Best Campgrounds near Milford Center, OH

State parks and recreational areas within an hour of Milford Center, Ohio provide a range of camping experiences from full-service RV sites to more rustic tent camping. Delaware State Park, located about 20 miles northeast, features spacious sites arranged in a distinctive "pod" layout with central bathhouses and good separation between campsites. Alum Creek State Park, approximately 25 miles east, offers wooded sites with varying degrees of privacy and access to a large reservoir. Both parks accommodate tent and RV camping, with some locations offering cabins and yurts for those seeking alternative accommodations. Smaller campgrounds like Pastime Campground in Plain City provide more intimate settings with fewer amenities but convenient access to local communities.

Reservations are essential at most campgrounds in the region, particularly during summer weekends and fall color season when occupancy rates peak. As one camper noted, "October weekends in Ohio State Park campgrounds are super popular," making advance planning crucial. Most state park campgrounds offer electric hookups, with limited full-hookup sites available at select locations. Cell service varies but tends to be reliable near larger campgrounds, with Verizon coverage reported as good at Delaware State Park. Weather considerations include potential flooding at lakeside sites during spring rains, and summer heat that makes shaded sites particularly desirable. Many campgrounds close shower facilities during winter months while maintaining year-round access to basic camping areas.

Lake access represents a significant draw for campers in the region, with fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities available at most state parks. Delaware State Park receives particular praise for its uncrowded atmosphere despite proximity to Columbus. According to one visitor, "Delaware State Park is a gem in the Ohio state park system. What is amazing is how few people seem to know it exists!" Wildlife encounters are common, with raccoons frequently mentioned at John Bryan State Park. Site privacy varies considerably between campgrounds and even within the same facility. Campers consistently mention the quality of Ohio's state park system, with one noting, "Ohio State Park campgrounds are some of the best we've ever stayed in," highlighting the spacious sites and natural buffers between campsites that characterize many of the region's public camping areas.

Best Camping Sites Near Milford Center, Ohio (80)

    1. Alum Creek State Park Campground

    80 Reviews
    Lewis Center, OH
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 548-4039

    "Happened to be next to the park host. No choice of where to locate my large tent.  Showers/bathrooms were OK--older facilities.  "

    "First off we have to say that Ohio State Park campgrounds are some of the best we’ve ever stayed in."

    2. Buck Creek State Park Campground

    33 Reviews
    Clarence J. Brown Dam and Reservoir, OH
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 322-5284

    $23 - $35 / night

    "A well manicured campground just outside Dayton, easy to get to, back in pavement site with 30A electric, picnic table and fire pit. Plenty of potable water spigots around, just not at the site."

    "I did not spend enough time here to give a thorough review, but what I will say is that this site is nice if you need a campsite for a couple nights while passing through Ohio."

    3. Delaware State Park Campground

    37 Reviews
    Radnor, OH
    25 miles
    Website

    "Delaware State Park is a gem in the Ohio state park system. What is amazing to us is how few people seem to know it exists!"

    "This is another of our favorite Ohio State Parks.  The campground is setup in a nice layout with each of the separate sections having a spoke and wheel layout with a bathhouse in the middle.  "

    4. Pastime Campground

    5 Reviews
    Plain City, OH
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (614) 915-0655

    $15 - $38 / night

    "Walking path and playground are adjacent to the campground. There is a nice swimming pool at the south end of the village park. Campers get a discounted admission."

    5. Cross Creek Camping Resort

    13 Reviews
    Lewis Center, OH
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (740) 549-2267

    $35 - $95 / night

    "We stayed two nights here on our tour of Ohio. After staying in state parks, the narrow sites are close with no privacy."

    "Cross Creek Camping Resort in Delaware, Ohio is a very nice campground with friendly staff and lots of amenities!"

    6. John Bryan State Park Campground

    42 Reviews
    Yellow Springs, OH
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 767-1274

    "The campsite is next to the 12 mile set of mountain bike trails.  It is a great mountain biking/camping getaway.  The trails are easy, so for all levels.  Nice camping for families.  "

    "Great place to visit has three parks in one John Bryant and Glen Helen nature preserve and Clifton Gorge are some of the best hiking trails in south west Ohio."

    7. Indian Lake State Park Campground

    34 Reviews
    Lakeview, OH
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 843-3553

    "This Ohio State Park is in a small quaint town. Good sites, nice beach + a real swimming pool. Many places for fishing from shore OR launching your boat !"

