Best Tent Camping near Paulding, OH

Tent camping options near Paulding, Ohio include several established campgrounds within an hour's drive. White Oak Campground in Oak Openings Metropark offers tent-specific sites with sandy tent pads in a wooded setting. Independence Dam State Park Campground provides riverside tent camping along the Maumee River with sites situated on small elevated banks above the water.

Most tent campsites in the Paulding area feature basic amenities suited for primitive camping experiences. White Oak Campground provides free firewood, clean flush toilets, and dish washing stations with hot water, but no showers on site. Independence Dam offers more rustic accommodations with vault toilets that campers note are well-maintained. Many sites include fire rings and picnic tables, with varying levels of shade depending on location. Reservations are typically required for tent sites, with some campgrounds requiring online booking before 4 PM on the day of arrival.

The tent camping experience near Paulding offers a mix of natural settings and accessibility. White Oak Campground provides access to the 15.5-mile Scout Trail loop and other hiking paths directly from the campground. Sites are generally well-spaced with moderate privacy, though some road noise may be noticeable from nearby highways. Independence Dam sites offer river views with limited direct water access at specific points. Tent campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere at these locations, particularly on weekdays when fewer visitors are present. One camper noted that White Oak Campground is "a gem hiding within plain sight" with inexpensive sites and regularly cleaned facilities.

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Best Tent Sites Near Paulding, Ohio (7)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Paulding, OH

8 Photos of 7 Paulding Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Paulding, OH

339 Reviews of 7 Paulding Campgrounds


  • Megan T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2019

    White Oak Campground

    Peaceful Greenery

    I had a friend's wedding at The Stables (which I didn't realize was 3 min away) and decided to camp here rather than get a hotel. I set up right at 3 at Site 7 - there's no check-in process or attendant. I hadn't printed my permit, so I wondered if I would get a visit from a ranger but all was quiet. The site was spacious, sandy, and well suited for both tent and hammock. The fire ring was in good condition and fire wood was already stacked. The property was well maintained and the bathrooms clean and cool - the women's did have some standing water from a leaky toilet it looked like. You can hear distant cars and some not so distant planes. Also, while all the sites are wooded the woods are not very thick so you can see and hear your neighbors pretty well. Site number three looks at the most secluded to me while site number four was pretty much in the open beside the bathrooms. Group sites were full sun it appeared. The stream behind my site was dry. Nice map and brochures at the parking area. Sturdy picnic tables.

  • L
    Oct. 15, 2018

    White Oak Campground

    BEAUTIFUL! 10/10 would camp here again!

    Campground is nicely kept, only 5 individual sites, has two group sites. Nice restroom facilities, FREE firewood available. Grey water sinks for dish cleaning. Picnic table and fire ring at each site. Parking is general, but close to each site. We were there on a Monday night, only had one other tent in the campground. Nice flat sand pads for tents to set up on!

    DOWNSIDE: MUST RESERVE ONLINE BEFORE 4PM. There is no walk-up service, and online site goes down after employees go home at night.

  • N
    Apr. 17, 2019

    Indian Springs Campground

    Dirty

    Dirty restrooms. Dirty lake. You have to pay extra to use the slide. Camp sites have been cut in half. Only 1 bathhouse/restrooms all the eay in the front at the beach. On the 2nf day we did find a porta potty in the back but it was nasty and everyone refused to use it. Manager was rude when i could not fit my car, tent (10x20), table and fire ring on out site. Told me o had to move my tent 1 foot over after it was already set up and loaded with beds. She left and I pulled it down and restaked just in time for her to vome and look disappointed that i had followed her order to pull it down and said i did not have to do that. The site was mostly dirt very little to no grass. When it rained we had nothing but mud. Hay rides on the weekend were late and the man driving it went way to fast down the back hill making you feel you were about to fall out. Employees childrwn throwing water on the people riding the hay ride. Someone went around fogging for mosquitos and allowed the children to run and play in the fog. Karaoke lady was extremely rude to all the children.

  • Clay T.
    Dec. 26, 2024

    Chain O'lakes State Park Dispersed Campsite

    "Free, never heard of that app."

    Although it states in the app free dispersed camping. Doesn't always mean just that. The cheapest campsite at primitive camping is $12 bucks. (Tent sites) For more, you can get electric hookup sites galore that all include a fire ring picnic table and a pretty leveled out spot.

  • A
    Dec. 8, 2020

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Hidden gem for the right people

    This park is great for the right kind of trips, we visit here often in the summer to enjoy the river, kayak , and relax. Most sites are on a small elevated bank on maumee river, (you can walk down the path but not put a kayak in)

    There are no hookups, only vault toilets, no staff only very nice camp hosts ( there are next to site 11 ). 

