Looking for tent camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a destination for millions of visitors each year who enjoy hiking, riding the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad , biking and picnicking. Whether you need an area large enough for a family reunion or just an intimate spot for two, Cuyahoga Valley is an ideal destination. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the park. Two rustic shelters, Ledges and Octagon, are available for reservation in the Virginia Kendall Unit of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
With many different facilities and attractions in the park, there is something to interest everyone. Most shelter areas have open fields for games and nearby hiking trails.Visitors enjoy riding the scenic railroad, exploring the visitor centers, catching one of the summer concerts, attending one of the ranger-guided programs, biking the Towpath Trail or picnicking in one of the park's picnic shelters.
Cuyahoga Valley's two shelters are fully-accessible. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed them with American chestnut and locally quarried sandstone. The shelters are located near Ritchie Ledges, an area with approximately 2 miles of Sharon conglomerate stone cliffs about 30 feet (9m) tall. A large play field and hiking trails are available near each shelter.Ledges Shelter accommodates up to 75 people. It has two fireplaces and eight picnic tables inside, as well as eight tables in the outside pavilion and a large grill. Octagon Shelter accommodates up to 50 people. During the summer months its walls are removed; they are in place from October 15 to May 14. Seven indoor picnic tables, two fireplaces and an outdoor grill are provided.Both shelters have electricity for normal two-pronged household appliances such as coffee pots and crock pots. Drinking water is available at a drinking fountain from May 1 to September 15. Restrooms with flush toilets are available year-round.
The Cuyahoga River flows through the park for 22 miles (35 km), fed by more than 190 miles (306 km) of perennial (permanent) and ephemeral (temporary) streams. The Beaver Marsh and other wetlands, many lined with cattails and dense patches of duckweed, provide a home for many of the park's reptiles and amphibians and help filter pollutants from the water.
Visit Brandywine Falls, the historic Boston Store Visitor Center, Ritchie Ledges, the Beaver Marsh and the Everett Road Covered Bridge. These are some of the more popular attractions in the park.
Cancellations more that 14 days before arrival will receive a refund minus a $10 cancellation fee. Cancellations less than 14 days out will forfeit the entire fee. However, the reserving party may be given an opportunity to reschedule the reservation (based on availability) within 12 months of the original reservation by contacting the park.
$80 - $110 / night
$35 - $55 / night
There are 2 primitive sites here.
The West Woods is a 902-acre park that protects the historic sandstone ledges of Ansel’s Cave, Silver Creek and its watershed, extensive wetlands and mature forests.
$25 / night
Headwaters Park is a 926-acre reservation located in Claridon and Huntsburg townships. The property is leased by Geauga Park District from the City of Akron in a partnership that allows for conservation of natural areas, enjoyment by park visitors, and outdoor education and passive recreation. It is Geauga Park District's intent to mange this natural area and to protect the water quality for aquatic life and downstream neighbors.
Prior to 1932, the east branch of the Cuyahoga River meandered through a lush ravine as it made its way through Claridon and Huntsburg townships. Picnickers enjoyed many summer afternoons along it's banks; vacationers escaped to cottages nestled around adjacent Crystal Lake and along the river's edge.
When the City of Akron began purchasing land in Geauga County in 1932, the cottages and neighboring farmhouses were moved and a dam was built to impound the waters in East Branch Reservoir.
Having secured a stable water supply for the businesses and homes in their community, City of Akron officials opened the reservoir and surrounding land to local residents in 1959. In 1996, Geauga Park District's Board of Park Commissioners signed an agreement to lease the land and reservoir, and renamed the area Headwaters Park because of its location at the upper reaches of the Cuyahoga River.
Visitor activities are regulated by Geauga Park District in accordance with the City of Akron in order to achieve mutual stewardship goals of protecting natural resources and water quality.
Camping is available by permit in the designated tent pad or lean-to sites. Reservations for all facilities can be made online or by calling the Park District office.
$10 - $20 / night
Hidden Hollow Camp features a beautiful one-acre woodland pond and two nature trails. In geographical terms, a “hollow” is exactly as it sounds – a small valley or basin in the land. At the bottom of Hidden Hollow is the West Fork of the East Branch of the Black River. The rich soil of its floodplain is home to towering sycamore, black willow, and black walnut trees -- along with a diverse array of wildflowers. The trees and thickets here provide ideal habitat for migrating warblers. Visitors should plan on bird-watching during spring and fall migration.
The enclosed building at Hidden Hollow Camp offers the perfect amenities for an “indoor camping” experience for up to 75 people, including a wood-burning stove, scenic wraparound porch, movie screen, electric range, food preparation tables, and a refrigerator. Alcohol is permitted inside the enclosed building only when reserved for day-use or camping.
Although there is no indoor plumbing, the frost-proof water spigots with potable water are easily accessible at two outdoor locations. A gray-water pit for disposal of dirty dish water is located adjacent to the toilets. The site includes a campfire ring surrounded with plenty of flexible bench seating and a parade ground area with a flagpole for scout ceremonies. There are turf areas for outdoor recreation activities and a team-building challenge course.
