkers.
Housekeeping notes: In the larger non-electric loop newer restrooms existed…modern bathrooms and showers were clean and stocked with TP. No paper towels offered, only electric hand dryers. Bathroom stalls, like the showers, utilized shower curtains rather than lockable doors. In my tent area…antiquated wood shed pit latrines…that truly needed razed.
I did not have time to walk any trails, but talked with mountain bikers that spoke favorably. There were several marked trails near the reservoir area.
Final Thoughts: It was a nice choice for a stop-over as I drifted north. However, I would not want to stay when it’s busy or on the weekends. The reservoir beach and watercraft fishing appears a big draw…and I wish I had brought both my bicycle and canoe.
My husband and I went on the Blue biking trail and mud lick trail on separate visits. The biking trail was very open for walkers still! It went through types of scenery and was extremely peaceful. The Mud Lick trail was a little overgrown and the trail was a little harder to find but we still though it was spectacular. The views of the lake were so beautiful!
Nice place to stay. We had booked a site for a weekend but when we got there we were informed that the site was double booked and the woman we talked to worked a miracle and got us a site. I'd defiantly go back. All sites had full hookups, very clean bathrooms and shower rooms.
While the tent spots did not have a lot of shade, the sites are close to the lake and make for some wonderful sunsets. All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful and all in all it was a great stay. We rented bikes from the camp store and swam at the beach which was conveniently close to the tent sites. Lots of fun and 10/10 would return again. I'm excited to come back and see how the young trees they have growing in the tent sites take off.
Just explore this place last weekend on non electric site, this park is amazing for mountain biking trail to go with water sport at lake . The camp site was ok . Don’t expect flush or shower at non electric site . I don’t mind as our purpose to find a camp site gave us most privacy and shade just for weekend
Cabin A, . Check-in time is 2pm and check out is 12pm. Please remember to bring your own linens, Morgan's does not supply sheets for the cabins. There are 2 twin mattresses and 1 full size mattress. **Helpful information from their reservation email.
They have 4 cabins in our area which would be nice to get another family to join us. Then each family has their own cabin to retire to at the end of the day.
https://www.morganscanoe.com/ This site is close to King's Island and Fort Ancient. It also was next to a bike trail. Close to the Little Miami Bike Trail this was easy to walk on with my friend and her two little ones. The trail was paved which was a huge help for those of us who were extra short and didn't always attend to their surroundings when walking.
We were a little nervous as the cabin is so close the river. This is part of the charm but when you have a 3 year old in your group then it is smart to keep an extra sharp eye on the kiddo as the river is a huge draw. We enjoyed being able to be close to the river and then being inside with a floor/door which a tent wouldn't have given us that extra security. We had plenty of space for my friend, her two kids, and me.
The cabin didn't have heat and I tend to get cold easily. For the average person in the summer and spring you will be fine. I needed to layer up. We had two little ones so during the day instead of the usual King's Island we went to Entertainment Junction. https://entertrainmentjunction.com/ and I was also able to get a Groupon to reduce the cost.
Price:$60.00/night for 2 Adults and up to 3 kids(3-16 years of age) 2-night minimum required for weekends and 3-night required for holiday weekends. The cabins weren't on top of each other. I felt that this was a better deal than some other local cabin prices and the atmosphere was better as well .
The tent sites which I explored on my walks are huge. A great camp site to have a bunch of friends meet up and camp at as it is so close to Cincinnati. This camp site, is far enough to get away but close enough. This means that everyone can easily get there after work. We didn't want a long car drive with two little ones and this was a great way to start exposing them to camping in our "backyard".
The prices equal the local state parks but the sites are bigger. The area has huge trees and grassy areas to put your tents up without feeling like your neighbors are right in your space.
Wow! Beautiful place, huge lake, very peaceful out by the water.
Campground was not the best- sites were VERY close together, with most of the campground completely exposed with no shade. It was like trying to relax on a huge parking lot jammed with RVs and people. At most of the sites, you'd literally have a family up against you 20 feet to the left and a family 20 feet to the right. This might be fun for kids, but not fun if you are looking for some peace and quiet.
The bathrooms were average for Ohio State parks- icky and grungy, but not gag-worthy. I'm used to the ickiness of state park bathrooms, so I wasn't grossed out. The showers and toilets nearest my site had big puddles of standing water full of dirt, bandaids, plastic wrappers and other gross items floating there the duration of the weekend. One sink was full of dirt the entire weekend. Showers were hot though, which is always a plus.