    "The campground was nearly empty so that was nice but the surrounding area was very crowded. There was nearly no area on the lake that didn’t have houses. The campground was clean and well maintained."

    8. Zane Shawnee Caverns & Southwind Park

    2 Reviews
    Zanesfield, OH
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 592-9592

    9. Kiser Lake State Park Campground

    13 Reviews
    Fletcher, OH
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (937) 362-3822

    "I may be biased, with it being close to home, but they have a lot for the kids to do. Beach, volleyball net, playground. Plenty of water locations. For me the bathrooms are unusable."

    "This park is know for the lake that is kayak and canoe friendly since it doesn’t allow any kind of boat with a motor. It also features a beach , 2 playgrounds and several hiking trails."

    10. Alton RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Galloway, OH
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (614) 878-9127

    "Not a sightseeing destination, but very convenient place to stop for the night if you’re on a road trip doing a lot of driving. Safe neighborhood with a kroger right down the street."

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Recent Reviews near Milford Center, OH

493 Reviews of 80 Milford Center Campgrounds


  • Byron S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Wright-Patterson FamCamp

    Nice RV park

    The sites are paved and level, had full hook ups, WIFI, cellular, shower house. Surprisingly it was not noisy being near the flight line. The site is clean and well maintained. There is a lot to do and visit on and off post. Unfortunately the Air Museum was closed because of the budget shut down but all other services were available (commissary, BX, etc). I would recommend staying here if you are active duty or Veteran.

  • Evan H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2025

    Grins & Pickin's CampFarm

    Great area away from the busy park campsites

    G&P is exceptionally well maintained with 31 sites of varying sizes. Owner is extremely welcoming and prices are good. Front and rear Porto bathrooms for use.

  • Rebecca H.
    Sep. 9, 2025

    Wapakoneta KOA

    Out Standing

    Wonderful facility! Pool, pool table, games for kids and adults. The grounds are beautiful and the staff is super friendly and helpful! Oh and in the laundry room they even have a sink for washing dishes! Great for tent campers ar those with small units that don't have kitchens.

  • J
    Sep. 7, 2025

    Delaware State Park Campground

    Great peaceful campground

    This is our second time coming here really enjoy this place it's typically more of a quiet relaxed camp there is a playground in each of the 4 sections for kids to play with a remodel shower house at each one. Att works good here verizion not so much but at night when people are sleeping verizion gets a little better.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2025

    Alum Creek State Park Campground

    Nice park but some traffic noise

    Spent three nights here while we were visiting friends in Lewis Center. We stayed in F09 and it was a great spot. Lots of protection on both sides so it was very secluded. And close to the shower house. Only reason I didn’t give this five stars was there was still quite a bit of traffic noise around the park that you could hear. Some nice hiking trails as well. Campsite was nice and level. Showers were super clean and awesome water pressure.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Mt Gilead State Park Campground

    Small, quiet campground

    We like this small campground, it works well for us. Our pad was pretty level and not hard to back into with a small camper. however, a lot of the pads are at 90° angles instead of 45° so it can be harder for a larger camper back in. The full hook up side the sites are really tight together. The electric only sits are spread out a little more. Some have decent shade while others have none at all. Our site was really nice and had space for a tent or you could hang from a hammock. Great camp store, playgrounds, frisbee golf, hiking paths and small lake.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Indian Lake State Park Campground

    Lots of sites

    Our pad was not level front to back so we had to adjust a little bit. The fire ring was nice but our picnic table was beat up. I went to move it and the seat pulled right off. We stayed on a Sunday night so it wasn’t packed. There are a ton of sites. Some had great shade and others didn’t have any at all. The bathrooms were flush toilets and they did have shower houses too. The camp store is really big and it’s right next to their pool. They have a dog park, place to dock your boat and a small beach. I would imagine this would be a pretty busy during the summer.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Resting Roost

    Okay for one night I guess

    We were kind of stuck, looking for a place to stay as we didn’t have reservations during Labor Day weekend so found this place that was listed on Hip Camp. Near Belle Center. PROS- was relatively cheap, $24,out in the middle of fields so pretty quiet, host seems pretty nice. CONS- had to back up a 100 yard driveway, lots of bugs, smells as they just fertilized the fields (not the owners fault). Okay for setting up a tent or a small rig but wouldn’t advise for trailers. Electric was an extension cord. I think water is available. Owner could have mowed the place a bit.

