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Best Tent Camping near Galloway, OH

662 Reviews

Metro parks surrounding Galloway, Ohio offer several tent-only camping options with varying levels of accessibility and amenities. Scioto Grove Metro Park, located just outside Columbus, provides five reservable backcountry tent sites along the Scioto River. These walk-in tent sites are particularly popular for testing backpacking gear on short overnight trips. Narrows Reserve in nearby Xenia features primitive tent camping in a meadow setting approximately 1.25 miles from the parking area. Constitution County Park offers a small tent camping area along the Little Miami River, while Jacoby Road Canoe Launch provides riverside tent campsites accessible primarily by water.

Most tent campgrounds in the region require advance reservations, with many sites booking quickly during peak seasons. Scioto Grove's tent-only camping is typically available only on weekends and has a limited operating season that excludes winter months. Sites generally include designated tent pads and fire rings, with some locations providing firewood. Campers should note that amenities vary significantly between locations. At Narrows Reserve, the primitive tent camping area lacks immediate access to drinking water, requiring hikers to fill containers at the trailhead. Constitution County Park's proximity to roadways creates some traffic noise at the otherwise secluded tent site.

Water access is a common feature at tent campsites throughout the region. According to reviews, Jacoby Road Canoe Launch offers "beautiful spot for tent camping right next to the Little Miami River" with picnic tables and fire pits, though trash facilities are limited. At Scioto Grove, one camper noted that "site 5 was right on river and away from the busier parts of park" providing significant privacy. The walk-in nature of several sites creates a more immersive backcountry tent camping experience. Narrows Reserve campers report enjoying river access with rope swings along the trail, though the meadow camping area itself provides little shade and experiences foot traffic from day hikers. For tent campers seeking seclusion, visiting during weekdays or non-holiday periods is recommended.

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Best Tent Sites Near Galloway, Ohio (14)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Galloway, OH

18 Photos of 14 Galloway Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Galloway, OH

662 Reviews of 14 Galloway Campgrounds

  • Anna S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Scioto Trail State Park Campground

    Tent only sites - quiet, wooded

    I stayed in the non-electric, tent-only campground NOT the RV campground. Out of curiosity, I drove through the RV campground and it was so loud and cramped! But the tent-only area is separate. Walk-in sites with pit toilets and potable water. The map of how the sites are laid out online is extremely inaccurate, I would not have picked my site if it had been accurate. But there was only one other camper and we all had plenty of space - I could barely see them through the trees. All sites appeared to have a picnic table and fire ring. Many miles of trails / dirt roads for hiking and biking. Clear skies at night. Very relaxing.

  • Nancy R.
    Jun. 9, 2018

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Puzzled Campers

    We had reservations, but didn’t figure out how to check in. The site numbers were very hard to see and figure out. The numbers didn’t appear to be sequential. The worst part for us was that there were no tent pads for pitching the tent. We were there during a very rainy time and had to pitch the tent in a ditch. Water flowed under the tent so we had quite a bit of mud on the bottom of the tent when we packed up. Luckily our tent kept us dry inspite of its location. Space was extremely limited. The picnic table was on the driveway. There was poison ivy less than a foot from our tent. Restrooms and showers were adequate, but toilet paper rolls would fall in the floor if you weren’t careful. All three showers drained into the middle stall making it difficult to keep thing dry.

  • Dave V.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Close proximity to natural attractions

    Hocking Hills State Park, Oh-Site 89. https://thehockinghills.org/

    Hocking Hills State Park offers close proximity to most of the popular natural attractions...Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, etc....but for a tent camper that prefers solitude and space, I found it unappealing.

    I did arrive late on a Monday evening, mid-October and got one of the last available sites. Packed on a Monday night!

    I found the camping sites a bit cramped both in depth and width. Site 89 and 90 shared the same parking pad. Limited flat locations existed for a tent and my tent footprint is fairly small. You do have a firepit and picnic table with all three in fairly close proximity, so you must be extremely cautious with wind direction when deciding for a fire, else you’ll have embers dotting your tent and picnic table. Even though the neighbors were trying to be respectfully quiet...you heard every conversation and saw their every move.

