Are you planning a tent camping trip to Jefferson? We've got you covered. The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Jefferson with tent camping. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
In an effort to provide more opportunities to enjoy our parks, Lake Metroparks offers tent camping so campers may experience unique natural features and the great outdoors. Reservations are required.
Campsites provide a “rustic” experience for small groups of up to eight people staying in tents. Campers must hike or paddle to the campsites. The sites are set back from the developed areas of the parks from about 0.25 mile to more than a mile. Each location is different and provides a quiet, intimate natural experience—much different than crowded campgrounds.
The paddle-in sites may require a three- to eight-mile paddle by canoe or kayak to reach the campsite. The idea is to paddle a stretch of the Grand River, spend the night under the stars and then paddle another stretch the next day. Imagine paddling 27 miles and spending two nights on the wild and scenic Grand River! That is all possible in your Lake Metroparks.
Each site has a designated area to pitch a tent, a place to build a fire, a grill and a picnic table. The sites do not have restrooms, running water or trash cans. Campers are expected to practice a “leave no trace” camping ethic including carrying in and carrying out all supplies and trash, with the goal of leaving the area better than it was found.
$10 - $20 / 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
$25 / 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.
It's pretty dark here. There are no large cities anywhere around here.
My family moved here in 1957 and I purchased it from my father in 1975.
My wife is responsible for much of the landscaping and home improvements that have been done since 1990.
We are retired self-employed.
Perfect for families and friends who want to have a private, spacious camping area.
$22 - $75 / night
This tent site sits in the woods on a hill just above the corner of French Creek (2022 PA River of the Year!) and a small tributary creek. It faces northwest over the valley providing amazing sunset views.
This location is on the high-side of the Union City Dam which is a dry bed, flood control dam. Which means during snow melt, or rainy streaks, the dam will fill up and flood the entire valley. However during dry spells, French Creek will appear as any other creek. At peak flooding, it will make its way all the way up the tributary valley, making a beautiful lake front campsite. Unfortunately, this only occurs a few weeks out of the year (typically early spring and occasionally during wet falls) and is fairly unpredictable (you can compare the high-water vs low-water views from the photos). Most of the summer you can still enjoy the view over both the tributary valley and French Creek valley. (DISCLAIMER: Once or twice a year during the wettest streaks, the water rises high enough to flood the driveway, making it impossible to drive up directly to the campsite. If this happens, you will be notified before so you can choose either to be refunded and not stay or you can park 100 yards up the road and hike into the campsite to enjoy the unique and rare lakefront views. Again, these are natural events that are infrequent and unpredictable, but also provide a truly spectacular setting.)
Located at the end of a dead end dirt road, adjacent to 100's of acres of federal protected land, and within sight of agriculture fields, there is an abundance of wildlife. For over 20 years, an active eagles nest has been located 1 mile north providing amazing opportunities to see either adult or juvenile eagles flying over French Creek hunting for fish. Deer can be seen early morning and late evening in the fields, as well as frequently crossing both valleys. All types of waterfowl flock the lake when it's flooded. I've personally seen up to 1000 geese at one time.
Beyond relaxing and wildlife watching, there are plenty of other activities to explore in the area. Access to many nature walking trails. The Union City Dam, less than 1.5 miles down the road, provides walking, biking, scenic driving, and picnic opportunities. Kayaks/canoes can be used to float the creek when dry or paddle up and down the reservoir lake when flooded. Centrally located between the 2 small towns of Union City and Waterford with gas stations, grocery stores, great local dinning options, and more. About a half an hour drive to Erie and Presque Isle State Park.
Come enjoy this extremely unique stretch of French Creek and Pennsylvania woods!
DISCLAIMER: There is an active gravel pit to the North of the campsite. During weekdays from about 7 AM-5 PM, you will likely hear and possibly see some activity from the gravel pit.
$40 - $45 / night
Guide
First time at this park I can see why it's always booked up. It seems like the sites are good sized but some are on slopes even the pads so make sure to bring stuff to level. Bathrooms were clean separate showers verizon works well here.
Guide
TL:DR-This is a really nice, well-kept campground, though there may be some noise.
Pros: very clean, well-kept grounds and bathrooms; there's a nice-looking playground, two lakes, trails.
Considerations: the entire time we were here, the wind was 10-15 mph and all of our neighbors were very quiet, friendly, and respectful. So the majority of what we heard was October winds blowing leaves off the trees (nice!!), but the few times the wind died down, or when motorcycles or large trucks were on the highway, the sound came thru loud and clear.
The only other thing I can say that I don't think others did, is that some of the sites, like ours, while more or less level where you'd put an RV, might require going up or down an incline to get to the picnic table. A bit of a problem if you have trouble with knees or hips. ;)
Legend
Nice huge CG with mostly long term residents. Gravel roads and relatively level gravel sites. Good FHUs. A lot of amenities for things to do. Laundry facilities were clean with good machines. We would stay here again.
Scout
Beautiful place. Host was very accommodating. Great time.
Traveler
Stopped through for 1 night with no reservation. Called and the camp host was super helpful and friendly! Got in after dinner and luckily we were just car camping, because we got (in our opinion) the best site there! 23 has a great shot of the lake, nice cinder blocks built up to block any wind from the fire pit. Didn’t use showers, but the bathrooms were well maintained! The lake view was amazing! Very quiet and small location…perfect for what we wanted for the evening. Would highly recommend!
Guide
I had a tent site and it wasn't bad. The site next to me was blasting music but turned it off around 8 so I won't dock points. The bathrooms were clean and it was easy to get to from the highway. There was a lot of road noise though. The tent platform was level and clean. I would stay again.
