Best Equestrian Camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

This state park has a lot to offer with the highlight being a large 2,650-lake that appeals to fishermen, boaters, and swimmers. The park is over 5,000 acres and not only has camping but hiking, volleyball, fishing, playgrounds, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding, and more.

The campground is divided into three loops with nearly 200 sites. Campsites include those with full hook-up (50 amp), electric only (50 amp), and some with no electric. This campground is suitable for everything from large RVs to tents. Sites and roads are paved and each site has a picnic table and fire pit. In loops where there is no water directly at the site, water spigots are scattered throughout. The restroom/bathhouses in our loop were really nice, modern, clean, and had laundry facilities which is a real plus at a state park campground. Campsites can be reserved online up to six months in advance. Since we were here in April, the campground was practically empty and getting a site was no problem. But, if you want one of the 29 full hook-up sites in the summer, you better book early.

We really enjoyed the hiking trails and being able to leave our campsite and be right on the trails. There are approximately 12 miles of hiking trails and an additional 20 miles that are open to horses and snowmobiles. (Be aware that hunting is permitted in certain areas.)

The park is about 15 miles from Cuyahoga Valley National Park which is a fantastic place to explore with a lot going on for the whole family! If you are interested in football, the National Football Hall of Fame is just down the road in Canton. The town of Hudson has a pretty, historic downtown with a fun old soda fountain.

We would definitely stay at this campground again. It was a perfect place to stay while visiting family in the nearby town of Hudson. Loved having a paved site with full hook-ups especially since there was a lot of rain while we were there. The lake was perfect for kayaking and had we been able to stay longer we would have spent more time on the water.

Stayed in two different areas of West Branch State Park while visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Very impressed with large, clean bath houses, including fully private showers. Sites were very large and spread out, visit bing lots of nice privacy. Though we did not take advantage, the park also offered horse bridle trails, mountain biking and water activities on the lake. What a gem!

I loved to camp in the Horse camping area but this year they are allowing tent campers to camp there and it is just not safe.  There are multiple tents, sometimes in between horse campers.  There are children running around and since this in the back of the campground with no supervision, the campers are leaving garbage at the sites and in the fire pits. 

There are two camp hosts in that area and they do the best they can to educate people on horses but most do not understand they were even booked in the horse camp nor do they understand that horses can spook.

The hosts are trying to clean up after these bad campers and reporting them but there does not seem to be anything they can do. They would never allow this kind of thing to happen in the main campground.

If the campers are allowed to camp in the horse camp then the horse campers should be allowed in the main camp.  I sure would  like a full hook up with electricity and water for my horse trailer. 

Whats fair is fair.  Why even designate a section just for Horse campers if you are going to allow primitive campers to camp there. 

Last year there may have been one or two tents here and there through out the season but this year the tent campers outnumber the horse campers.

You need to make reservations well in advance for the “primo” sites. The bathrooms are clean and include a laundry and sinks outside to wash your dishes. Campground hosts and staff are friendly and helpful. Sites are roomy and clean. Lots of variety. If you’re into hiking, disc golf, kayaking, fishing, equestrian pursuits, etc, this is the park for you.

3 Immaculate bath houses all with laundry facilities, all sites have electric (no f-ing generators) and many have have water and sewer hook ups. There is no WiFi and barely one bar of cell service; your best internet access is at the nice public library 7 miles away in Ravenna Sand beach is an easy walk from all camp sites and boat trailers can be parked on your camp site Boat launch has a big trailer parking lot, too. There are hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails in the park and launching off paddle boards is ok at the boat launch or the nearby beach Friendly staff and camp hosts!

My family has been going to this camp for years! It’s been updated a few times over the years, for the better! It has everything you need. Boat ramps for the lake in the campground, multiple shower houses, large and small campsites with full and primitive options! Tent and pull through RV sites as well. They have a few miles of hiking trails even horse trails! They do events through out the year. Our favorite Halloween! Camper decorate their sites and do trick or treating for the kids. They even do a haunted trail where volunteers set up to scare everyone! We had a spot on the trail for years lol

Beautiful area for a get away in Ohio. The beach is never too packed. You can take kayaks out and venture off around the shores.

This park is one of my favorites in Ohio at this time. Most of the sites are some what private. There are many trails and even a fog park next to the lake.

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. We had no trouble pulling in at 3 pm on a Sunday after Labor Day with no reservations and snagging a very nice spot (Site 50 backs up to Kirwan Reservoir). There are two loops that are on Jay Lake where there is a beach; it was understandable that there weren’t any water view spots that had not been reserved here. A very quiet park that is well-maintained with lots of amenities. Even the rumbling of the nearby trains was on the quiet side! Nice playground with toy stocked sandpit, volleyball net, cheap laundry ($3 per load, wash and dry), dishwashing sinks, showers, and clean bathrooms. There was even a step stool for kids to be able to reach the sinks. A staffed store(9am-7pm on Sunday, 11am-7pm Monday– Thursday and 9 am– 8:30 pm on Saturday) with basic supplies and, of course, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Some of the sites have a slight grade so be cautious when selecting. Many trees that provide separation between sites. Several short hiking trails. A side note: I only saw one non-Ohio license plate besides ours in the entire park, almost like it is an Ohio secret (not anymore!)

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**Product Review: **

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the opportunity to test products. At this campground, I tested the large  Morsel Spork from Outdoor Element. I have to admit that when I unpacked my box from Outdoor Elements, I was surprised at how LONG our morsel sporks were(we have other sporks that are much shorter so I was expecting these to be a similar size) but then I saw a photo of someone using it with their freeze-dried meal and it was an aha moment! No need to dirty another dish because this mighty spork can reach to the bottom of the pouch with no problem! These sporks are also sturdier than others we have used. The rubber scraper edge is a nice touch – would be great for getting the last delicious bits of meals from the freeze-dried meal pouches and I’m thinking also in glass or plastic containers. A very nice addition to our camping tools.

