Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping near Hamden, OH is a great way to go camping with the tastes of home. Glamping offers quick access to one or more of Hamden's most popular destinations.
$4 - $27 / night
Pets are permitted on all sites. Sites 44-60 are electric. Sites 1-43 and 61-95 are non-electric. Sites 65-81 are tent camping only.
Lay by day, rest at night at Hocking Hills KOA! Conveniently located to local attractions and events.
Nestled in the spectacular Hocking Hills, this KOA is ideal for a peaceful getaway that's full of adventure. The mining sluice offers fun for folks of all ages. Purchase "rough" with gems from around the world or pan for gold. Sample the homemade fudge - or order a pizza and have it delivered to your site. Relax at the heated pool or around a campfire after a busy day exploring Hocking Hills State Park with its six unique areas. Outdoor enthusiasts will be captivated by miles of hiking trails, breathtaking waterfalls and amazing rock formations. Horseback riding, fishing, canoeing, rappelling and world-class zip lines are minutes from this KOA. The Hocking Hills region boasts antique shops, restaurants and entertainment. Due to the area's hilly terrain and limited cell phone service, the staff encourages you to arrive before dark.
There are 78 primitiive campsites and one group site available for organized groups. Latrines, waste drains, picnic tables and fire rings are provided 10 sites are available for campers with pets
Hocking Hills Jellystone Park™ is a beautiful campground in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio featuring a private fishing lake, swimming pool, playground, modern spotless bath house, a laundry facility and a camp store. We hope that you will come visit with us as we continue to transition to Jellystone™. Please keep in mind this is our 2nd season and we will continue to make improvements through the season & every season!!
We are conveniently located next to State Park attractions (Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, Ash Cave, Conkles Hollow & more), as well as great shopping, antique malls, craft specialty shops, golf, ATV and bike trails, and restaurants.
$20 - $175 / night
At Long's Retreat Family Resort, whether you are looking to bring your own camper or to reserve a rental, we have affordable accommodations for your family with tent and RV camp sites, cabins and rental units!
While camping near Columbus enjoy water fun with waterslides, beach swimming, a splash pad and more on our 20 acre lake! Prefer to stay out of the water? Try our mini golf, go karts, kiddie train, carousel, arcades, sports courts and more!
Ranger
Lake Hope State Park is a cute area nestled in the foothills of Ohio. With Zaleski right next door, there are a ton of cool things to do around the area. There’s a swimming, boating, camping, hiking, backpacking, and a ton of cool historical sites to see. I would recommend getting an Ohio Lizard Map to find some cool secret sites that most don’t get to find in the area.
Guide
Great for families who need lots of entertainment. There was showers and washing machine, general store, movie night, playgrounds and more. We stayed in the S loop which is for tent campers which was lower fidelity than the other loops. Our site didn’t have a table, it had been moved to another site so we had to commandeer it. The drive there was a very interesting tour of trump flags Amish buggies and more. Would come back if I was stranded in Ohio, but overall great pit stop for cleaning up on a long journey. They were the only camp with spot open 4th of July weekend in Ohio.
Scout
We live close to this park and frequent there, sometimes just day trips. Tent camping is great and just like most places there are a few sites that are the best. Park offers hiking trails from the camp sites to the beach area or packing up the swim gear and using the parking lot. The beach area is back water from the ohio river. It is a sandy rocky mixture. There are boat rentals during peak months. There is a frisbee golf course that is top notch. The only down side to this ohio state park, are the bathrooms; they are port a pot facilities that can be pretty raunchy.
Guide
One of the most beautiful places in Ohio. Some amazing trails, most of the trails are fairly easy to hike and most are not long (less then 2 miles). Several waterfalls to see, and rock over hangs. Campgrounds has all the bells and whistles for camping.
GuideAt old mans cave campgrounds in southern Ohio, you can enjoy time at a nice campsite, the campgrounds also provide a nice in ground swimming pool as well as a nice shower house. Many things do outside of the campgrounds such as cave exploring and trail hiking.
Traveler
Most of the campsites have great privacy, despite being fairly close together. The beach is very nice! There are plenty of trails for the hikers, and 2 lakes if you're the boating/swimming type. Lots of elevation for Ohio.