  • Lisa M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Buck Creek State Park Campground

    Quiet park with level spaces

    This park was pretty packed over Labor Day weekend, but it still felt like it wasn’t super crowded. Our space was nice and level. Nice hiking trails in the area. Showers were very nice and clean. Several water spickets throughout the park if you needed to access them. It was a bit of a drive back into the campground, probably 3 1/2 miles.


Guide to Milford Center

Ohio state parks within an hour of Milford Center range from 800 to 1,000 feet in elevation, with mixed hardwood forests dominating the landscape. Camping options include tent-only areas, electric sites, and select cabins, with most campgrounds providing access to reservoirs or lakes. Water levels at many sites fluctuate seasonally, affecting both fishing conditions and campsite selection.

What to do

Disc golf at Buck Creek State Park: The park features a full course popular with campers. "One of my favorites in this area, great rv spots and even better tent/non electric spots... easy walk to fish or to campers beach... my sons love camping here for the trails and large areas to ride their bikes," notes Buck B.

Kayaking at Kiser Lake State Park: The lake permits no motorized boats, creating ideal paddling conditions. "We really enjoy Kiser Lake... we had a great time kayaking there. The lake was calm and everyone was very respectful of us in our kayaks," says Mandi B. The marina rents canoes and kayaks at reasonable rates.

Hiking at John Bryan State Park: Located near Yellow Springs, this park connects to several trail systems. "Absolutely love it here. So mainly beautiful trails and springs. Great camping areas too," writes Renée C. The park serves as access point to Glen Helen Nature Preserve and Clifton Gorge.

What campers like

Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds near Milford Center offer generous site dimensions. "...the 'pod' layout of the campground made for large campsites (some sites are over 90 feet in length and well suited for large RV's) with good separation between sites," notes Nancy W. about Delaware State Park Campground.

Privacy between sites: Vegetation buffers provide seclusion at select campgrounds. "This is what I liked most about this campground—each camping space is separated by trees and brush. And there is plenty of room!" reports Sandy O. about Alum Creek State Park.

Dedicated swimming areas: Separate beach access for campers reduces crowding. "We had an absolute blast at the campsite! We stayed in L and the kids loved being close to the water. The campground beach is an absolute must," shares Jenny C. Many campgrounds maintain both public and campground-specific swimming locations.

What you should know

Seasonal bathroom availability: Winter camping requires preparation for limited facilities. "There is no running water- no showers and smelly pit toilets. There is one spigot for drinking water," warns Megan M. about winter conditions at one park.

Site reservations essential: Book well ahead for weekend stays, especially April through October. "Most sites are booked by seasonal campers who pay for the whole season and leave their RV/set-ups in one place the whole season, so all the choice sites (lakefront) are always taken," explains Catherine about Alum Creek State Park Campground.

Weather impact on sites: Spring rains affect campsite conditions substantially. "Be careful with rainy weather, some sites have flooded in poor weather," advises Katelyn P. Sites near water require particular attention during wet periods.

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Choose sites near recreational facilities for convenience. "There is a path to the playground which the occasional kid will run down into your campsite by accident," notes Melissa M. about Buck Creek State Park Campground.

Weekend programming: Many parks offer scheduled activities for children. "They have activities on the weekends. Must sure have a tree and grass with fire pits and a table," reports James D. about Cross Creek Camping Resort. Some campgrounds feature themed weekends with organized games.

Swimming options: Parks often provide multiple water recreation choices. "There is a camper beach and boat launch. Lost of hiking paths in the campground and in the park area. A great dog park with lake entrance for the pups," shares Jill B.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: Prepare leveling equipment at certain campgrounds. "Our pad was not level front to back so we had to adjust a little bit," warns Shannon G. about Indian Lake State Park Campground.

Electric hookup variety: Confirm amperage before booking a campsite near Milford Center, Ohio. "All sites are W/E. All the new gravel sites and half the grass ones have 50/30/20A electric, the rest are 30/20A," reports Ron G. about Pastime Campground.

Site proximity concerns: Some RV parks feature close spacing between units. "The sites are very skinny and you are packed really tight together. You can't even put your awning all the way out without hitting the camper next to you," cautions Erik M. Consider campground layout when selecting sites for larger RVs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Milford Center, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Milford Center, OH is Alum Creek State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 80 reviews.

What parks are near Milford Center, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 14 parks near Milford Center, OH that allow camping, notably Clarence J. Brown Dam and Reservoir and Delaware Lake.