Booked a one night stay a day ahead of time on Ohio State Park site with full hookup.  when we arrived the site had been given away by staff to move someone from a noisy area.  Gave us the choice of a couple of other electric only sites.  Found one right near the water and couldn't have been happier!  Site 222 was on a cul de sac right across from the water.  Site is probably under water in early year.  Had a Pileated woodpecker visit us within 10 yards.

Can't say how nice Wilma from the park office was.  She was very apologetic and at the end of our stay gave us a gift card to use for another stay.  Both Wilam and the camp host checked on us to make sure we were happy.

Bring your kayaks and bikes.

West Branch is one of the best-known family campgrounds in NE Ohio. And it's not hard to understand why. Full amenities, clean facilities, and a nice lake round out the picture of a great place to get some family R&R.

Here's what you can expect:

1. It's Busy. 

Like, really busy. Be sure to book early as spots fill up often. Sites are fairly close to each other, but most people seem respectful of space and limits. 

2. It's Accessible.

West Branch is a quick drive from Akron, Canton, Cleveland, and Youngstown - hence the draw. if you live anywhere close, there's no reason NOT to check this place out!  

3. It's Fun (but a bit loud) 

If you're looking for quiet, West Branch might not be the place for you. Since the lake has not real HP limits, you'll hear boats motoring quite a bit throughout the day. 

4. It's got everything :) 

Seriously. There's nothing else you could want. Hiking trails, swimming, a fully stocked office for the essentials you forgot. 

Quick tip: Bring swimsuits. There are plenty of places to swim in the well-kept beaches or off a boat. West Branch is a great family getaway for summer swimming!

We camped here on a particularly hot summer weekend. We were dying, that is until we realized we could rent a pontoon boat. It turned out to be the most fun we had camping all year! We took the boat out all day - swimming, lounging, tubing, etc. . . . the kids were beat by night and we didn't even mind the heat.
As for the campsite - they are well spaced and the toilets/showers are clean and convenient. Nothin else needed!

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 resivoir with boat rental...we highly recommend renting a pontoon for the day and hanging out in the resivoir for swimming and lounging! It's both relaxing and nice to get away from the beach crowd!

Camping here is always a nice relaxing time. Plenty of fishing,boating,hiking. Lots of wildlife. Horseback riding trails. Or just sitting around campfire relaxing

We’ve counted West Branch as one of our favorite places to camp. Year round park access with heated bathrooms and showers. Nearby is Nelson Ledges for fantastic hiking.

Reported UFO sightings from the Park......yes, we saw something!?!?

We have been camping and having a family reunion here for years. Just an all around great park.

clean individual showers

Pros:

Clean Bathrooms

Larhe wooded campsites

Great hiking trails

Cons

some pads can be very uneven

My family has camped at West Branch for years, and it makes for a great, quick getaway. Summers can be very crowded, it's always best after the kids go back to school and it cools off a bit. Great swimming, and Nelson Ledges is not to be missed!

I really wish this place was back in Illinois. We stopped here on our way back from Virginia Beach. it was the most affordable stop we made and had amenities that we usually have to pay top dollar for. They had a fantastic shower house with individual locking rooms, bathrooms were very clean and they even had Laundry on site. The front desk was very helpful and gave us some ideas of things to do. I was surprised they had a decent camp store with affordable pricing. The night we arrived they had an Ice Cream social with huge cups overfilled which made the kids super happy and only $1. I believe this was set up by a volunteer committee which also had an outside movie planned for the evening. Nice quiet sites, (ours was lakeaIde vIew) which were wooded and very dark at night. They also had a modern play set area and volleyball which was utilized the entire visit. AND they had a beach with wonderful trails all through out. If I end up traveling East again, this will be on our list of stops for sure.

best barhrooms around! showers great. bathrooms great. lots of “lakefront” spots. dog park is pretty great, too! good spot to camp for cayahoga falls national park.

I love the bathrooms and dish washing stations. Some sites are a little small but all in all a great place to camp. Love to fish here. Lots of room for boats. We stay here every year!

Each campsite in on a leveled cement pad and comes with a fire ring a picnic table. There is plenty of room around your site and you don't feel crowded. Most sites offer nice tree coverage for shade. The restrooms and showers are very clean and well taken care of. There is also a laundry facility and sink outside each one for washing dishes and water fountains throughout the park. There is a nice beachfront for swimming and then a dock that be reached from outside the park. A beautiful lake for kayaking or boating. The store has most camping needs in it and once a week they host an ice cream social. Has a very nice playground and a sand volleyball court. There are some hiking trails, but nothing extensive.

The tent sites were nicely separated from the RV sites. Free showers. Set on a lake with a nice beach. Great for boaters.

Great site! Shades lots of space semi private area. Right off the water with area to tie boat for easy water access.

Very nice sites and very well maintained! The only real downside to the park is that the sites can be a bit tricky to get into with your camper and the pads can have a decent grade. The bath houses are big and clean with big sinks outside to do dishes. The lake is nice for boating and swimming.

I have never been here before but were looking for a last minute place on Labor Day weekend and they happened to have a spot available. I am so glad they did! This is such a nice campground with so much to do. The sites are spacious, well maintained and clean. The facilities were all modern and clean as well as the beach area. This particular weekend they had guided hikes, movie night for the kids and an ice cream social. There was also a presentation for the kids showing all the animals and birds of the park. We are going back again in a few weeks with the dog.