LegendLake Hope State Park is the unsung hero of Logan county, Ohio. Hocking Hills State Park gets the crowds because of its amenities and closer proximity to Old Man's Cave...but...
Each time I have stayed at Lake Hope State Park, I have marveled at why there are only a few stray campers in a state park of 190 sites. Granted...I am usually camping during the week...but its a ghost town. Which is fine by me...solitude...peace and quiet.
The main reason is pit latrines...well, that's my guess, anyways. LHSP still has hot showers. I guess because it doesn't have a pool, it doesn't have the crowds. Shoot! I'd stay home if I wanted a pool. Whatever the reason, you rarely, if ever, will have to contend with neighbors.
Trails are superb...tall canopies, fern ground cover, a wild assortment of fungi and wildlife at every turn. The terrain is undulating but very doable. The campsites are pretty open, so if you did have neighbors...you'd know it. We'd usually snatch up site 98 or 99...or both. No one would usually go that deep into the park. It was private...pit latrine nearby...flat and airy. Foot trails were nearby and the bike trail wasn't too far away.
If you brought your boats...Lake Hope is a nice flatwater paddle. Get there early and watch the water lilies open. Hope furnace is just outside the campground and next to the first "put-in" for the lake. As history buffs will know that Ohio was one of the nation's leading iron producers back in the day. There is also a swimming beach on the opposite end of Lake Hope...if you just have to get wet.
The haunted Moonville Tunnel is nearby and worth the short drive and hike. Unfortunately, it is becoming defaced by disrespectful taggers...still cool nonetheless.
You are plopped down smack dab in the Zaleski State Forest...so pick a trail, any trail.
A short drive away are amazing trails and formations...Old Man's Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, Cedar Falls, Conkle’s Hollow, Rockhouse and Ash Cave. Each one a must see! Give youself time to hike the trails and enjoy the natural beauty of southern Ohio. Not only will you be glad you did...you will want to return year and year!
Traveler
Luxurious accommodations and continental breakfasts won’t be found here…..a space to unwind and reflect will. The sites are sloped and ill paved but the sights, the sights are quintessential Southeast Ohio. Rolling hills dotted with little burgs where the oil has dried up but the resolve has yet to. A slight traverse down the hill lends views normally reserved for travel mags and postcards if just a bit of adventure is employed.
Guide
This is an extremely primitive place that is not run by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It is run by the same woman who runs the boat rentals at several other state parks in SE Ohio- this is her business. There are very few amenities here. There are pit toilets, potable water towards the front, and that's it. There is a road that runs alongside the entire length of the campground, right at the edge, so you can hear cars and coming and going, especially at night. I was here in late October, so I can't attest to whether this place has a loud party atmosphere like many other state parks, but it seemed pretty chill, probably due to the fact that you can't reserve a site in advance- you pay when you arrive, and pick your spot then. The boat house's hours said they were still open for the season, but I arrived long after they were supposed to open according to their hours listed on the door, and I never saw a person all day. So I went to go rent a boat at a different place. All in all, the campground is fine, just the traffic along the road was a bit annoying, and the sites are not very wide- you are close to your neighbors and there is nothing separating the sites.
LegendWayne National Forest shares the area with Burr Oak State Park near Glouster, Oh.
Wayne National Forest is split into three areas in southeastern Ohio. I could not find a Burr Oak, Oh and the site listed with this entry refers to the State Park near Glouster.
That park and campground are well maintained with a marina and trail that loops the lake at approximately 20 miles and is part of the Bobcat Marathon in December. There is a Long Beach with sand and dogs are allowed. The campground has sites that are relatively close together but level and helpful staff.
ScoutWe have been camping at Tar Hollow for years. Sites 32-37 are huge and flat and near the playground so great for families (therefore avoid if you want peace and quiet!). Sites 38-40 and 64-66 are the most idyllic (completely shaded, quiet yet accessible). The non-electric sites feel really remote. There is a weird generator hum at night but you sort of ignore it after a while. 93-96 are the best non electric sites as they are right against water and under the trees. The primitive restrooms often have bees and wasps and mosquitoes so take care. The showers are reliable and I have always had hot water. There is absolutely no cell service excoet if you hike up to the fire tower. we go back, year after year after year. Fav park for camping and hiking in Ohio!!!
