Looking for an adventure where you can explore Paulding and then fall asleep in your tent? The Dyrt can help you find the best tent campsites for your next trip. Each tent site offers quick access to one or more of Paulding, Ohio's most popular destinations.
$18 - $25 / night
White Oak Campground is a primitive campground. It has eight individual and two group campsites for tent camping. Only tent camping is permitted.
$30 - $40 / night
Each site is in a wooded, shaded area with a flat area on the ground to place a large tent. Each site has its own fire ring and a small wooden table. There is cut firewood in several locations in the woods for all to use, and ample twigs etc on the ground for kindling (do not cut any trees or branches off trees). There are maintained trails with river access for kayaks. There is a single bathroom with flush toilet and sink with running water that is a short walk away. There is an outdoor shower at bathroom, with a water hose available as well. Foster Park is a short bike ride away where you will find greenway trails that run throughout Fort Wayne (ride your bike to downtown!!)
Link to Trails Maps
fwtrails.org
Need to rent a bike or kayak:
fwoutfitters.com/#
The Cannaley Treehouse Village is the only public treehouse village in the country, creating an experience that is truly one-of-a-kind. Treehouse Village includes six-, four- and two-person treehouses plus three raised platforms attached to trees for tent and hammock camping.
The treehouses have electricity with heat and air conditioning. There restrooms and shower facilities are nearby.
A large common treehouse available for day uses, a group gathering place around a campfire, connecting boardwalks, a canopy bridge and a crow's nest complete the charming village in the trees.
Treehouse Village Features A six-person treehouse A four-person treehouse (ADA accesible) Two, 2-person treehouses Three tent/hammock platforms for camping in the trees A common treehouse with seating for up to 20 people (day use only; ADA accessible) A crow’s nest A canopy walk linking the common treehouse to the crow's nest Restrooms with showers Common fire pit (wood provided)
This campground is a primitive campground. It has two individual and one group campsite for tent camping. Only tent camping is permitted. Please note that our campgrounds required 24 hour advance reservations via phone or online. All renters will receive an email confirmation, that must be brought with you. If you made a reservation and did not receive an email confirmation please call customer service at 419-407-9700, Monday through Friday. Due to the high volumes of campers, we may not be able to accommodate requests to move campsites with less than 24 hours notice and are subject to availability.
Day Camping available November through April, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to book call 419-407-9701.
$20 - $30 / night
Traveler
There is a Waterpark, pool, and hot tub at this campground you can access for an additional price. I camped in a tent next to the cabin that my sister rented so I'm not sure about the tent sites that are available. There are ALOT of full time campers here so I was under the impression that a good site will be hard to find here, but the bathrooms were good and there were things to do so I will try this place out again.
Traveler
They have lots of hiking, biking, and boating. They have cabins, rob hook ups, and tent camping.
Traveler
Second time out love this place has a swimming pool and splash pad for the kids and lots of parks and horseshoe pits bike rentals and put put golf but everything is closed from covid definitely my favorite place to camp primitive or electric tent camp
Traveler
A quite lil campground with both trailer and tent sites they also offer annual sites it’s very close to oak openings state Forest and a short drive to shopping and eating great place for bird watching and fishing
Scout
Campgrounds looks very nice. Two beautiful lakes, nice wooded lots available but $40 for a primitive tent campsite is a bit much. I did not stay.
Guide
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.
TravelerCampground at Chain O Lakes State Park is a moderately wooded campground with standard sites. Some camping sites are more private than others and caters to RVs since many of sites are not level. They have a primitive loop with flat sites which makes for great tent camping. The beach is a fun activity for the kids and there are several lakes linked together via narrow creeks which can used by canoes and kayaks.
Traveler
Pokagon State Park has an excellent state park campground. Sites are in a well wooded area situated on 5 different loops (1 non-electric, 4 electric). Many sites are flat (good for tent camping) while others are slightly rolling hills (helps breakup the sites a bit). There is a lot to do in the park including many trails, horse riding (horse stable on site), and lake swimming on a nicely improved beach. Only cons are no full hook up and the fire rings/grills could be improved.