Three primitive sites along the trail with few amenities. Remember to LNT.
$5 / night
Stayed here again while passing through the area. Facilities are still looking good and the host was very helpful with getting us settled in. Will visit again!
I don’t have much to say about this campground but to start off on a high note the pool was nice. Now the reasons for our low rating. WiFi was nonexistent, everything was dirty and run down. Our RV site was ok. Family rented a cabin and it was disgusting. Dirty furniture-dishes-run down. Toilet looked like someone died in it. For $250 a night our recommendation is get a hotel-cheaper and cleaner (which is what our family ended up doing). Oh and letting permanent sites fly all sorts of political flags makes this KOA unwelcoming and honestly a little scary. Do not waste your money here.
Truly a quiet, nice, meticulously cared for, and perfect place to stay. This place will be a regular destination from now on.
We recently stayed at the Yogi Bear Campground and, while the overall experience was fun, the condition of our cabin was absolutely unacceptable, especially considering the$900 we paid for just two nights. Upon arrival, we were shocked by the state of the cabin. There was hair all over the sink, toilet, and shower. The floors were filthy, with dog hair everywhere. It was clear that the silverware hadn't been properly cleaned, and the fans were caked with about a quarter-inch of dust. To make matters worse, we found trash and wrappers lying around, and there was a huge stain on the mattress protector. Crumbs were scattered throughout, indicating that the cabin had not been cleaned prior to our stay. I tried to clean the futon myself after realizing how dirty everything was, and the amount of dog hair and dirt I collected was appalling. When I spilled something on the floor and wiped it up with a paper towel, the towel turned black, showing that the floors likely hadn't been scrubbed in ages.
The water situation was equally disturbing. The water smelled horrible, and both the shower head and faucet were caked with scum. My kids begged not to have to take a shower because of the smell. While I understand that water softeners and filters can be expensive, this was simply unacceptable, especially given how much we paid for the higher-end cabins. At the very least, the website should mention that guests might want to bring a shower head filter or be prepared for the poor water quality.
To add to our frustration, unlike the other cabins, ours didn't have a WiFi access code panel. Some of our friends stayed in nearby cabins, and only a few of them had the WiFi password. When we called to ask for the password, nobody ever called us back. This was especially concerning for our friends who had babies with them and needed WiFi to set up their baby monitors.
This level of cleanliness might be expected in a$50/night cabin, but for the price we paid, it is beyond ridiculous and incredibly disappointing.
Nice Campground with many amenities. Clean bathrooms and showers. Was surprisingly quiet at night despite a large number of people.
Gets loud and crowded on the weekend as usual, the shower house is pretty nice. There are fire rings and electrics and nonelectric sites. Swimming and boating is nearby.
The water is muddy and the shoreline is sharp rocks.
Peaceful when the early morning lawn mower brigade has gotten past and the dumpster work isn't at full force near my campsite (B18) at 7:30 AM.
We stayed here with our Coast to Coast membership, so it was good for that price. The main restroom/shower house is attached to the office. There are 5 restrooms with flush toilet and hand sanitizer scattered around the park. Most all of the sites are back in. We stayed at a site that shares a pole with water and electric hookups with 3 others. The first time I connected to the internet at our site, it connected right away with good quality. For about 30 seconds. I never got internet at our site again. It is good in the game room by the office, but there isn't anywhere with air conditioning to sit. AT&T has one bar of signal. Many problems getting internet with that. We did enjoy the indoor pool. Until it became crowded with kids. So, we went to the swimming pond. It was quite nice. We took out a paddle boat. They offer paddle boats, canoes, and rowboat to use for free. The one we had wouldn't steer. We went in circles to the right in the middle of the lake for 45 minutes before we got it back to the dock. I think it needs more trees.
Everyone at this campground is so friendly even the staff is great. The campground has season spots to daily and weekly spots along with yearly. Of course your stay length can determine your views. The campground has waterfront spots with tree coverage to no tree coverage to close up against one another spot where you can hear your neighbors. It’s the you get what you pay for. I have so far enjoyed my spot so far along with my neighbors. I have enjoyed the owner and managers despite other reviews on google. I would recommend and come back. My reasons for 4 stars is your are responsible for maintaining and cutting grass for your campground if you are seasonal to yearly, which is crazy since it’s not our grass and everywhere I have been before takes care of this. This campground does not have sewage and pumps you out twice a week if seasonal and yearly. If you need a pump out it 20$ for emergency situations.
We stayed for a quick overnight. Plenty of grass and good spacing between the sites. Most appear to be seasonal or full time living. You aren’t allowed to walk a dog around the park which was a very odd rule. Had to stay at your site.
Some days you just need peace and quiet sitting by the campfire and enjoying the creek and the woods. Other times you want to get up and go dance to the band, swim in the lake, join the bingo and other games or throw a grand picnic. Willow Lake Campground offers it all.
The owners don’t care about camper safety at all. When a permanent camper starts slashing tires and threatening people with a knife they should act when called. Nope they came up two plus hours later and told her to get in her camper. Violence should never be exceptable. The women was arrested the next morning. The owners should have called the sheriff’s when they were called. They care zero about the campers or the kids that are there. Very unsafe. We won’t be back.
