Camping near Clarksville, OH sits at the intersection of the Little Miami River watershed and the gently rolling highlands of southwestern Ohio. This area, with elevations ranging from 800-950 feet above sea level, experiences moderate rainfall throughout camping season with occasional summer storms. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing from December through February, making most campgrounds in the region seasonal operations with limited or no winter availability.
What to do
Fossil hunting excursions: Caesar Creek State Park Campground offers unique fossil collection opportunities with proper permits. "We even got a permit to collect fossils. Great visitor centers too," notes one camper who found this activity particularly engaging during their stay.
Bike trail access: Morgan's Riverside Campground provides direct access to the paved Little Miami Bike Trail. According to a visitor, "There is a paved bike trail and Fort Ancient is nearby," making it convenient for cyclists to explore the scenic river valley without needing to drive to trailheads.
Paddling adventures: Morgan's Canoe and Outdoor Adventure offers a variety of water experiences with personal equipment transport. "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," reports one visitor who enjoyed the riverside setting.
Heated swimming: Beechwood Acres Camping Resort maintains a heated swimming pool that extends the swimming season beyond summer months. "The pool is heated and large enough for everyone to spread out," mentions a camper who appreciated this amenity during cooler weather camping.
What campers like
Spacious wooded sites: Olive Branch Campground receives high marks for site size and privacy. "Sites are spacious and ours backed up to a wooded area. There is a nice walking trail through the woods," reports a camper who valued the natural setting despite being close to urban amenities.
Wildlife observation: Stonelick State Park Campground features a pollinator trail leading to the water. "Despite the rain and the wind we had a great time! Our spot was right next to a small Pollinator trail that lead to the water," notes a family who found educational opportunities despite challenging weather.
Clean shower facilities: Lebanon-Cincinnati NE KOA maintains exceptionally clean bathroom facilities. "The bathrooms are amazing and private. The tent site we had was huge and there were actually trees for our suspended tent and hammocks," states a reviewer who found these amenities exceeded typical expectations.
Extensive outdoor play areas: Beechwood Acres provides multiple recreation options within the campground. "Cornhole, playgrounds, basketball available. Live music on weekend. Walking trails to lake," notes a visitor who appreciated the variety of activities available without leaving the property.
What you should know
Flooding potential: Morgan's Riverside Campground & Cabins experiences occasional flooding when the Army Corps of Engineers releases water from upstream dams. "We stayed in early May, which is usually when they do their Triathlon. The Army Corps of Engineers decided to let water out of the dam up river, so it was flooded for a couple days," reports one camper who still enjoyed their stay despite the conditions.
Limited cell service: Thousand Trails Wilmington requires signal boosting equipment for reliable connections. "I use Starlink and T-mobile 5G. The T-Mobile seems to be working best here. The cell booster I have made it go from 'good' to 'excellent'," shares a full-time RVer who found connectivity solutions during their stay.
Tree removal impact: Several campgrounds have lost shade trees to disease or management decisions. At Cowan Lake State Park Campground, one camper noted: "Nice place, spread out, plenty of room between sites, very little shade as they have cut down a whole lot of trees."
Seasonal maintenance challenges: Early season campers may encounter facilities that aren't fully operational. "It's a KOA, but even for a KOA this one was sub-par. Granted, we visited in late March, and they may not have been at peak season form," reports a camper at Lebanon-Cincinnati NE KOA who experienced early season conditions.
Tips for camping with families
Playground proximity: Cowan Lake State Park Campground offers multiple child-friendly features. "Nice cul-de-sac areas for groups with areas for kids to play. Ground is pretty level so bringing a bike for kids to ride on is nice. There is a playground in walking distance too," shares a parent who stayed in the cabins.
Themed weekend activities: East Fork State Park Campground hosts special events like Halloween celebrations with decorated golf cart parades. "What we did not know is that there was a HUGE Halloween celebration complete with 30-40 decorated golf carts parading through the campground," reports a surprised visitor who arrived during a festive weekend.
Safe biking environments: Several campgrounds offer internal road systems ideal for young cyclists. Stonelick State Park received this review: "My little ones had a blast riding their scooters around the round about. The restrooms are a quick walk and very clean."
Nature education: Caesar Creek State Park Campground provides educational opportunities through its visitor center. "There is a nice lake, good hiking, close to Waynseville. Family friendly, good nature center and ability to look for fossils," mentions a parent who found educational activities for children.
Tips from RVers
Site levelness variations: Stonelick State Park Campground has significant topography challenges on some sites. "Nice big sites, fairly level. We camped at site 35 and it was very slopey, our levelers only helped a little," warns an RVer who had difficulty getting their rig level despite equipment designed for this purpose.
Hookup placement issues: Olive Branch Campground requires extended cords for some sites. "Busy ample space between campers but most are not level. All hookups are in the middle of the site my standard cord was not long enough," notes a camper who encountered infrastructure challenges.
Entry road limitations: Lebanon-Cincinnati NE KOA has single-lane access issues. "The entry road is one lane. If you meet another vehicle someone has to back up. That's just poor design," cautions an RVer who experienced this logistical challenge.
Loop-specific amenities: East Fork State Park offers varying experiences depending on location within the campground. "Not all loops have their own bath house and the I loop where we stayed was one of them. We used the one in the H Loop," reports a camper who found uneven distribution of facilities throughout this large campground.