    No electric, which is fine in my book...the water spigot is centrally located on the loop and happened to be next to my site.

    The restroom/shower facilities were not well cared for upon my visit. The floors were very muddy and trash was piled up in the corner of one stall and out of necessities.

    Construction and dump truck noise started early with a project behind the restrooms.

    The visitor’s center was well-stocked and the employee was pleasant. Cell service is unavailable and even sketchy at the visitor’s center. Wood can be purchased at the visitor’s center.

    Close proximity to local attractions and a swimming pool are likely the big draw.

    Knowing that I prefer solitude and distance when camping, I’ll likely not return but choose nearby Lake Hope State Park for my local visits.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2020

    A.W. Marion State Park Campground

    A Good Place to Meet is in the Middle

    A new site for us at this campground, site 59 which is an inside site. We also had friends who booked 2 inside sites very nearby so we were able to all set up in the middle and share a large space for 10 people and 7 dogs. We were able to be socially distant, have space for cornhole and lots of room for the dogs. Our site pad was pretty level. My husband went over the pad just a little onto the grass, as the other side sloped. So when we stepped out of the camp, we wouldn't be stepping down on a slope. This is one of the quietest campgrounds we go to even though there is plenty for kids to do (playground). Had the weather been better, we would have brought our kayaks for the lake. You have three different types of restrooms. The ones closest to use are the drop toilets, a little further is a porta potty and the furthest was the flush toilets (no showers). It's our little slice of heaven so we like to try a new site each time if we are able. We take our dogs with us so we have to be a little more picky so we don't bother anyone.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 4, 2022

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Beautiful scenery!

    General: 172-site state park with a mix of full hook-up, electric, and no hook-ups in separate areas plus a 33-site family hike-in camp, two group camps, and three cabins. All sites need to be reserved – no walk-ins are allowed. There is a beautiful visitor center, and the camp office has a small store as well. There is a very nice coin-operated laundry room. Don’t count on cell service– with a fleeting one bar of Verizon, it was just enough to tease us, but the break was also a welcome respite. 

    Site Quality: Standard issue for state parks with paved driveways, picnic table, and fire ring, however, there are a few things to note: Some sites are decidedly not level (#105 is very sloped). 103 and 101 meet at a V at the back end and this impedes the separation between the sites. Our site (103) had a drop-off between the driveway and the rest of the site that could pose a tripping hazard if you are not careful. All of the restrooms emit a hum, but the wastewater treatment facility is very loud and is located directly behind the first 9-10 full hook-up sites. 

    Bathhouse: The restrooms were clean, but the showers were just adequate (not the worst camp shower but definitely not the best I have experienced) but at least there was hot water. 

    Activities: We came for the hiking, and we were not disappointed. This park is gorgeous! We hiked the Blue trail (Grandma Gatewood Trail) to Cedar Falls, taking in Upper and Lower Falls, and Old Man’s Cave along the way, and returned via the Rim Trail, which was much easier (fewer roots and up and down). We received a color-coded map of the trails upon check-in but had difficulty deciphering it, especially the mileage. We went to the Camp Office before starting our hike to get clarity. Once on the trails, they were well-marked with either signs or blazes. While you could do a long hike (12 miles one-way) from one end of the park to the other), don’t miss Ash Cave – we drove there the next morning before leaving. There are also mountain biking trails, two playgrounds (the one more centrally located is a bit dated and does not look very safe but there is a newer, larger one at the very end of the road (near the lake trail) and there are also horseshoe pits and a volleyball net there. In season, there is a large swimming pool. 

    The campground itself gets 3 stars for some of its flaws but the scenery is so beautiful, 4 stars are merited, in my opinion. I would recommend reserving in one of the “spurs” as there would be less traffic.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 7, 2020

    A.W. Marion State Park Campground

    Inside Campsite and Pleasantly Surprised on the Fourth of July!

