Camping sites near Stout, Ohio provide opportunities for outdoor recreation along the Ohio River. While access to the river defines many camping experiences in this area, camping options also extend to nearby forested regions in both Ohio and Kentucky. The region's clay soil drains quickly after rain, making camping practical even during wet periods, though sites on higher ground are recommended during spring flooding season.
What to do
Hiking across the street: At Sandy Springs Campground, campers can access hiking trails without driving elsewhere. As one visitor noted, "We had a great hike at a trailhead directly across the street from the campground. Took us a little over 3 hours for the entire loop with a 4 year. He walked almost the entire way so it's doable and the views are worth it."
Cave exploration: Carter Caves State Resort Park offers unique underground adventures about 40 miles from Stout. A visitor described it as "a beautiful state park with breathtaking views of creeks along the roadway, wonderful landscape designed by nature, good hiking trails, peaceful campground, and a nice lodge."
Disc golf and water activities: Shawnee State Park provides recreational diversity beyond camping. According to a reviewer, the park is "Large beautiful diverse fun. Just a beautiful park. Clean well maintained. Lots of amenities. Paddle boats, marina, 18 hole disc golf, bike park, huge dog park, store, archery range, playground and trails."
What campers like
River views: Sandy Springs Campground receives consistent praise for its waterfront location. A camper shared, "We had a riverfront site. The camp hosts are very nice and attentive to your needs. We will return." Another noted, "We stayed in site 10 right on the river and the views were great. Lots of green area to play. Huge open field as well by playground."
Secluded tent sites: Campers appreciate the private tent areas at Shawnee State Park Campground. A visitor remarked, "Unlike many Ohio State parks I've visited, the Shawnee campground has a variety of great tent sites. Several of these are hidden in the trees at the top of some steps and up a short path... If you don't mind hauling your gear a short distance from your car, sites like this are perfect as they're for tent campers only."
Clean facilities: The Ohio River Campground at Shawnee State Park-Ohio River Campground maintains high standards. As one camper noted, "The sites are spacious with level, asphalted pads. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. Toward the front of the campground is a great splash pad, playground, and dog park, which includes an agility course. The bath house was clean. A laundry room was available."
What you should know
Limited cell service: Connectivity varies widely between campgrounds in the region. At Shawnee State Park, "There is absolutely no cell service in the Campground. The lodge at the top of the hill has a weak signal, but is better than nothing if you really need to check in with outside world."
Electrical hookup challenges: Some campgrounds have unusual electrical arrangements. At Greenbo Lake State Resort Park, "They advertise the sites with 30 and 50 amp hookups. What they didn't say was that you had to share a post. The people beside me already had the 50 amp. I pulled everything to run on propane that I could and plugged into the 30 amp."
Seasonal activities: While some campgrounds operate year-round, activity schedules vary. At Sandy Springs Campground, one visitor noted in April: "No activities yet this year as the season just started. Not sure if there is enough to do with kids for an entire week but we had fun for the weekend."
Tips for camping with families
Sandy Springs programming: Family activities are plentiful at certain times of year. A reviewer shared their experience: "The campsite is totally geared towards family fun! The owners are so hospitable, that you feel like family! One of the most fun places we've ever stayed! My kids were busy nonstop with planned fun activities!"
Splash pad and playground access: The newer facilities at Shawnee State Park-Ohio River Campground include family amenities. "Toward the front of the campground is a great splash pad, playground, and dog park, which includes an agility course. These are located away from the RV's; therefore, the campground was very quiet and peaceful."
Halloween festivities: Twin Knobs Recreation Area hosts seasonal events. A visitor mentioned, "We were there on their Halloween weekend, with a fun site-decorating contest and trick or treat in the afternoon, which was mildly annoying for us because they closed the roads from 2 to 6 so we could not drive back to our site."
Tips from RVers
Site selection matters: Pay attention to pad length when reserving. At Turkey Creek Campground, a reviewer warned: "We had reserved Site 63 based on a review I read probably on The Dyrt but I would not recommend this site as it was decidedly not level and had a very short pad. Many of the other sites had even shorter pads; these would really best be suitable for tent campers as the pad would only fit a regular-size vehicle."
Extension cord needs: At some parks, electrical hookups may require additional equipment. A reviewer noted at Shawnee State Park: "Most sites are only 30 amp electric, no sewer or water hookup, which can be typical of state parks."
Spacious sites available: For those seeking room to spread out, Shawnee State Park-Ohio River Campground offers "some of the largest and best spaces camp sites of any full hookup we have visited. There are great walking paths and biking/scooter options. Our site was closer to the main road than any other but it was still a few hundred yards away."