We've stayed here twice, and both times have been great. The only downside for us is that we're full-time and this is close to "home." We don't really use the amenities, so we can't validate having to pay for anyone to visit us only at our rv. We understand the policy as camp hosts ourselves. People abuse areas and will bring 30 people to a place like this. It is beautifully set up with a small lake for swimming, playgrounds, pavillions, games, events, music etc. Level gravel sites with really great grassy areas. We stayed memorial weekend and it was quiet by 9 every night. They do a great job keeping the park looking beautiful. Reasonable rates.
Stay here for the holiday weekend, they offer plenty of activities for everyone. Had a band each night! Bad Juju was definitely a favorite of mine. During the band and the day they have a concession stand open with really good food, the girls that work in there are very lovely. The facilities were clean and staff members were respectful and friendly, really the whole park was. This is a great park for a weekend getaway for the family or even just for yourself.
It was a nice location to the turnpike but the bathrooms are so out of date. We have a small TT and use the bathhouse frequently. The stall doors hit your knees and the well water stinks…couldn’t wash my hand in the sink. Only one shower stall in the one of 2 bathroom locations. It was nice to see an area designated for dog swimming area. The office closed at 6 PM so no late arrivals. Nice pond but it was a little murky.
Such a great place to camp. We had such an enjoyable trip. The campground was just incredible.
We visited with our family and really made
Some happy camping memories, which will always treasure. Our site was really pretty and we would visit again!
I absolutely love this place!!! No party people very family friendly
We enjoy camping in this local park. It's quiet, and everyone is very nice here. The park Mgr. is very nice and helpful as well.
Although my recent visit to do a recon for a seasonal site was in the off season, it was a really good first impression. Friendly staff, and found what I hope will be be good spot with reservoir in the distance and leaves on the trees.
The campgrounds on a skinnier part of the lake so you’re directly across from residential homes and right next to a road. The sites are very close together and there’s very few trees, so it’s not private at all. The bathrooms were extremely well maintained. The potable water was shut off while we were there.
Absolutely love Findley. So much wildlife and great campsites. Amazing trails including bike trails for beginners up to advanced. We always have a great time.
This is definitely a smaller state campground, but has a lot going for it. Which is why it's sometimes hard to get into on the weekends. The camp sites on the water are very spacious, but the ones on the inside of the loop, not so much. But if you're camping with a group the inner loop can be a lot of fun. They have a playground, a basketball court, and their own beach for the campers. Along with several docks to fish from and launch your kayak. They have a camp store to meet most needs and a nice bathroom with showers. The camp store also rents kayaks and paddle boards. All the sites here are electric, but only electric.
My wife and I stayed here in late September so it wasn't overly crowded. The camp sites were fairly spacious and level. There seemed to be water fill stations scattered around the campground for convenience. I was actually able to fill me fresh water tank from one near by. The campground is fairly large and we rode our bikes around quite a bit, including our to the campground store at the entrance. There were numerous playgrounds and activities for kids. They have full hookup sections, but most of the campground is electric only. All in all the best review I can give is to say that we would go back.
My friends and I decided to stay here for the weekend. Even with the colder weather it was nice and cozy. Plenty of fire wood provided and a short distance away from the gorge to walk. The second night had lots of coyotes around, which is cool but can be dangerous if not careful of course. Coyotes were heard all around the general area. Other than that quiet and the roads close by are unheard. Overall a great experience and definitely recommend for a rustic experience.
First time staying here called to make reservations the owner was very nice and accommodating. Got in later in the evening check in was still open very quick and said we're welcome to choose any open spot. The spots aren't very big but they will do and so many open spots we had a nice space to ourselves bathrooms very clean and taken care of.
We booked a tent plot for two days in advance, once we set up camp though the weather report said 30% chance of rain it proceeded to rain nonstop all night long. Our tent leaked horribly bad and it was evident with the forecast we would not last another day in the tent. We had to pack up and leave. KOA was not sympathetic to us at all. In fact when I called to ask questions I was ignored on the phone then disconnected. We were packed up and checked out by the check out time and they refused to refund us for a night. There were plenty of spots open so it's not as though they would have been loosing money. Not only that but we bought$25.00 worth of firewood that was in plastic that we could not use because of the non-stop rain. They would not take it back for a refund. Then oddly advised us to take it if we wanted to, knowing firewood is not to be transported. We left the unopened firewood at the campsite which I'm sure they were able to resell. All in all we spent about$140.00 for one night of camping where we were stuck inside of our leaking tent. Never again will we ever stay at another KOA camp.
The hosts were very friendly and helpful during our short stay. The area was clean and safe. Would stay again!
A lot to do. We had bad weather coming in so we didn't stay as long as we would have liked to.
Camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a quiet retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just be prepared for the unique quirks of each campground!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cuyahoga Valley National Park is Cuyahoga Valley National Park - CAMPING NO LONGER OFFERED — Cuyahoga Valley National Park with a 4.4-star rating from 26 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Cuyahoga Valley National Park, with real photos and reviews from campers.