    After staying one night in non-electric we were able to transfer to an electric site thanks to our great camp hosts. They let us know that one had opened and recommended us to call in the next morning. We were able to get an electric site that was on the inside, a site we would have never chosen otherwise as we have dogs and try to find a space with no one behind us. The site was actually really nice. There was grass and some partial shade. We had room for our ez-up tent, our pop-up bathroom and still room to set up our chairs and walk the dogs without bothering our neighbors. Our friends had the site next to us and they were able to use the trees to hang their hammocks. There was a nice fire ring and the pad was easy to level our a-frame camper. We had another set of neighbors who were in a class A motorhome (it was huge!). Everyone we talked to were very friendly. We were closer to the vault toilets (they were kept clean) and the playground. It was Fourth of July weekend and the campground was really quiet. If you have kayaks, you can drive them down the hill next to the campground to get into the lake. If you like to hike or mountain bike there are trails to use as well.

  • S
    Jun. 17, 2016

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Walk-In Primitive Family Campground

    Walk-in campground provides a nice amount of quiet for the price of carting your gear in (up to a .6 mile, depending on site chosen). Several sites are somewhat hidden from the path while others have little-to-no privacy from your fellow campers . Pit toilets are adequate. Water pump located in the parking lot along with access to biking trails. All sites include picnic table and fire ring.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 20, 2020

    A.W. Marion State Park Campground

    Hot hot hot! So we kayaked!

    Site 32 - A new site for us at this campground. We had shade in the morning but lots of sun in the afternoon. This site is on the outside and backs up to trees. There is lots grass and space - good for us to walk the dogs and not have them pee and poop where we were sitting. Bathrooms were cleaned regularly and they have flush, vault and portable toilets. There are no showers. This was our first time to kayak which you can launch right near the campground. It’s a little mucky at the bottom of the hill but if you take the path off to the right there is a small beach which is much easier to launch from. There is a small island that has two spots you can stop on and then swim. Lots of birds to see and plenty of other kayakers and fisherman. They are now selling wood and ice at the campground but the store is still closed. A gas station is right down the road in case you forget anything.

  • Nicole L.
    Sep. 4, 2021

    John Bryan State Park Campground

    Not bad, just disappointed

    Visited twice in May 2021 (sites 54 & 39) bookending our camping roundtrip from Virginia to Kansas and this was one of the worst places we stayed. We lived in Dayton for a number of years and Yellow Springs is one of our favorite places. That being said, we were quite disappointed at the set up.

    There is no privacy between campsites, at all. If someone on one end of the campground is having a party, everyone in the campground is going to be up all night (our first night). On our last night there, we (and the poor family with young kids in a tent 15 feet away) were audibly assaulted by a very amorous and inebriated couple in a tent until the wee hours. With no trees between sites, you have no buffer and good god what I would have given for a buffer.

    Pit toilets have those heavy doors that help keep things less buggy (positive) but because they are on a raised area in the middle of an almost treeless campground, the clang of them shutting echoes throughout the night.

    No showers.

    No dedicated tent-pads. We were car-top camping so I can't speak to ground conditions for tent camping but do know our two spots would have put us on some sort of slope. (Unless we set up a tent right next to the road on 54).

    Like I said, it wasn't bad. Definitely wasn't great.

Guide to Galloway

Tent campsites near Galloway, Ohio offer wilderness experiences within driving distance of Columbus. These sites provide varied terrain from riverside locations to open meadows with hiking opportunities ranging from beginner-friendly to more challenging backcountry experiences. Operating seasons typically run from April through October, with most locations closing during winter months due to weather conditions.

What to do

River activities: At Greene County Jacoby Road Canoe Launch, campers can kayak or canoe on the Little Miami River. "I went with a buddy for a one night stay. Beautiful spot for tent camping right next to the Little Miami River. Picnic tables and fire pit are also nice amenities," reports Logan.

