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Best Tent Camping near Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH

390 Reviews

Tent campgrounds surround the Geneva-on-the-Lake area in northeastern Ohio, with Lake Erie Bluffs offering walk-in tent sites along the shoreline. Several parks provide tent camping within 30 miles of the area, including Big Creek Park, The West Woods, Penitentiary Glen Reservation, and Headwaters Park. These locations feature varying levels of amenities and natural settings, with most focused on primitive camping experiences rather than developed facilities.

Sites at Lake Erie Bluffs include fire rings with provided firewood and stunning views of Lake Erie. Most tent pads are level and located a short walk from parking areas. Penitentiary Glen and The West Woods require campers to hike in approximately a quarter-mile from parking lots, making wagons helpful for gear transport. Fire rings are standard at most sites, though firewood availability varies by location. Vault toilets are typically located near parking areas rather than campsites, and drinking water is generally unavailable, requiring campers to bring their own supply.

The tent camping experience offers privacy and natural immersion despite being in relatively small parks. A camper at The West Woods noted, "Site is about a quarter mile from the parking lot so pack light, bring a wagon, and/or be ready for a work out." Tent sites at Lake Erie Bluffs provide views of eagles soaring over the lake and the sounds of waves hitting the bluff below. Most locations feature good tree cover providing shade and wildlife viewing opportunities, with many campers reporting bird watching as a highlight. Occasional road noise can be heard at some locations, though sites are generally positioned to maximize privacy from trails and other park users. Seasonal considerations include tick activity in warmer months, particularly at Lake Erie Bluffs where visitors have reported finding ticks shortly after arrival.

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Best Tent Sites Near Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio (8)

    1. Lake Erie Bluffs

    2 Reviews
    Perry, OH
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 358-7275

    $10 - $20 / night

    "Site was a walk-in site with plenty of room. Fire wood and kindling were at the site waiting for us when we got there. We had a perfect view of the sunset from the site."

    "Walk in sites with a beautiful view of Lake Erie! Quiet, clean, well kept! Provided firewood was great! Able to watch Eagles soaring over Lake Erie listening to the waves hit the bluff below!"

    2. Big Creek Park

    1 Review
    Chardon, OH
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 286-9516

    "Most of the trails are small, well-marked, accessible, and easily walkable for families."

    3. Headwaters Park

    2 Reviews
    Middlefield, OH
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 286-9516

    $10 - $20 / night

    "I camped at site J the tent pad was level and easy to drive stakes into. I didn't use the toilets so can't comment on the cleanliness there."

    "Park has tent sites as well. Site G is a great setting and therefore books out more readily than other sites. Best for relaxation, chill kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, and shorter walks."

    4. Penitentiary Glen Reservation Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Kirtland, OH
    26 miles
    Website

    $25 / night

    "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."

    "Would have given this site 5 stars but the walk to the site was a bit more of a haul than expected. It was just myself, kids, and pup."

    5. The West Woods

    4 Reviews
    Novelty, OH
    33 miles
    Website

    "Tent pad is raised so even though it rained and the water streamed through the middle of camp, tent was fine."

    "While this is a spot in a smaller park with a lot of day use, the site is a walk off of the trail, and situated slightly lower than trail level for privacy. Amazing sounds, smells, and relaxation."

    6. Lake Village at Pymatuning

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    Andover, OH
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (440) 293-8434

    7. Crystal Springs Campground

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    Linesville, PA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (814) 683-5885

    8. Yeager's Hide-A-Way Campground

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    Warren, OH
    41 miles
    +1 (330) 898-8559
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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH

10 Photos of 8 Geneva-on-the-Lake Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH

390 Reviews of 8 Geneva-on-the-Lake Campgrounds

  • Jen L.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    The West Woods

    Newer isn't always better

    There are 2 sites in the park both of which are walk in only and not close together. They are relatively small, 2-4 person tent only. Run by the Geauga Park District and only $5 for county residents, its cheap and looks it. Reservations must be made 3 days in advance, so no spur of the moment get aways. Basically it was just a space for a tent and a fire ring. No bathroom (about a half mile of trail away), no water, no picnic table, no alcohol. Basically I got the urge to camp in the early spring and wanted somewhere near home but I wouldn't stay there again, and wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either. However, the West Woods as a park is really nice with a nature center, hiking and bridle trails, just the campsite that was lacking.

  • Joseph S.
    Jun. 11, 2018

    Geneva State Park Campground

    Fun on the Lake

    Very big spaces. only a few full hook ups Have to drive to fish, swim etc... minutes from Geneva on the lake. was able to use military discount. If we were in the area again , we would stay here

  • M
    Feb. 19, 2020

    Sun Retreats Geneva on the Lake

    Great place to go $$$

    Slightly overpriced but lots of activities, super clean bathrooms, two pools, fishing pond, put-put golf, restaurant, store, minutes from Geneva on the lake.

