Best Tent Camping near College Corner, OH

There's a great backpacking trail that's challenging and an easy middle meeting place for friends/family from Columbus and Cincinnati that can meet in Dayton Metroparks/Five Rivers - Germantown and take on the TVT challenge, beautiful hike through hilly terrain, and great spots of overlooks. Bring your pack and hiking poles and take advantage of trekking into the forest. Vault toliet, away from busy/crowded campsites and surrounded by nature. Access to a river for water source (bring your filter system) camp in a tent or hammock.

Restroom & shower facilities are clean

Flat-steep Grades for tent camping and camper camping.

Many hiking trails

Boat rental.

Swim area

Took my hubby there for his birthday. Primitive tent camping is more then affordable, and the fishing was AWESOME!! He had an amazing time. We've been back 5 times since then. It's a hidden gem for sure!

Clean, well-maintained campground with about 30 sites, most of which have electric service. Flush toilets and showers. Site 116 has the best privacy for tent camping. Nice lake with rental boats or bring your own kayak/canoe. Nice hiking trails and paved bike trail

We tent camped here a few years ago and had the loudest neighbors. The brought a chainsaw to cut up wood, let their little kids roam wild and packed up around 6am. Our spot had no privacy either. We’ve tried to give this campground another chance but can never find spots that look decent.

We love Hueston Woods! We have been there twice now and tent camp. A lot of the sites are large and have enough space for everything you need! The beach is a short distance away and love that they also include a dog swimming area. The bathrooms are a little outdated but the park is very well kept.

Basic car tent camping at several spots along a creek wIth picnic tables and fire rings (no hookups, portolet toilets, no showers.) There is a rustic scout cabin/group lodge reservable for scout, etc. groups. The park features a pioneer village with log cabins, including a blacksmith forge, etc. that have been moved to the site.

We love camping here! Whether it's tent camping, group camping, RV, cabin, or lodge accommodations they can fill all your needs. Very large park with playgrounds, fishing, swimming, creek access, dog park, archery practice area or walk over to the damn. The bathrooms could use a little better cleaning but all in all it's a great park! We come often and camp at least once a year! Highly recommended.

We enjoyed the stay at site 77. The description of the site did say it had a slight slope so were aware. We tent camped which means our tent was on a slope. Next time we’ll pick a more level site. Bathrooms were clean, just your run of the mill park bathroom with some spider webs. We hiked a pretty easy trail and loved the walk. We saw several sites that we’d love to try when we return. So we’d definitely go back.

Full service campground. 30, 50 am full hook ups. Water and electric only hook ups, primitive RV and tent sites. Some sites are shaded, most of them seem to be year round rented. Most sites not shaded and small. Lake with beach, fishing, boating, and scuba diving. Golf cart rentals, firewood for sale on site. Pool available. Camp store and hot food available on site. Cabins also available for rent. Within 25 min of Walmart, hole improvement stores, and restaurants. Overall nice campground with lots to offer. But in most cases there is parking lot style camping.

Winton Woods campground has spacious paved RV spaces with full hook-ups, fire ring, and picnic table. They also have cabin and tent camping. The location is located on the lake with access to put in a kayak or canoe. The bathrooms are clean, with private combined shower/dressing stalls. There is a playground for children, and a camp store that sells firewood and supplies. I love the tall pines on the property. They made me feel like I was out west. The campground is also near paved and unpaved trails in the park that surround more of the lake which allows for walking/running/hiking and bicycling, fishing, small craft boating, with small craft boat rentals available at the marina. The park also allows for horseback riding, and a small water park for children in the summer.

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.

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.

This is part of the Dayton Metro Parks (Five Rivers Metro Parks) and it is at the Twin Creek metro park.  This is an old boy scout camp (Camp Hook) back in the day. 

During these COVID-19 times we wanted a place to park that wasn't the traditional Ohio State Parks camp site. We didn't want to share a common bathroom/bath house or playground area.  We picked this as the Twin Creek camp site only has 3 camp sites within the park.  Even then they are out of side from each other. You can somewhat hear the other two camp sites (rarely).  This meant with two little ones we wouldn't have to constantly remind them to socially distance or put on masks.  We were alone but had plenty of park supports. We had two great park volunteers/security stop by to make sure we had everything we need. 

The nice thing about the Dayton metro parks is that each night in the front county camp sites they include a bundle of fire wood. This is not the small sad bundle that you often buy at gas stations or other markets.  This is a huge bundle. It is dry and cut in an easy to use manner. It is also kept in a little box so it is dry even if you do have weather while camping. If you wish to add an additional bundle of firewood the price is very reasonable at $10.00. I do this every time I camp there to support their campsites/metro parks. I have yet to use up their firewood in the box when I camp for a whole weekend. It is also nice that we don't have to put it in our cars so less clean up after camping. It also helps with the whole burn local fire wood so you are not transporting bugs. Or you don't have to cross your fingers and hope someone close by sells firewood. 

The nice thing about their site is the additional tables made it easy for us to socially distance.  When I camp at local state parks and we only have one table it can be tricky to keep coolers, food, and people separated. We also were able to have kids do craft at one of the tables while we were preparing meals. This camp site is listed as a 10 person camp site. There is no water on site so make sure you bring all the water that you will need. 

We also were able to hike the easy trails around the camp site. No need to put the kids in the car unless we wanted to.  Which we still did:) 

We drove into town and discovered a covered bridge that I had missed on an earlier camping trip. (Germantown).  This town also has the Florentine which is one of the oldest inns in Ohio. It was closed while we were in town but it is well worth a stop. The town also has a community pool as well that you can buy a day pool pass. 