Great place for kayaking. There was a little free library, which is a great idea. The snack bar was hopping the whole time. They need to make more than one pot of coffee at a time in the mornings (1 pot when they have 249 sites? They are missing out on $$!!), but I only buy coffee on the morning I'm packing up.
Overall, I enjoyed it here, but I'd only go if there are LOTS of free sites and you know you aren't jammed up against 2-3 other groups of people.
This was my second visit to the park. Some things have changed:) The park was very busy over the holiday weekend. The movies were a highlight and the Friends of Hueston Woods had some tasty snacks you could purchase.
We opted not to swim at the beach but it is quite lovely. It wasn't over run with Geese. You have a sandy area, grassy area, volley ball area, and playground. It is one of the better beaches for Ohio State Parks in the southern part of the state. We bought a day pass to the pool at the lodge. This was a wonderful evening swimming late into the evening past sun set.
In 2020, some of the campsites are being improved (see sign below). We camped on the RV side in our tent. This area is more populated and the bathrooms are better. It is more "groomed" the grass and landscape. If you go to the primitive campsite side the grass is mowed but it has a more rustic feel to that side of the camp ground.
The red covered bridge that is near by you can either drive to or walk to from the primitive side of the camp ground. The bridge is still beautiful but be prepared that folks have taken to writing on the bridge. Some of it is chalk or mud but it doesn't follow LNT. Not a fan of names or other tidbits on the bridge.
The nature center here does a great program as we were able to look at various birds of prey. This was a highlight.
We thought about renting kayaks but didn't want to wait. They don't do specific time slots so it is a wait around approach. We had better things to do than wait around. We went out on the trails. Some of the trails were better marked and others were not clearly marked. We were able to figure it out but it was a bit tricky.
**Photos and videos are not uploading fully so I will be back to upload more at a later time.
Cowan Lake State Park - A friend and I were able to kayak on the lake the night of a Friday the 13th moon. It was beautiful. Sadly, no pictures as I do not have a water proof camera. The next day we also went out for another paddle under the bright sun. The boat ramp and parking lot is easy to use and has a good layout. They do have some tent sites close to the boat ramp area and you can see the lake from those tent sites.
Our campsite did not have any trees but they have planted a lot of new trees. I assume this due the previous trees having to be cut down due to Emerald Ash borer damage. Our campsite didn't have any shade but others did so you really have to pick wisely.
The trails here are easy and short. I loved the informational boxes and tags that they had on the trees or plants. This is helpful if you have little ones with you or if you are like me and just like to learn about the animals/plants on the trail.
The park also had a lending library and walking stick lending program. I thought these were simple but memorable features for this park.
Our campsite was close to two different bathroom structures. One right behind our site was toilets only. This did mean that sometimes folks would walk on the edge or through the camp site at times. The other bathroom structure was further down the road and it had both toilets and showers. The larger bathroom had an ADA shower in it as well.
The camp store was well stocked and you could rent bikes from the store. These bikes were often all over the campground so be extra careful when driving in the park. They do have the orange flag but as they are low to the ground it is hard to see them at times.
The cabins here have both a fire ring and grill. This isn't the case at all Ohio State parks so it was a nice surprise. They also have a porch that is screened in with a view of the lake. You are not able to walk down to the lake from the cabin but it is a lovely view.
For those who want to "Walk-On" camp please take a look at the photo of the neon yellow paper as how the park approaches this will be different in the future.
**Not all photos or videos uploading so some information may be missing. I will try to upload again later.
This is a good campground. A loop is pretty open without a lot of shade. B & C have lots of shade but the sites are either not very level or not very big. Clean bathrooms with push button showers. We went on one of the easy trails. Be aware this area is very rocky so easy is relate to the surroundings.
My husband and I did our first year of cabrewing at Morgan's. We had a wonderful time. The price was reasonable and the staff was extremely helpful. We loved the fact that we were able to bring our own canoes. The price us also very reasonable. Our campsite was beautiful, with an amazing view of White Water River. The float itself was also a lot of fun. I wouldn't advise bringing young children though, or maybe even any children. It's basically a party on the river. I'm definitely not complaining either. We will definitely be back next year.
What a great camping experience! A little bit of everything. Large blacktop campsite with plenty of grassy area. We stayed in site 057 which was a little more secluded then the others. What impressed me most is how quite it was. Even with all the kids there ( it was the kids Mecca). Great pool, mini golf and great playground. Lots of hiking trails. We took a small hike to see the buffalo that live there. Nice museum on site that features a prehistoric Skelton of giant sloth. Small lake and plenty of wild life. Great shower house and bathrooms. This place is a 10! Be sure to visit Noah’s Arc which is only about 20 minutes away!