  • d
    Jul. 24, 2018

    Jamestown Campground — Pymatuning State Park

    great spot for direct kayak/canoe put in.

    We stayed in site 218. this spot is in the smaller ( less crowded) part of Jamestown campground in Pymatuning SP. it is right on the water and has an easy access area for shore fishing and entering a kayak or canoe or some other water device. the site sits on a little bay and the otherside (more crowded) of the campground is across the water. the water is a little murky/ grassy but still good entry area. the campsite was spacious for a pa state park. the site is between the lake and the road. sites 212-222 look to be on the water with boat access, but 218 has the easiest entry. 220’s picnic Bench and fire pit sit next to the water with great views, but there is little shade. 218 had a great shady spot were you can hang 3 hammocks. there is no electricity at these sites and pretty much tent only. lots of tent space. the fire ring was decent but we moved it as it was right underneath a burnt tree. 218 was ADA accessible with a nice picnic table. restrooms were fairly close. clean... outdated, but clean.

  • Daniel U.
    Oct. 16, 2022

    Geneva State Park Campground

    Beautiful Area

    This was our first trip to Geneva State Park, despite my family going to the GOTL (Geneva on the lake) strip quite often growing up. We stayed at site 57, which I would consider a medium site. Don't let the website pictures fool you, many of the sites have a bit of a hidden area behind them that many utilize. Our site was very nicely set back from the road about 20-30 feet and had three trees around the fire pit that we hung out hammocks on. Our neighbors to the left actually set up their tent about 75 feet behind their site in the woods. The first, lower number, area of the campground seems to have way less shade and much smaller sites, while the higher numbers are much more shaded and have less dense woods behind them that many people utilize. The highest numbers currently, 94-100, were recently added and are basically an open field and gravel pads. The next set of sites being built are replacing the waterfront cabins and will be above site 100. We can't wait to come back and stay on lake Erie. There is only one shower house for the entire park, which I imagine is crazy during the busy summer. Luckily the restrooms throughout the park are flush toilets.

    Outside of the park you have the nearby Geneva on the lake strip which has a wonderful boardwalk feel with small stores, putt putt, arcades, food, etc. Either way you explore, west or east, you will find many beaches of all sizes, amazing metroparks, observation decks, museums (Fairport maritime, Astrabula maritime) and more. You can spend many days just finding place after place.

    The only negative part of our stay was the outrageous million dollar "campground", Hearthside Villa, that is currently contracting phase four directly behind the state park campground. So if you go during the week, you will hear a lot of construction noise.

  • MickandKarla W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 24, 2022

    Shenango Campground

    Huge COE

    After getting off I80, our RV GPS wanted to take us on a wonky route, so we followed Waze and the campground’s(CG) web instructions that took us across the causeway on N. Hermitage Rd, then a right turn off on Birchwood Rd, which led us to take a left turn back across N. Hermitage Rd to get back to the Shenango Rec Area turn. Once we got to the CG, check in was quick and very easy. Just happened, our next door neighbor/camp host checked us in and told us we could get water off their site so we proceeded straight to site 199 that’s a back in with electric(50/30 AMP) only plus one of the better spaced sites in the CG. We had to maneuver a couple of times to get into the 90 degree site but the road was wide with no obstacles to prevent swinging into the site. We quickly found out that our 50 AMP connection had issues and after reporting it, a maintenance crew came within 20 minutes and fixed a bad breaker. We got 3 bars on Verizon and a handful of OTA channels. Due to the amount of mature trees, satellite would be iffy depending on your site. There are no FHU sites(camp host sites have electric& water). Electric sites are centrally grouped within the loops and spaced closer together than most COEs. The majority of the sites within this CG are dry camping and they too are fairly close together. The sites right on the lake were all dry camping. With all the dry camping sites in this CG, its nice that they allow generator use during non quiet hours. Quiet hours here are 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. There are water spigots periodically located within the loops and the CG map identifies where they are. There’s also a two-lane dump station located near the entrance but there is no potable water. There are signs stating no alcohol in the park, but people were openly drinking. We also noted that the contractors who clean the restroom/shower facilities start early in the morning and close the facility while cleaning, which was inconvenient for the dry campers just waking up. If we were to stay at this CG again, we’d come during the week and get a dry camping site on the water.

  • Greg A.
    Jun. 5, 2018

    Punderson State Park Campground

    Meh.

    It could be an ok place if you get the right spot. Some of the sites are VERY SLOPED and some people parked campers in those spots and used very odd things to try and level them. The sites are not maintained well and have lots of weeds and some are very close and are essentially sharing the space with the fire ring and picnic table with other campers. Not very private at all. If you have awnings or slides, you will have to be careful about what site you will get or you will not be able to open the slides or your awning. If you get a good spot or are tent camping then it may be ok.