The campsite does have two spots that would be neat for a wedding. You can reserve an amphitheater. 

The campsites during peak season are $20 during week days and $28 for weekends. I still find this to be one of the best values for camping in Ohio. Especially, when you consider the level of privacy that you have on these sites.  The vault toilets are one of the best as they are always clean. We have hand sanitizer and toilet paper. We didn't have to share our vault toilet with any other family units. 

All of these small touches really made COVID-19 camping with kids much easier. We look forward to being back at this camp site in the fall. 

Here is the website to make a reservation https://www.metroparks.org/rentals-permits/reserve-a-campsite/?id=786190&api=facilities&type=camp

We enjoyed exploring the park, but were surprised not to find tent pads. We had to pitch the tent in the grass on a slope. What happens to the grass if you stay a week or so? Those of us sleeping on mats woke up with wet hair from sliding into the tent wall or totally off the mat from sliding downhill. Restrooms were adequate. I also prefer more privacy than the sites have in this campground. We were ready for bed long before our neighbors. They weren’t particularly loud, but the light made it hard to sleep.

This is one of my favorite campsites in Ohio.  5 Rivers Metro Parks really knows how to provide a great camping experience.  They provide a bundle of firewood for each night that you have reserved the site.  In addition, you can easily purchase more wood that will be right there at the site for you.  "Your camping permit comes with one 2' x 2' bundle of firewood per night. Additional firewood available at checkout(+$10.00 per 1/32nd of a cord)." https://www.metroparks.org/rentals-permits/reserve-a-campsite/?id=786297&api=facilities&type=camp

The ranger checked in on me and also let me know he was closing the gate to the park.  I had his contact information and felt safe and secure while camping here. We had an awesome conversation and I look forward to seeing him on a future visit. 

I love how easy it is to put away the trash and recycle as this isn't something I see at the larger campgrounds within the state. It is refreshing to see the attention to small details such as this when camping. 

The bathroom is simply a porta john.  It is the accessible one and was fairly clean while I was at the site.  No running water, electricity, or other perks such as being able to buy ice at the campground.  You are close enough that you can run into town to stock up on more ice and items. 

I spent my time at Argonne Lake but you will notice folks fishing at that lake and the other smaller lakes onsite. 

Buckeye my campsite is rated as for 5 parking spots and a capacity of 12 folks.  This is much more than what is allowed at our local state parks.  As I mentioned it is nice and easy for a group of us to camp here.  I have friends that come over from Columbus and I come up from the Cincinnati region.   It is an easy drive and the parking situation is much easier for all of us to drive ourselves from each city with our own gear no shuffling of items. This spot does have other larger campsites if you need to look into that for a larger group. 

"This walk-in campsite is located near Argonne Lake parking lot. It features access to hiking trails, nearby sustainable farm and demonstration gardens, as well as fishing in both the lake and fishing ponds(no license required). This site includes a picnic table and fire ring. Potable water and a restroom are located within 600 feet of campsite on the southeast side of the lake." https://www.metroparks.org/rentals-permits/reserve-a-campsite/?id=786296&api=facilities&type=camp

I have friends that love to explore the lake, ponds, sustainable farm, and the easy access to the trails.  For those that need something interesting to look at you will find old abandoned items such as a pool and street car in the woods.  The land has an interesting history you will want to explore. 

Another thing that is impressive is that they also have a rental program.  If you do not have camping gear but still want to get out and try it then you can rent it from them. https://www.metroparks.org/rentals-permits/rentals/equipment/  A set of 6 is $50.00 for the weekend. This includes the tent, sleeping pads, and sleeping bag.  If you only needed a tent for the weekend that would b e $30.00.   For folks that want to take advantage of their other campsites (backpacking) they have a full rental of backpacking gear for $40.00.  If you only needed the backpack and and tent that would be $25.00 and if you only needed a back pack tent for the weekend that would be $15.00

Perfect example of this park...my husband and I were quickly becoming homeless and with 2 cat's needed someplace to go fast! It just happened to be Memorial Day weekend.We had a 10 person tent that we had no clue how to put up. We left to get more supplies and upon returning we found 10 guy's waiting to help us put it up! We had no idea who they were, but they put the tent and another screen tent for us and refused to be paid. We were so touched by their help! The park staff found the very last spot after hearing our housing dilemma and checked on me everyday while my husband went to work. Very clean park and safe as the sheriff's department cruised through every night. Campers helped each other with food and wood and picked up after themselves. Very relaxing as it is a drive off the highway which allowed nature to unfold all around campers.

loop C site 202

This is a nice site. easy to back in. nestled up to some trees. Not good for tents. Pad is long.

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.

Older Indiana State Park just West of Indiana / Ohio state line South of IH-74. Roads tight and only 1 dump station for 70+ sites (most site are water electric only)

We spent a week here in August of 2020. The kids enjoyed seeing the buffalo and playing at the playground. Very clean park with friendly staff. We had deer come in right next to our tent the first morning.

Along the Ohio river Morgan’s is the perfect spot to camp if you enjoy nature. The wooded sites are very large even the small ones with mature trees. So close to everything Cincinnati has to offer but beautiful scenic river views.

State Park that offers a beach, canoes, fishing, and camping. Sites are drive-up with plenty of room for a tent or two and fire-rings. Some sites may have trees for hammocks. Can get loud with lots of RVs in spots nearby.