LegendShawnee State Park was totally without any phone signal. Right on the border of Kentucky, in Ohio, you are in the small town almost South.
Beautiful countryside, fortunately I was on Rt 125 when I lost all clue where the park entrance was. Then I saw the Shawnee Range and kept on driving. Definitely get a map because the whole park offers a lot of out door opportunities.
Backpack trail, 23 and 40 miles loops with 7 camping areas, register and enjoy. Equestrians get 70 miles and primitive camping.
The camping area is small ( a good thing ) the restrooms are clean and basic. Showerhouse and laundry. The attendant was super helpful and knowledgeable.
LegendWhen I was younger I use to go here a lot on day trips to swim at the man made sandy beach on the lake. From where I used to live in WV it was only a 40 minute drive across the state line into Ohio. The camping there is nice. The fishing is good as well. What makes the lake unique at Forked Run is that it contains dime sized fresh water jelly fish. These type aren't able to sting you. There are shower houses and a camp general store with the camping essentials. There is plenty to do with fishing and hiking. A lot of people in the area mainly go for swimming or to play frisbee golf.
TravelerI discovered this park in 2019 while on a history road trip to Marietta, Ohio and Blanerhasset Island. I’ve since returned to Forked Run just to spend a peaceful weekend The park has over 150 campsites and the times I’ve been there, only a few were occupied. I felt like I had the whole park to myself. Some people complain about the pit toilets. They smell bad, but they’re bearable. There’s a nice lake for kayaking. There’s a boat launch near the dam at the south end of the lake and a second boat launch at midway portion of the lake. You have to drive a few miles to the second launch but I prefer to enter the lake here and paddle north into the headwaters of the lake
RangerNestled close to the Ohio River and the Shawnee State Forest, you will find rolling hills and valleys that offer serene beauty and picturesque landscapes. Wildflowers run rampant throughout this enchanted state park, and deer, raccoons, and turkey frolic throughout the more than 1,160 acre paradise. Challenge your family members for a round of mini golf or basketball, or set out on a geocaching adventure. Cruise along one of the numerous hiking trails and or set off on a relaxing ride on the two bridle trails. Rest your head at one of the campsites offering a dump station and showers, or stay in a cabin. If neither of those are your thing there is a beautiful lodge that provides swimming pools, a game room, and breathtaking views of either the river or forest.
TravelerIt was better than decent😀. The bathrooms and bathhouse were clean .. one broken shower head but the other three were functional. Clean hot water without an odor. The general store employee (SANDY) was everything and exceptional. She went over and waaayyy beyond to help us as we were new to the area. I appreciate her generosity with her time. She is a true gem:) The park was clean with very neighborly neighbors. We did not hit the trails as it was only a 1-night stop on our journey. It was a back in -concrete trailer site (our trailer was 32 feet ) with electric only (no problems) and there was a potable water faucet nearby. We noticed a dump station as we were leaving the park.
Call ahead so that the employee Can tell you the best way into the park .. the alternate way we didn’t take apparently had winding narrow turns with steep hills. Also… please go there in the daytime silly us arrived at night and it was quite a challenge. Overall, we enjoyed our stop at this Ohio state park. Thanks again Sandy!!! You will not be forgotten:)
GuideWe had read about the quietness of Forked Run and it was we had a loop all to ourselves and only about 15 campers in the whole campground,
It was very clean and the areas coming into the campground beautifully maintained, but once we got to our campsite it was covered in trash, cigarette butts, beer cans and tons of candy and straw wrappers, the woods behind each campsite was loaded in trash, toilet paper and feces.
After a few hours we had our site pretty much cleaned up, but on our walks we noticed more sites looking the same.
Shower house was clean, but after visiting a pit toilet and fighting of hundreds of bugs I noticed the pit toilet was almost overflowing, yes overflowing. As many as I have used I have never seen one so full which explains why everyone was crapping in the woods.
If you want internet bring a WiFi and a booster and you will be good.
No available park ranger, in facts serious accident happened at the front gate and victims waited for EMS to arrive, if a ranger was on duty help could have been faster.