  • C
    Jun. 28, 2021

    Jamestown Campground — Pymatuning State Park

    Another trip to Jamestown Campground

    My family has visited Pymatuning park many times now and try have used a variety of spots at Jamestown campground. It is large, offering multiple options for campsite types. It’s a standard PA state park campground offering bathrooms (bathrooms are older, but are being renovated July-August 2021) showers, fire ring, picnic table, etc. Campsites J-106 thru J-116 are well shaded, but are alongside route 322 which maintains consistent traffic at all hours. If the noise is not an issue, this run of tent sites are well spaced, and offer easy access to the facilities. To be away from the road (and nearer to the lake) sites J-120 thru J-128 are closer together but can be quieter (depending on your neighbors…)

    The beach area is clean, and raked often. It has a playground and volleyball court. On Friday’s they have a family movie night at the amphitheater. Most Saturdays in the summer they offer crafts and activities for kids at the beach.

    The surrounding area also has plenty of activities to offer: Local restaurants, ice cream, hiking, kayaking/boating, fishing, etc.

  • M
    May. 31, 2024

    Jamestown Campground — Pymatuning State Park

    Pymatuning Jamestown

    Quiet park. Some road noise from campsite J100 but US route 322 is lightly traveled. Typical tent site with fire ring and picnic table. Across street from bath house with shower and toilet which was clean.

Guide to Geneva-on-the-Lake

Tent camping near Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from serene lakeside views to secluded forest settings, there's something for every camping enthusiast.

Tent Campers Should Check Out Lake Erie Bluffs

  • Experience stunning views of Lake Erie at Lake Erie Bluffs, where you can enjoy quiet, well-kept sites and the thrill of watching eagles soar overhead.
  • The campground allows fires, making it perfect for cozy evenings by the campfire while listening to the waves below.
  • Although there’s no direct water access from the sites, swimming areas and a dog beach are just a short walk away.

Unique Activities at Big Creek Park

  • Big Creek Park features well-marked trails that are accessible for families, making it an ideal spot for hiking and exploring nature.
  • Rent unique accommodations like tree houses or lean-tos for a memorable camping experience.
  • Don’t forget to bring your fishing rods; the park has stocked ponds perfect for catching bluegill and smallmouth bass.

Relaxation and Recreation at Headwaters Park

  • At Headwaters Park, campers can enjoy a mix of tent sites and cabins, with the option for glamping for those seeking a bit more comfort.
  • The park offers various watercraft rentals, making it a great spot for kayaking and fishing.
  • Site G is particularly popular for its breathtaking views, perfect for a relaxing getaway surrounded by nature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find tent camping in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio?

While Geneva-on-the-Lake itself has limited tent camping options, the surrounding area offers several excellent choices. Lake Erie Bluffs provides beautiful walk-in tent sites with stunning views of Lake Erie. For budget-friendly options, The West Woods offers walk-in tent sites at just $5 for county residents, though sites are small and accommodate only 2-4 person tents. Both require reservations in advance. Other nearby options include Lake Village at Pymatuning and Crystal Springs Campground, which are a short drive away and offer additional tent camping facilities. Most sites in the region require advance booking, especially during peak summer season.

When is the best season for tent camping at Geneva-on-the-Lake?

The prime tent camping season at Geneva-on-the-Lake runs from late May through early September when Lake Erie temperatures are most pleasant. Headwaters Park is particularly popular during summer months when watercraft rentals are available. Late spring (May-June) offers comfortable temperatures and fewer crowds, while September provides warm days, cool nights, and spectacular fall colors. Penitentiary Glen Reservation Campsite can be enjoyed even in cooler weather, as campers report cozy experiences with ample firewood provided. Off-season camping is possible but be prepared for colder temperatures and potential facility limitations. Always check specific campground reservation windows, as many require booking 3-7 days in advance.

What amenities are available at Geneva-on-the-Lake tent campgrounds?

Tent campgrounds near Geneva-on-the-Lake offer varying amenities. Big Creek Park provides well-marked, accessible trails ideal for families, with both traditional tent sites and lean-to options. Lake Village at Pymatuning offers more developed facilities. Many local campgrounds provide firewood on-site, with Lake Erie Bluffs notably leaving wood and kindling ready at campsites. Most locations feature fire rings, picnic tables, and access to hiking trails. Headwaters Park offers watercraft rentals during summer months. Bathroom facilities vary by location, with some offering primitive options while others have flush toilets nearby. Be prepared for walk-in sites at several locations, which offer greater privacy but require carrying gear from parking areas.

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