    Sites 1-6 are misleading on the site, they are not on the river bend, there is a gravel trail/road between them and the river bank. its not a huge deal for access but annoying if your expecting direct access. 

    Sites 9 and 10 were not bookable in 2020 an hopefully remain that way, they are basically in front on the camp host site, so the camp host is between you and the river. 

    Sites 11-15 are the best in my opinion 

    Site 13 has direct access to the river on a small walking path.

    Site 15 is our favorite, it has the most room and still has a small path down to the river.

  • Robin H.
    Jul. 21, 2020

    Kilsoquah Camp

    LOVE but.....

    We love camping out here. It’s our favorite place to be in Huntington. It’s super cheap, the sites are well taken care of, plenty of play spots for kids, electric and primitive, the sites come with picnic tables and fire rings with cooktops, some of the spots are out in the open and others are inset back into the trees. Some spots have wonderful views of the lake too! Our only issue is that because there is no one constantly there like a normal campsite, there are people who take the best view spots are stay for weeks on end knowing you can only stay, I think 14days, before moving to a new spot. Went there this past weekend and the people across from us were also BLARING music so loud you could feel the bass in your chest. We kindly asked if they could lower it, not turn it off, just lower it and the man was so kind and did it, however the woman threw a fit and turned the music back up. We ended up moving sites even tho we paid for that specific one and already were set up. There is no number to call so you just have to deal. But it’s totally worth it for the price and the sites. People just need to learn camping rules and take other people into consideration. 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • Cassandra C.
    Oct. 3, 2017

    White Oak Campground

    Beautiful, small campground

    I camped at this campground after completing the 15.5 mile Scout Trail loop (aka "Hiking Trail" and Yellow trail) that runs through Oak Openings. I was able to park my car here in the morning, hop on the trail (which runs right through the campground), and return later in the day. The sites are very nicely spaced and shaded, and not right on the parking lot. There are no showers, but there are bathrooms with flush toilets. The firewood is free, which is amazing. There is also a dish washing station near the restrooms, with a huge sink and hot water. I absolutely loved my night here, as well as the hike. Definitely a great park.

  • Andrea F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 30, 2020

    Grand Lake St. Marys State Park — Grand Lake St Marys State Park

    Off Season and No Water

    We love camping in the off season but with that comes closures. Some sections of the campgrounds might not be open, no camp hosts and limited bathrooms and showers houses. This is to be expected, but when I called the morning of our trip to make sure potable water was available and I was told yes it was only to drive 2 hours and realized they were wrong. No water 🙁. This would not have been a peas we have dry camped before but all the bathrooms were closed as well.

    After called the park ranger he did let us get some water at the maintenance building so we were at least able to finish the weekend. Lesson learned always pull with at least some water.

    Now back to the campground itself was nice and clean. Site are a little close together. The biggest down side is you are there to enjoy the lake but the lake had algae warnings everywhere not to go near the water.

    They do have a dog park, pool and splash pad when in season and a marina. Also they have WiFi and good cell coverage.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2019

    Independence Dam State Park Campground

    Not feeling the love

    When researching our trip, I came upon this state park right on the Maumee River and was very surprised to find it had not been previously reviewed. The website indicated the sites were tent only but when I called, I was told we could park and sleep in our campervan. When I tried to make reservations, there was a two-night minimum on the weekends and we were just passing through so I decided to see if we might be able to snag one night if there were sites available. 

    There is a two-mile road to the campsites once you enter the park and along the way, we passed many pull-out day-use picnic areas on nicely manicured grounds. Once we reached the campsites, there seemed to be less attention paid to the area. Turns out that there were only a very few sites that had paved pads that would accommodate our van; the rest were clearly for tents only (but there was no way to tell this from the website). Even though I had seen that about half of the sites were reserved, there was no one there at 4:30 on a Friday. There did not seem to be any staff or rangers on-site and there is self-registration. The rates seemed kind of steep ($19 on weekdays; $20 weekends and $22 on holiday weekends) for sites with no hookups and only porta-potties. We saw some people fishing near the dam and perhaps the campground would be suitable for these folks and/or people boating/kayaking in who portage down the river (there is a marina) but it just did not feel like a place we wanted to camp.


Guide to Paulding

If you're looking for tent camping near Paulding, Ohio, there are several great options that offer a mix of natural beauty and outdoor activities.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping range from $19 to $22

Tent campers should check out Independence Dam State Park Campground

  • This campground features clean facilities and a beautiful paved path along the river, making it a great spot for walking or biking.
  • With no electric hookups and a pet-friendly policy, Independence Dam State Park Campground is perfect for those who want a more rustic camping experience.
  • The campground allows fires, so you can enjoy cozy evenings under the stars while roasting marshmallows.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Paulding, OH is Independence Dam State Park Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 4 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Paulding, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.