Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Silver Springs Campground is a small 27 site campground in Stow, Ohio, a convenient 17 minutes from Cuyahoga Valley National Park and a bargain at $18/night for a site with electrical hookups. 

While there isn't much to say about the privacy at this campground, because you are generally just staying in a field, the manager was absolutely wonderful and gave us all kinds of maps and information on Cuyahoga National Park when he came around to check us in. 

The campground can get very muddy during the wet season- the town offers a good description of each campsite on their website and we found the descriptions, as well as their warnings about flood potential, to be very accurate. Our site had a large mud hole, so we joked that we had a waterfront campsite and just rolled with it- the sites were large enough that we didn't have to park near the water. 

Despite having a dog aggressive dog, we were able to check out Bow Wow Beach nearby because we went early enough in the morning that nobody was around. The dog park is really fun and offered a great opportunity for our dog to run around before we got back on the road. 

We were really happy with this campsite and would definitely return at some point if we needed to visit Cuyahoga again.

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.

I loved staying at this farm! It is in the cuyahoga valley national park, so it is in a very central area if you want to explore! The views from the camp spots are incredible. We stayed in a lean to and it was so much fun! The bathroom was a Port o potty but it was very well maintained and clean.

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!

Cuyahoga Valley national park is a lovely park outside of Cleveland. This campsite was a little confusing about where we were allowed to park and for the price we paid for the site (15 or 20) there weren't any amenities. After a big rain, a lot of the sites had some serious puddles making pitching a tent difficult. A plus of the site was that it's right at the beginning of the Stanford trail to Brandywine falls, the nicest feature in the park in my opinion.

Our non-electric campsite was on the corner, so very secluded on one side but we had to walk through our neighbors’ campsite to get down to the car. Had to walk up a small hill to get to the campsite which was not the most convenient, as we had to carry everything up and back down each time we needed it. Clean bathrooms, beautiful views, friendly people. Stayed here to make the trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which was about a 45 minute drive away. Unfortunately we got rained out and were unable to stay the entire time.

Cutty’s is good old fashioned family at its best! They’ve been in the business for years and it shows! From catch and release fishing to laundry facilities, the staff at Cutty’s has thought of everything.

Nearby attractions are: The Hartville Kitchen (seriously worth it), Hartville hardware (again, worth it - believe me), Quail Hollow State Park, Football Hall of Fame, McKinley Museum, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

As far as the camping, you can expect a lot of golf carts, big campers, and a bit of evening noise. Big it’s really okay. Everyone is pretty friendly and there’s actually a real sense of “community” owing to the seasonal campers.

You can easily spend a week here without feeling bored - especially if you’re with the family :)

Quick tip: The welcome brochure mentions area attractions for a reason: Get out there and enjoy!

There are surprisingly limited camping options available at Cuyahoga Valley. This urban park, situated between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, serves its community in more of a day-use way, although they are home to a few camping options.

We chose to camp three nights at Stanford House. This historic inn is used for group reservations, but they have six campsites on their property which each have the capacity for two tents. Although the sites were very basic (picnic tables only, not overwhelmingly scenic) it provides a great base camp for out-of-towners visiting Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

And Cuyahoga Valley provides ample opportunity for exploring. With its popular waterfall hikes, its various free ranger programs, and its community services (such as a farmer’s market, historic sites, and wellness programs) Cuyahoga has something for every visitor.

During our four days here in October, we were able to get a great feel for this park. Our favorite must-sees include hiking The Ledges, attending ranger programs, biking the Towpath Trail, buying produce from the various farmer’s markets around the park, and watching the gorgeous sunset from the Beaver Marsh boardwalk.

You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Cuyahoga Valley)

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a unique experience. Know going in that there aren't a lot of camping options inside the park boundaries. One of the spots you can camp is next to the Stanford house in the central part of the park. There are only 6 camping spots, but each spot allows two tents. A couple of sites are in the wide open field and on warm days can get very hot in your tent. It is very nice that there is a shed with campfire wood that you are free to use during your stay. There is also a water storage unit that you can get fresh water from and two port-a-potties. The parking lot that you can drive in to also serves as the trailhead for a trail to Brandywine Falls so you can expect to have some foot traffic past the camping area throughout the day. It isn't a bad spot to camp just don't expect to be too far into the woods or have much privacy at these spots. We were lucky enough to be there when the cicadas came out, but they do get loud, don't worry they only come out every 17 years.

Alot of campground unfinished, poor wifi, no dog park

Stayed on a premium patio site and loved it. The campground and staff were awesome. Level site, great hook ups, awesome WiFi and cable. Clean facilities, 3 lakes (one with a fishing pier), 2 dog parks, and super friendly staff. 30 min to Cleveland. Walmart, gas stations and restaurants within 5 miles. Just off Ohio Turnpike, but can't hear it. Definitely recommend this KOA

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.

Stayed here to be close to the NP and it is a great little campground for a reasonable price. Big dog park with pond on the other side of the park. Sites are uneven but my favorite part was the wooded path.

Whispering Hills Jellystone is a great location for family fun. I can not say enough about how accommodating and helpful the staff was during our visits. There is plenty of activities for families and the dog park was a bonus.

The sites are huge. The dog park is amazing. Theres so much to do here. Swimming, boating, fishing. We love it. Only bad are no real bathrooms except at the front of the park. No place to wash dishes. Rough if you're tent camping. But we love the sites so much that we keep coming back.

My wife, 2 dogs, and I came with no reservation. They gave us a temporary tag to drive around and see what site we wanted. We ended up going to site 190 which had a decent amount of space to tent camp. The amenities were great. Clean shower and toilets in a well lit building.  There is also a dog park with a pond 2 minutes up the road which was great to wear the dogs out at. The only complaint I have is the site was a little close to our neighbor for our liking but we would go back!

Relax, breath, and camp. Perfect spot.

This Campground is quiet, full of fun, for families or older people. Beautiful area.
Many pull through lots, with patios. 50. 30. Full hookup, (sewer and Electric) back in, pull through, tent sites, cabins, teepees. Swimming pool, private bathrooms and showers. Fishing lake, swimming lake, trails. Children play areas. Basketball, bad mitten/volleyball, Dog wash, dog parks (2), private fenced dog sites. (2)- pull through site. Golf cart rentals, and seasonal sites that are being updated, but all are decorated nicely, and kept up.
KOA is revamping some of this campground. Work in progress, but awesome stay.