Kayaking was great with some hidden coves.
Other than that it can be a beautiful park, Ohio ODNR you should be ashamed of yourself for the way this park is kept.
GuideIt’s place was a last minute booking for us as we needed to kill 2 days before our next planned stop in North Carolina. I’d say most reviews are pretty accurate I read on here. Bathrooms dated camp spots are small except for a few in the first loop that were pull through. Out of the whole campground on Tuesday there was only 5 camp sites occupied. It was very quiet and peaceful. Even better no cell phone service. When we left people were starting to arrive for the 4th of July weekend. I was surprised at how many sites were tagged for arrival. Now one of the reasons we picked this was because of the lake and reviews on the swimming area for our kids. We were very disappointed in the swimming area. The swim area was filled with locals who were leaving trash on the beach and lake. It was disappointing the amount of fast food rappers and cigarettes butts all over the place. This park does have the potential to be one of those hidden gems with a little TLC. We enjoyed the stay here. We ended up going to Marietta, Ohio both days. This town was not to far away and has a ton of history. I would return to this campground to enjoy the piece and quiet. But would not return to bank on the swimming area and lake to enjoy with the kids.
ScoutHocking Hills State Park is a very beautiful natural wonder in Ohio, but the state park campground was ok. The main complaint my group had was with the bathrooms. The women's bathroom near our site had 4 stalls- none of which had doors which would close. They were beautiful big, heavy wooden doors, but each was too big to actually close and lock the door! Fixing this may take 1-2 days work, but someone could easily remove the locks, run the doors through a saw to cut off an inch, stain and seal the exposed wood, and re-attached the locks. Old Man's Cave has a brand new welcome center, but the campground still has bathroom doors that don't close. It doesn't make sense to me. The only other complaint is that the asphalt parking areas at each site are fairly small and there is no parking provided for extra vehicles. Having a large group with people driving separately makes it difficult as there is one parking spot on a site(if you set up a camper). Other general notes: Many of the sites have a lot of slope, as you are in the hills, though each appeared to have at least one small flat area. The showers are fairly open, with curtains on each shower and a large curtain separating the shower area from the rest of the bathroom. They have a bench, hangers for towels, and a shelf for soap. The showerheads themselves are very nice and always had warm water! Another newer bathroom we visited(near the pool) had been remodeled recently, but was significantly dirtier than the old one. There was mud and toilet paper all over the floor and it was smelly. Overall, the campground is in a great location. You can easily hike to Old Man's Cave, Rose Lake, Cedar Falls, and the Devil's Bathtub. Most of these trails lead to other areas 4-5 miles away as well. And being within walking distance of the trails, you don't have to worry about parking(and boy was it crowded this Labor Day weekend).
LegendIn the short videos I posted you will notice that I did not add a transcript. Please turn on your Google Accessibility for Live Captions to access the spoken information within the video clips.
Shawnee State Park (Little Smokies of Ohio)
Has a great ranger/naturalist (Jenny) she made the days go by in a memorable way as we were able to do a creek crawl with her one day, kayaked for free with her on the lake, and had several other activities that we enjoyed. ODNR has a gem in Jenny as she was able to tailor the events to a wide range of abilities, interests, and ages.
Cell Phone service is weak at the park. We didn't always have a signal at the camp grounds but if you go over to the lodge you will have a signal. You can also access Wi-Fi while at the lodge if needed. The lodge has a restaurant that you can eat at if you wish. They also have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and an indoor hot tub. If you camp at the state park campsites you can pay for a day pass. This is a great thing to do when you need a change of pace or if it is rainy and you want to swim indoors. They even have a game room (old school arcade).
Near the Shawnee State Park is a dairy bar that my family has gone to for many years. It is a part of the tradition to get Turtle Sundaes. https://www.facebook.com/Buckeye-Dairy-Bar-Miniature-Golf-166451746787194/
In the Shawnee lodge if you look closely at the main mural you will notice Raven Rock. We totally overlooked this while we were growing up. Thanks to the internet we now know this is a nature preserve. https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/raven-rock-state-nature-preserve
Our first campsite was number 12. We arrived at 5:55 PM and the camp office closes at 6:00 PM. The gal waited for us to check out the site and we promptly came back as she did indicate it was a rough site. This site and 13, 14 is what I would expect for a backpacking campsite. Not for a traditional car camping non-electric campsite. If we had any older or younger family members with us it would have been inaccessible. We didn't like the walk up to the site and the big draw back was the table in the poison ivy. We promptly for the 1st time in my camping career paid a fee to switch to a new site. Luckily the park was not super busy as it was a weekday.