Legend
Only 30 minutes down the river from Independence Dam State Park, this park was markedly different. Because there was a two-night minimum reservation on weekends and we were just passing through, we decided to try and roll the dice and see if we could slide into a spot for just a night without a reservation. Alas, the only spots still available were walk-in tent sites which would not work for us. This park was laid out more like an RV park with the sites very close together and no privacy between them (Site 16 looked to be the best one for privacy). Except for the walk-in tent sites, electric and/or electric/water hookups were available. As we pulled in, the host immediately greeted us and was very friendly (she genuinely wanted to find us a spot). There is a marina/store close-by and the quaint town of Grand Rapids (which you could walk to if you wanted) had several shops and restaurants. We would have stayed here for the night if a site had been available, so make sure you make reservations if you are coming on a weekend (and can stay for two nights).
Legend
We stayed at this campground in the group camp area. The sites are tight but do provide water and 30 amp electric.
The campground offers a pond for fishing , swimming pool , bounce pad , inflatable lake fun, dog park and mini golf.
Since we were there as a group event we didn’t use any of the extras but it all looked nice and clean plus lots of fun.
Cell coverage was spotty but you could usually get some kind of signal.
The campground has a lot of seasonal sites as well as primitive tent camping and standard rv sites.
Legend
Really enjoyed this campground for the short amount of time we were in the area visiting family The park and facilities were very clean, sites were well-spaced, there is a nice walking/biking trail, and had full hook-ups. This campground is associated with Historic Sauder Village – a living history destination in northern Ohio. (You can get discount admission to the village if you stay in the campground.) The campground filled up on the weekend but emptied out on Sunday. The RV sites are long, level, and have either 50 amp full hook-up or water and electric only. Tent sites are scattered along the pond which made for a nice view; except, the ridiculous number of geese meant there was poop everywhere along the shoreline and throughout the tent section. Staff does haze the geese but it was not enough to keep them away during the afternoon.
A fee is charged to enter the historic village or you can ask for a “shoppers pass” and visit the stores inside the village. Located on the grounds (and within walking distance of the campground) is a restaurant, bakery, gift shop and hotel (which has an indoor pool, hot tub, and game room campers are allowed to use). The restrooms, laundry, and showers were very clean and relatively new. Other amenities include basketball, shuffleboard, horse shoes, splash pad, volleyball, corn holes, lake for fishing, and free WiFi. There are a couple of covered group picnic areas available for anyone to use which is nice if you have a big group wanting to get together.
The campground is about four miles south of the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/90) which is pretty convenient if you are just passing through and looking for a place to stay overnight. The town of Archbold is pretty small but does have a decent grocery and restaurants. The nearby town of Bryan is larger and has a really funky brewery/restaurant housed an old church (Father Johns).
Ranger
We stayed here for free for 10 days as a part of a promotion that came with the purchase of our rig. Not sure about normal pricing though, as this campground is owned by Venture Out Resorts and they are a timeshare company (we had to sit for a hour long "pitch" to get our free days). They have 50amp, full hookup, pull through sites (and we saw 40+ ft rigs there) to tent camping to cabin rentals. The campground was clean (shower houses always looked great) and grounds were maintained. Amenities include an indoor pool, hot tub and sauna (close at 10p), but we did not partake because it was so overridden by children, chlorine, and no open windows - didn't seem worth any effort whatsoever in the July heat. The amenities we did checkout (close nightly at 8p) included their new 18 hole mini golf course, small arcade (4 games and pinball was broken 😢), loaner bikes, and water toys (we liked the paddle bikes). The company recently bought the property, so you can see what they inherited vs what it will probably eventually be like based off their sister properties (they recently added the putt putt and a big jungle gym) so it could evolve more as time passes. Regardless, in its current state as active 30 somethings, we were pretty bored. No hiking, significant highway noise, yes a couple big ponds, but a truck stop and truck storage is behind both - so no views. Most of the campers we saw were elderly or had young kids. I'd say if you fall into a category where you want to sit beside your rig all day or want your kids entertained (playgrounds, kids programming - it was luau week so they had a Moana movie night and other kid activities), go on and book a longer stay. If you're only looking for a spot to stay overnight by the highway, do it! It is simple to pull in and have full hookups to take advantage of but a 10 day stay is too long if you're paying. Other things to know: Walmart, Aldi, Lowes, and several automotive chain stores are at max 5 min away, which made grabbing some needed supplies super easy. That said truck stop above was very convenient to get into to fuel up our rig too. Fun fact: Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta and the Armstrong Air & Space Museum is also a max 5 min drive away if you want to get your inner astronaut fix.