PRODUCT REVIEW : as a ranger with the Dyrt I get the opportunity to try and review products. I am reviewing the Grubstick. I absolutely loved them. They were light and compact and a lot of fun. We loved cooking over the open fire. They came in a great carry case. We tested each instrument with various foods. The round cage we made a hamburger and it cooked to perfection. We also made garlic bread, hot dogs and strawberry Twinkie shortcake. Of corse the normal s’mores. Easy to add or remove different tools cleanup was a breeze. Will make these a standard on every camping trip! https://grubstick.com
We love this place. It’s close to home so we know the good spots. Some are uneven and tight but most you have a nice yard. There is a primitive loop that you can camp On the lake. No swimming aloud they have a nice pool for that. There is hiking fishing golf mini golf tennis and playgrounds plus shelter rentals. They have a great Halloween month. Most sites are shaded.
We absolutely love it there we take our grandchildren .So family friendly ,lots to do
everyone is awesome .If you like it more laid back there are more sites down by the river
Beautiful park and camping if you like a parking lot for RVs. Lots of families and pets. Not great for tents but theres a couple ok spots. Not secluded. Very little shade but lots to do at the park and its very clean.
Location is great it's near Kings Island and the river is perfect for canoeing and kayaking. There is a paved bike trail and Fort Ancient is nearby. It was nice but lots of broken glass people loud into the night and a not so friendly staff. Be warned it's also 5$ to rent a grate for your fire pit.
Nice place, spread out, plenty of room between sites, very little shade as they have cut down a whole lot of trees.
Located right off the interstate (a little noisy), road leading into campground is narrow and bumpy. Campground itself is pretty full of longterm residents, just a few daily spots available. Fairly narrow spots but it worked for a night or two for us. No frills.
Lots to do family friendly.
We stayed at the state park last week and really enjoyed our time there. The pool was nice and the kids really enjoyed it. We had a nice time exploring the park to see the buffalo. I recommend attending one of their hikes to hear the history of the park. We loved it there and hope to go back.
Morgan’s is amazing! They have been around for a few generations and provide canoeing, rafting, and kayaking at different trip lengths for a great price. There are plenty of spots along the beautiful Little Miami River Valley to pull your canoe off to the side and sit and hang out. Clean showers and restrooms, transportation from the kayak end site back to your campsite, a market…and conservation efforts on top of it all. They help the bees and monarchs. Love this place!!
Very nice campground with somewhat secluded areas for rent campers. There is a pool and small play area for kids, nice restroom area, and friendly staff.
I’ve been going to Eastfork for many years now and it will always be a second home to me. The campsites are good sized and wide spread. Most sites are set a bit in the woods which gives you more privacy. Bath houses are always clean and the showers are well maintained. If you like walking the trails, there is a great variety of different paths and maps and signs to assist you. A friend and I went out for a hike and got turned around after dark. We sent a message to the Eastfork Facebook page and they answered us within 5 minutes and helped direct us out! I will always recommend this place!
I like the beach, wish they could have a beach dog to chase away the geese.
Camping is also nice. More trees please.
Love the Meteor Show Campout on the beach. Best even of my summer.
This campground was packed with people, and yet all were respectful, good neighbours. We were nice and near the bathhouse (purposely, as we were here with young kids), but still not far from the playground (our younger boys' favourite part of coming!). Very well maintained, with a well-stocked shop. The well-stocked shop was especially important…the park is so well-used, that there wasn't a shred of wood to use as kindling or tinder. Some pinecones and pineneedles, but that's it. Thankfully, the shop was stocked with at least 4 different kinds of firestarters, so all are able to get their fires going. Easy check-in procedure, and easy checkout too. If I didn't have my "Cowboy Coffee" Percolator, a highlight for me would have been that the office/shop also carries coffee - both beans and brewed!
All in all, a great time by all!
This campground is on top of a hill close to the Ohio river. Nice paved sites (not level, but most are not anyway). Water hookup is far away, but we don’t usually hook it up to our pop up. Large sites, and ours has a nice large maple that gave us shade (38). Nice little pool. Bath house was ok, mostly clean. One shower was shut down, so only two working in men’s. Putt Putt was nice, but old and cost 3.50 for adult, 2.50 for kids. Little much honesty. Museum, Bison, two other playgrounds and Ball courts can be found down the hill. Some nice hiking trails as well. Do you self a favor and check our Rabbit Hash general store while in the area. Would come back again.