Scout
Stayed two nights mid September. Lovely weather. Clean bathrooms and showers with hot water. Firewood, ice, free drinking water, and trinkets available at registration booth.
Traveler
We came for a quick visit and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and sunrise. Large spaces and easy access to the pier (ramps available for all to enjoy ) We would love to return and enjoy a much longer stay. FYI -several dump stations so no waiting!
RangerStayed 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!
GuideI 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.
ScoutBrought the pop-up to Geneva State Park over Labor Day weekend and stayed in site 83. The experience was excellent. The site was wooded and ample, with plenty of distance between us and our neighbors on all sides. The bathrooms were fine, and we never had to wait for any bathroom facilities even though the campsite was completely full. The camp store was well-stocked and had some necessities and some extras. We heard standing water could be an issue at some of the sites, but we did not encounter that. After waking up to a thunderstorm at 4:00 am the first night, we fell back asleep and found no standing water at our site when we reawakened a couple hours later. Lastly, cell service in the park is excellent.
This was my 7-year-old daughter's first camping trip, and she had a blast. It took us about 20 minutes to hike to the beach, which was pleasant and had its own facilities and parking. The trail continues down a bit to the creek and marina as well. Away from the park we visited Geneva-on-the-Lake, which is a very short drive away. There we played some arcade games, putt-putt, and had ice cream.
Note that not all campsites are the same at this park, as some areas are closer together, and some are not wooded. Also note that the opportunities for fishing from shore seemed to be limited within the vicinity of the campground. If you're dead-set on fishing, you may want to check out a charter from the local marina.
In all, however, an excellent facility that has a good range of things to do, along with traditional woodland camping.
Scout
Fun little campground with friendly staff and wide open spaces. Clean bathrooms, great pool, fun little game room. The playground got 2 thumbs up from a 4 and 6 year old. There was a movie night every night. Close to stores (15 mins). The KOA is close to Presque isle and the amusement park, which is a fantastic place for kids. Sites were a good size and comfortable to be around.
Scout
Campground is closed. Roads are a minefield! Park by the dam is nice and so are the trails across from the dam. Trails by the campground are very nice, once you get through the mine field to them.
Traveler
My 6 year old daughter lived her farm animal dream life for a week! The hosts were so accommodating. My daughter loved the free movie nights under stars, running wild with the goats, and the play grounds and play houses kept her busy for hours! The eggs were delicious, I spent time by the fire, in a hammock, and soaking up the sunshine. It was the rejuvenating experience I needed. I will definitely plan to stay here again!
ScoutGOING LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER LOOKING TO GET SOME FISH FROM SHORE. HOPING FOR THE BEST! 5 STARS ON LOOKS ALONE.
RangerAgain it is a nice large place with activities all day for all ages. Pool was great due to temps being in the 90s. Not all sites are full hookup and 50 Amp. The street lights suck as they fully illuminated our sites. Fireworks were OK.
Traveler
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.
Scout
This campsite was close to an archery tournament for me. It is a huge campsite that is remote and peaceful. I will try to get this place again next year.
Traveler
There really aren’t words! Everything is clean, quiet and serene! The people that work there we super friendly! Can’t wait to go back!
Scout
The Tuttle Campground was enjoyable. It is a well maintained park with big spacious spots.
Traveler
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.
Ranger
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.
Traveler
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.
ScoutWe will definitely be back. The sites are very level, so setup is a breeze. There's plenty of spots to go fishing and hang out by the lake, plus different things to do in the area.
ScoutSites aren't on top of each other. Best sites are along the river and store has lots of fishing supplies. Wifi was too weak at my tent site and Verizon service was mostly unavailable. The site has a tire rim fire pit and picnic table with electric and water. Gravel pad where I parked was nearly level. Bathroom was cleaned the day I used shower and hot water was good. Prices for the site was $31/night and this was early season. I'm in a pickup with rooftop tent.
Legend
We stayed at Sparrow Pond Family Campground for a special long-weekend to view the Total Solar Eclipse. Their normal season doesn’t open until later in April, but they opened for 5-days for people like us who wanted a good spot for the eclipse. Since the normal season hadn’t yet opened, not all amenities/facilities were open but they put on a lot of activities to make the stay fun.
THINGS I LIKED:
Easy access to Lake Erie and Presque Isle State Park
Clean and well-maintained property with lots of activities
All of the RVs appeared well-maintained without trashy-looking seasonal sites
Nice campground with friendly camping neighbors
Friendly and responsive staff interactions
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The site was nice and in a great location with a view of the pond, but wasn’t level
WOULD WE COME BACK?
Absolutely, this is a nice place with plenty of things to see and do in the area
HOW I CAME UP WITH MY STAR RATING:
★★★★★ everything was perfect with no room for improvement
★★★★ this is a great place with one or more minor flaws
★★★ average in all ways— not great, not horrible
★★ major issues or poorly maintained, we wouldn’t likely come back
★ a terrible place in my opinion and I’d never return
Ranger
My family stayed here for a weekend while visiting the Geneva area. This was a very nice, very secure campground that isn't far from a lot of attractions and wineries in the Geneva region of Ohio's wine country. But at the same time, removed enough to be quiet and relaxing. We honestly could have spent several more days here. Our site was a big rig site, so we had no trees, but it was still nice. This is a place we could definitely go back to.
Tent camping near Jefferson, Ohio offers a variety of scenic spots where nature lovers can unwind and enjoy the great outdoors. With well-reviewed campgrounds nearby, you'll find the perfect place to pitch your tent and create lasting memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Jefferson, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Jefferson, OH is Lake Erie Bluffs with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Jefferson, OH?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 tent camping locations near Jefferson, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
