Campers can find multiple camping areas near St. Marys, Ohio with options ranging from established state parks to private campgrounds. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers tent, RV, cabin, and glamping accommodations with full hookup sites and amenities including showers, drinking water, and picnic tables. Lake Loramie State Park Campground, located about 15 miles southeast of St. Marys, provides similar accommodation types with boat-in access and hiking trails. According to The Dyrt, several private campgrounds like River Trail Campground and Wapakoneta KOA supplement the public options with additional amenities and seasonal availability.
Camping availability in the region typically runs from April through October, with some campgrounds like Grand Lake St. Marys and Lake Loramie State Parks remaining open year-round. Most established campgrounds require reservations, especially during summer weekends and holidays. Water access is a significant feature of camping in this area, with many sites offering proximity to Grand Lake St. Marys or Lake Loramie for boating, fishing, and swimming. However, water quality concerns occasionally affect recreational activities, particularly at Grand Lake St. Marys. As one camper noted, "The lake is so big, it was like being on the ocean! Could not swim in the water due to contamination which they have spent millions to repair and is slowly on the up and up."
Several visitors mentioned the family-friendly nature of campgrounds in the area, with amenities like playgrounds, swimming pools, and organized activities. Campsite privacy varies significantly between locations, with some offering wooded sites while others feature more open layouts. A camper reviewing Lake Loramie State Park wrote, "Relax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat." Campground density tends to be higher during summer months, particularly at waterfront sites. For those seeking more seclusion, primitive camping options exist along sections of the Buckeye Trail, including an Adirondack shelter between Points 6 and 7 on the St. Mary's Section that accommodates up to six people and features a stone fireplace.
$29 - $110 / night
"great like campground on Ohio’s biggest inland lake"
"friendly staff, very clean restrooms, playground, could not swim in the water due to contamination which they have spent millions to repair and is slowly on the up and up, not too far from town, surrounded"
$45 - $100 / night
"Nice lake, you can bring golf carts nice size camping lots. We will go back again great experience beautiful place."
$42 - $55 / night
"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."
"Great service and help getting the trailer positioned correctly. A few food options on site are nice. The actual sites are very small. Not much room to fit the trailer and vehicle."
$27 - $110 / night
"Relax on the waters edge in shear tranquility. Perfect beach for swimming, excellent trails for hiking, and awesome lake to boat. Multiple launch ramps provide ease and convenience."
"Love being so close to the lake we can fish all the time. The beach is a bit of a walk from the campground but not to far. They offer canoe rentals, and bike rentals."
$29 - $52 / night
"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."
"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."
"Therefore no pool or other water amenities except for the lakes. It seems that the 50 amp sights are very spread out and randomly located."
$25 - $30 / night
"Beautiful park with bike and walking paths. Camp hosts are very helpful. Bathrooms and showers are very clean."
"The bath house has men's and women's bathrooms as well as a largish entry room with water fountains (one accessible to those in a wheelchair or child), a vending machine, information about the park, an"
TravelerClean, quiet and very nice. One of about 10 RVS in the park, nice and peaceful. They were exercising the horses this morning, and I really enjoyed watching. The staff was excellent. I thought the experience was great.
ScoutNice small town fairgrounds with modern amenities.
ScoutThe campsites are shaded and pretty level. I am using a pull through and it is long enough for my RV and 24’ trailer. There is a very nice cement slab with a nice fire pit and picnic table.
ScoutWonderful 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.
LegendOur 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.
LegendWe 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.
GuideFirst the good: the campground is big and spacious. Some areas were like RV parking lots- no trees, no shade, but there was a grassy area in the middle with nice big trees and shade. There is a nice pool and splash pad. Weirdly, the pool closed from 4 to 5, leaving us with nowhere to go on a 90+ degree day.
Now, the not-so-good: we stayed in a camper cabin and it was very shabby and dirty. It had bunkbeds, a full size fridge, and a folding table and folding chairs, which was nice (and rare in Ohio state park camper cabins). The bathrooms were average. Not new, not especially sparkling clean, but fine. Not gross, at least.
Now, the terrible: the entire lake stinks of pig poop. All the air smells like poo. You feel like you are breathing feces when you approach the water. We were right on the water so we couldn't escape the smell.
This lake is notorious for having algae blooms that prohibit swimming. So I did a google search before our trip and the Ohio Department of Health reports that the bacteria level in this lake is dangerously high, and no one should swim in this lake. However, when we walked to the campground beach, there was no sign or warning or anything indicating the bacteria in the water- and people were letting their children and dogs swim in it!!
We opted to not kayak or paddleboard in the lake because it was clear that it was full of poop. So we had nothing to do at the park except go to the pool (it was too hot to do anything else). We ended up driving around the country roads and seeing the sights so we could escape the smelly lake and hot poo fumes. Neil Armstrong was born in nearby Wapakoneta so there are some sights to see there, and the towns of Celina and ? one other are cute too.
Overall, I will not return to this lake or this part of the state. If you can't get in the water, paddle board or kayak, the only thing left to do is ride around in a boat and hope the water doesn't get anywhere near your mouth or your skin. No thanks.
TravelerWe stayed 3 nights. Our site was a dirt pads. There are mostly full-time residents. There is the smell of a massive Chicken coup at our site. THERE ARE A TON OF FLIES!!!!! We had flies for days!. We kill 3 and 5 more would pop-up in our trailer. I was so happy to leave this fly infested site.