Ranger
We like this place a lot. Tucked away in NW Ohio, close to the Michigan & Indiana border.
We were in the north campground. Sites are all level, many very spacious which is unusual for Ohio SPs. No FHUs but don't let that stop you from visiting.
GuideThis was a great campground. VERY clean, nice bathrooms with showers. Ice and Wood easily available. We stayed with four kiddos in a tent spot across from a cool plash pad, a little lake to fish in and close to running water. Only reason this campground doesn’t get five stars is because of noisy trucks/highway noise, and a freight train which drives often at night. There is also a farm near the tenting spots with a rooster. Not the best place for sleeping, but would totally go back!
Scoutgreat like campground on Ohio’s biggest inland lake
GuideWe rented a yurt as a local weekend escape. Our kids loved the yurt. It was nice with a little mini fridge and 4 double beds. Campground showers and bathrooms are clean. It is one of the only state parks in northwest Ohio, a beautiful little spot nestled in farmland of Ohio. The lake is nice for swimming and there are bike rentals which was fun as well. We did not use it, but there is a dog beach as well. Sites are crowed and close together.
Scout
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.
Traveler
Cash only self check in on sight. Very small campground. About 20 electric and 20 tent. Level gravel lots. Not any hiking really, mostly fishing and boating. Nearby town for supplies.
Ranger
The Ottawa Metro Park has a big swimming area, a fishing area, big campsites (mostly for RVs) and walking trails. It's nice. It's Ohio camping, but it's nice. Wouldn't travel far out of my way, but if you're around, you won't regret stopping by.
TravelerTents are welcome, as well as big campers. Have a couple of cabins and yurts. A lot of groups camp here. Not a lot of kids activities, no pool, but does have a beach on the lake, canoe and kayak and paddleboaed rentals and trails for hiking. If you want a quiet retreat, this is usually the place.
GuideCampground was tricky to pick out a site online. Our site ended up being pretty slanted but we were able to make it work with our tent. Beautiful park with great hiking trails. I have AT&T service and decent cell service, my husband has Verizon and he had no service at all.
Guide
We stay here while visiting family nearby Ohio. Lots of shade and quiet even with families and usually pretty full, hosts are extremely nice and accommodating. Swimming pool is clean. Not far from highway but no real traffic noise. Check out the Template of Tolerance a few miles away in Wapakoneta. Definitely with a visit.
Traveler
They really need to focus on how to keep tent campers coming back instead of focusing on the seasonal campers. No grass. Tiny spots. Not enough restrooms. Not enough showers. Sad part is, there is only one restroom and it is 9 times out of 10, too disgusting to use. We will continue coming back once a year, but wish it was nice enough to come back even more than that. The fireworks were amazing though!
ScoutDirty 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.
Traveler
This is a well organized place. It has its own community with club house. It was all RV's with only a handfull of tents including my own. All sites are right next to each other, but it is a pretty quiet place after 9 PM. I did not hear any road noise, which was nice. There are showers and flush toilets too! Overall a good 1 night stop on my way East.
GuideWe stopped here for a night on our cross-country trip, wish we had 2 nights because we had lots of thunderstorms. We camped in our teardrop on the primitive tent loop. Sites were nice and secluded where we were, but you could hear a few late night partiers nearby. Tons of things to do (playgrounds, lake, beach, hiking, horseback and pony rides etc). The lodge is a nice structure but the food we sampled was mediocre.
ScoutWe booked our site through tue reservation page which advertised the site dimensions as 25 x 60, and included photos showing a spacious beautiful site. We were surprised and disappointed to arrive at our site to find barely enough room to put up our tent and the site overgrown with thorny berry bushes and possible poison ivy. The bathrooms are alao gross with water covering the entire floor from either the showers or toilets, or quite possibly both.
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.
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.
Keep Exploring