Bathroom access such as the stairs, bathroom stalls ADA, and other access points will need to continue to be improved for those with mobility issues. This would have greatly impacted my friends and family had they been with me on this trip.
The showers in the bathhouse are motion sensor based. That means if you get too far from the sensor the shower will turn off. Also, make sure you take your shampoo items etc. out with you before you get dressed as if you reach back in to grab your items you will promptly get sprayed.
Another favorite spot is the fire tower https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/copperhead-fire-tower Please make sure to respect the fire tower as it is one of the few fire towers that you can still go up in and look at the beautiful view. You will not have a signal here so make sure you also ask about how to get back as we didn't have a GPS signal for the way back and just explored our way back to civilization.
The park was not super busy while we were there in June. It is a well kept secret as I found this to be one of the most charming parks that I have been to in a long time. I suspect the cell phone signal and location has impacted folks coming to this park compared to others. It isn't super close to a major city but for me that is part of the charm.
For those of you who like to mountain bike do check out the new mountain bike trails. I cannot report on those as I am not talented enough to go out on those trails;)
GuideWe have stayed here a couple of times in a tent and a class a motor home.
The campground is pretty secluded but beautiful rolling hills. While the site we stayed in with the motorhome was fairly level, sites are mostly small and tight on hilly terrain. That said, I would still recommend this as a nice weekend getaway
One of our visits was during hunting season and both the campground and the cabins were mostly being used by hunting parties.
This is also close enough in proximately to serve as an alternative camping area for visiting Hocking Hills
GuideLake Hope was super crowded and the sites felt like they were literally on top of each other. It also was not super clear on which site was which. Our site was on a hill, but there were 2 sites, one at the bottom and one midway down so we had to ask. Luckily both were not booked and they let us use whichever we wanted, so we picked the bottom of the hill.
There were plenty of hiking trails and at the lake you can rent kayaks for the day!
GuideStayed over Labor Day Weekend and was pleasantly surprised by the site we got for booking only a week in advance! Would stay again!
- Many sites are quite sloped and slanted, but this cannot be determined by pictures online. With that said, all sites appeared to have a spot for at least 1 tent cleared away and the picnic table and fire ring in a secure location.
- Most sites only had room for one car parked at the site
- Clean pit style restrooms! With running water restrooms dispersed through the campground.
- Lake Hope was a good size for kayaking (and rentals were open and only ~$10 per person per hour for various boating devices).
- Fishing allowed anywhere!
- Cool hiking trails throughout to see caves, The Hope Furnace, and water features!
- Only ~30-40min from all the must see attractions of Hocking Hills and surrounding area!
- Camp Store with wood, ice, etc.
GuideSeveral campsites are on a slope so this calls for being creative with placement of tent.
Firewood available for purchase on site.
Lake Hope lodge provides great warm and dry spot for delicious food.
Several activities available, fishing available anywhere on the lake, kayak rental for $10 and good size lake.
Very clean pit toliets and running water available dispersed throughout the park. Several hiking trails, zaleski is nearby, hocking hills is 30 minutes away. Moonville tunnel and iron furnace in the area.
ScoutCampground were well spaced. There Be were a lot of possible camp sites. Showers and restrooms were clean. Hope furnace was a great landmark to visit. There is a beautiful hike around the lake. Be ready for bugs though.
GuideThis is a great campground that runs along the ridge above Lake Hope. Tons of great spots. Not a lot of privacy, but still great. Good hiking all around and the lake is beautiful.
GuideLook, just go find some dispersed places out in the national forest instead of ending up here. The campsites are usually littered with trash and the latrines smell for a good distance - you'd be better off digging a hole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Hamden, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Hamden, OH is Lake Hope State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 34 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Hamden, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 glamping camping locations near Hamden, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