It's very hard for me to give them less than 5 stairs because, everyone was so nice. We had them filled up our propane tanks and they actually brought them to us and hooked them up while we were gone. Someone even brought us wood planks for stabilizing our trailer. However, truth be told…. our spot was horrible-right next to the laundry room in direct sun and it stunk! The women's shower was gross too. ( I ended up, not using their shower room.)
We never used their pool.
ScoutThe staff is extremely friendly, and try to accomadate with anything you could need. The campesites are fairly large with gravel pads. They offer water and electric hook-up for 30&50 amps. There is not a sewer hook up but they do offer a weekly pump out for a small fee and a dump station on the way out. The pool, ponds, playground and pavillion are all within walking distance from almost any site.
Camping spots near St. Marys, Ohio tend to be busiest from Memorial Day through Labor Day when temperatures average 75-85°F. The flat topography of western Ohio creates camping areas with minimal elevation changes, making most sites accessible for all mobility levels. Several campgrounds in this region offer non-water recreation options like mini-golf, game rooms, and organized weekend activities.
Fishing opportunities: At Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, the lake supports multiple fish species despite water quality concerns. One camper noted, "The campground is big and spacious. Some areas were like RV parking lots- no trees, no shade, but there was a grassy area in the middle with nice big trees and shade."
Playgrounds and recreation: River Trail Campground offers activities beyond swimming. A visitor mentioned, "My kids had a great time, the playground is very nice, there is a nice pool and a clean pond that is stocked with bluegills."
Visit nearby attractions: The Wapakoneta area contains points of interest related to astronaut Neil Armstrong. As one camper at Wapakoneta KOA shared, "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."
Clean bathhouses: Campers frequently mention bathroom cleanliness as a standout feature at Ottawa Metro Park Campground. One reviewer stated, "It's clean as clean can be, including the bathrooms. The bath house has men's and women's bathrooms as well as a largish entry room with water fountains."
Swimming options: Multiple water recreation choices exist beyond just lake swimming. A visitor to Indian Lake State Park Campground commented, "There is a camper beach area, swimming pool and boat launch within the campground."
Level sites: Many campgrounds offer well-maintained camping pads. One reviewer at Ottawa Metro Park noted, "The sites are well spaced and beautifully maintained. We picked site 30 because it had ample trees on its west side to create nice shade in the afternoon."
Water quality concerns: Several lakes in the region experience periodic algae issues. A camper at Lake Loramie State Park reported, "There were signs posted everywhere to use caution with the water because they were know to have blue green algae in the water so we had to keep the dogs away from it."
Site privacy varies: Campground layouts range from open to partially wooded. An Indian Lake visitor explained, "The down since a lot of site are in full sun and no privacy. We do like the B section and try to stay there when we can."
Seasonal mosquitoes: Bug activity peaks in summer months. One Lake Loramie camper shared, "The bugs were really bad every time we were outside. There are several nice walking trails but the mosquitoes were so bad even in the day that we kept away."
Pool access timing: Check pool schedules for closures or restrictions. A Grand Lake visitor mentioned, "There is a nice pool and splash pad. Weirdly, the pool closed from 4 to 5, leaving us with nowhere to go on a 90+ degree day."
Weekend activities: Many campgrounds offer structured programs. At Ottawa Metro Park, "While we were there, there was a Blue Grass music event scheduled at the nearby amphitheater."
Kid-friendly campsites: Choose spots near playgrounds for convenience. A camper at River Trail noted, "We had a great weekend of camping! The weather was perfect, the kids loved the playground and had fun at the Fun Field Day activities!"
Site dimensions: Check specific site measurements before booking. A visitor to Wapakoneta KOA advised, "The actual sites are very small. Not much room to fit the trailer and vehicle. Basically the site is as wide as your awning."
Pull-through configurations: Some sites have cramped pull-through arrangements. At Grand Lake St. Marys, a camper observed, "The pull through area is very cramped; more like a parking lot; the campground is quiet; family friendly; no golf carts all over."
Amenities vary by section: Campground sections often have different features. An Indian Lake visitor pointed out, "We do like the B section and try to stay there when we can. There are no hiking trails or at least none that I have found and the paved trail you have to drive to as well as the disc golf course."
Frequently Asked Questions
How close are camping facilities to St. Marys attractions?
Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers the most convenient access to St. Marys attractions, situated directly on Ohio's largest inland lake with immediate access to water recreation. For those seeking proximity to town amenities, Rustic Haven Campgrounds is located near St. Marys with easy access to local shops and restaurants. Most camping options in the area are within a 15-30 minute drive of major attractions, making day trips convenient for campers wanting to explore the region.
What are the best campgrounds in St. Marys, Ohio?
The standout option in the area is Lake Loramie State Park Campground, offering a beautiful lake with islands and coves perfect for paddling or fishing, hiking trails, and a swimming beach. For those looking for family amenities, Indian Lake State Park Campground provides a well-maintained pool with lifeguards, clean facilities, and fishing opportunities. If you prefer a private campground with modern amenities, Wapakoneta KOA offers shaded sites, a clean swimming pool, and friendly hosts while still being close to St. Marys attractions.
What camping is available near St. Marys, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, St. Marys, OH offers a wide range of camping options, with 64 campgrounds and RV parks near St. Marys, OH and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near St. Marys, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near St. Marys, OH is Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near St. Marys, OH?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near St. Marys, OH.
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