Test backpacking gear: Scioto Grove Metro Park offers a short trail system perfect for gear testing. "Scioto Grove is great if you're looking to test out some new backpacking gear. There are 5 reservable sites along the river trail and they all have tent pads and a fire pit, besides that they're totally primitive," shares Zach.

Explore local trails: Multiple hiking options exist around Constitution County Park with access to the Little Miami. "The park overall is nice, just a little small. Perfect if you want to camp alone or with a small party of six. It runs right next to the little Miami," notes Camden H.

Visit nearby towns: Spring Valley sits across from Constitution County Park and provides a change of pace from camping. "The little town across the way is a fun site to see and quiet," explains a camper who appreciated the small-town atmosphere.

What campers like

Privacy and seclusion: Some sites at Scioto Grove provide notable privacy. "Need to reserve online, books up very fast. Got lucky and found an opening for site 5 which was right on river and away from the busier parts of park - didn't see a single person," notes Anna S.

Riverside camping: Waters Edge Canoe Livery offers creek access directly from campsites. "Very fun place to camp and enjoy the creek on a kayak or canoe. Very friendly staff, and one of my favorite places to go," reports Jonathan W.

Meadow setting: Narrows Reserve provides open meadow camping with river access. "Camp was in a meadow at the end of about an hour walk in. Literally campsite is on top of trails and meadow provides no shade. There was two fire pits provided within the meadow but enough space for quite a few tents," explains Chelsie B.

Single-site camping: Some locations offer exclusive use of the entire camping area. Camden H. notes about Constitution County Park, "There is only one site to camp at, so you won't have to worry about other campers the park is all yours."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most sites require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. A Scioto Grove camper noted, "It is a tricky site to reserve as they only do it for a short season and in that season two weekend a month to avoid over use."

Walk-in access: Several sites require hiking with gear. "The primitive campsites were 1.25 miles from the parking lot," mentions a Narrows Reserve camper, highlighting the need to pack efficiently.

Limited amenities: Most tent sites offer basic facilities only. "You will need to bring in the water that you will need for cooking and cleaning during your stay," advises a camper about Jacoby Road Canoe Launch.

Weather considerations: Spring and fall offer the most comfortable camping conditions, while summer can be hot with limited shade at several sites. "Meadow provides no shade," notes a Narrows Reserve visitor, important for summer planning.

Tips for camping with families

Short backpacking options: Scioto Grove offers accessible backpacking for beginners. "The backpacking site was a great site for new backpackers. It isn't too long but doing the full loop does let you know if your gear is working," notes Kenpocentaur K.

River features for kids: Several parks offer child-friendly water features. "Somewhere among the hustle and bustle and just outside Columbus you can find this hidden gem of a park in Grove City. Backpacking sites, rope bridge crossing over a creek that kids and adults would love to explore," says Karen K. about Scioto Grove.

Shorter stays for beginners: For first-time family camping, consider a single night. "Nice park. You can reserve spaces to backpack along the rei water trail and stay the night to test gear. Not huge, no crazy obstacles but great for last minute trips close to the city," suggests Neal C.

Tips from RVers

Alternative lodging options: For those seeking more amenities than tent camping provides, Geneva Hills Camp offers multiple accommodation types. "Tent site was nice. We could make dinner and there weren't any mosquitoes even though it was right above a swamp. It was a nice driving distance from Hocking Hills and a neat place to camp," reports A B.

Noise considerations: Road proximity affects some sites. "The road is extremely near and you can hear every car driving by," notes Camden H. about Constitution County Park, important for light sleepers.

Off-peak timing: Visit on weekdays when possible. Daniel G. mentions about Constitution County Park, "It's a nice stop for anyone on the river," with fewer visitors during non-peak periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Galloway, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Galloway, OH is Scioto-Grove Metro Park with a 4.3-star rating from 8 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Galloway, OH?

TheDyrt.com has all 14 tent camping locations near Galloway, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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