Best Tent Camping near South Bloomingville, OH

The forest-covered hills surrounding South Bloomingville, Ohio offer several primitive tent camping options within state forests and privately managed campgrounds. Zaleski State Forest provides a network of backcountry tent campsites along a multi-loop trail system, while Monday Creek OHV Dispersed camping area offers free tent sites with more basic amenities. Both locations are within 25 miles of South Bloomingville and provide access to the region's hiking trails and natural features.

Most primitive tent sites in the Hocking Hills region require campers to pack in essential supplies. Zaleski State Forest backpacking campsites include potable water from spigots and vault toilets, but campers should bring their own toilet paper. Sites typically feature small fire rings and log seating areas on natural forest terrain. Access varies from walk-in tent camping at established sites to more remote backcountry locations requiring short hikes. Fires are permitted at most locations, though fire bans may be implemented during dry periods, particularly during late summer and early fall.

The tent camping experience in this region offers a genuine connection to Ohio's forested landscapes. Campsites at Zaleski are positioned along ridgelines and in valleys, providing varied terrain for tent setup. The trail network includes multiple loop options averaging about 10 miles per loop, making it suitable for weekend backpacking trips. Areas farther from parking lots tend to offer more solitude, especially midweek. Tent campers should prepare for potentially muddy conditions after rainfall. A review from The Dyrt noted, "The trails are well marked and easy to follow. And there are several loop sections so you can easily plan various trips accordingly. There are three main camping areas with established fire rings, bathrooms and water supplies."

Best Tent Sites Near South Bloomingville, Ohio (21)

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Tent Camping Reviews near South Bloomingville, OH

627 Reviews of 21 South Bloomingville Campgrounds


  • Eira T.
    Jul. 5, 2015

    Burr Oak Cove Campground

    Quiet campground in Wayne National Forest!

    We enjoyed walk-in site #3 during a holiday weekend. The walk-in sites afford more privacy and tree cover than the drive-up sites, where you can see your neighbors on all sides. No showers or sinks, just several vault toilets. Potable water available throughout the camp. Camp sites are $10 a night.

    Neighbors were fairly quiet, and there is one trail that leads down to Burr Oak lake. The trail is 1 mile, but it seems to link up with some longer yellow and green-blazed trails that go around the lake. The campground is also a short drive from the Wildcat Hollow trail head in the Athens Unit of Wayne National Forest

  • B
    Oct. 23, 2021

    Forked Run State Park Campground

    Bad for tents

    Went there in October. No attendance around and not many campers. Sites are very bad for tent camping and not the bet for RV’s. Back ins are sort and most sites have no level ground even for the picnic table or fire ring. Showers were clean but cold. Vault toilets only and stuck to high Heaven. Not serviced well at all. Hiked the lake view trail, poorly maintained. The upper loop from the beach end is very hard to find and not marked at all. Even more disappointing than Hope Lake which has its own site problems for tents.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 6, 2017

    Blue Rock State Park Campground

    It's moss I think....

    Blue Rock State Park is outside Zanesville, Oh off I70. Rt 60 takes you South and then you have a choice of routes in. Good Ohio farmland scenery.

    Out of the way, small camping area with basic sites. A cool feature is a few of the sites have pavilion type covered patios that you can pitch your tent in to help stay dry during inclimate weather.

    Otherwise the sites are close together. Though there are a few sites that are more off to themselves, they are still wide open with sparse tree cover.

    The restroom is basic, the showerhouse is located at the reservoir beach as well as the camp store and boat rental.The staff was very knowledgeable about the area and conversational.

    Several trails are in the area, the Horse Camp is up the road. In addition to this area there is the Blue Rock State Forest that offers several out door activities, check out their map and site online.

  • Alex M.
    Jul. 20, 2022

    Krodel Park Campground

    Nice park, awful bathrooms

    This is a strange campground, but not a bad one. It is minutes away from downtown Point Pleasant. I had spent the afternoon exploring the town and didn't feel like driving further. There aren't many campgrounds nearby, so this place came to the rescue.

    The park's main feature is a lake that looks to be artificial. Maybe an old gravel quarry? The terrain around the lake is nicely landscaped. There is a paved path along the shore, along with picnic tables and shelters. Kayak rentals are available and the lake is stocked with fish.

    Most of the campground is RV focused, but I stayed at a primitive tent site. These are located closer to the entrance. There are no site numbers. Just pull your car up onto the grass and set up wherever. A few picnic tables and electrical outlets are spaced out along the road. There were a few other campers here when I visited, but there was enough room for us to maintain good separation. No shade trees or shrubs for privacy, though.

    This is not a particularly quiet or restful campground. The day use area around the lake was hopping, with people coming and going well into the night. No closing time, or just not enforced? Not sure. Having so much traffic was a little uncomfortable from a safety standpoint, but nothing untoward happened while I was there. There was also quite a bit of noise from the nearby road and railroad.

    The biggest problem with this campground was the bathroom. It was one of the worst I've seen. It may very well have been cleaned recently, but it was so dark and dingy that I couldn't tell. No windows and just a single bare incandescent bulb for illumination. Reminded me of a gas station toilet. The sink barely drained, the toilet barely flushed, and the urinal looked like it was about to fall off the wall. I have used vault toilets that were much, much nicer than this. I found myself wishing for one of those. Gross.

    There is only one other bathroom located closer to the RV area, and this looked to be just as bad. To be clear, there are only two single occupancy men's rooms for the ENTIRE campground. Yes, there are a few porta potties scattered around as well, but this is ridiculous. This place needs to invest in better facilities.

  • Anna S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Scioto Trail State Park Campground

    Tent only sites - quiet, wooded

    I stayed in the non-electric, tent-only campground NOT the RV campground. Out of curiosity, I drove through the RV campground and it was so loud and cramped! But the tent-only area is separate. Walk-in sites with pit toilets and potable water. The map of how the sites are laid out online is extremely inaccurate, I would not have picked my site if it had been accurate. But there was only one other camper and we all had plenty of space - I could barely see them through the trees. All sites appeared to have a picnic table and fire ring. Many miles of trails / dirt roads for hiking and biking. Clear skies at night. Very relaxing.

  • Dave V.
    Oct. 31, 2019

    Hocking Hills State Park Campground

    Close proximity to natural attractions

    Hocking Hills State Park, Oh-Site 89. https://thehockinghills.org/

    Hocking Hills State Park offers close proximity to most of the popular natural attractions...Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, etc....but for a tent camper that prefers solitude and space, I found it unappealing.

    I did arrive late on a Monday evening, mid-October and got one of the last available sites. Packed on a Monday night!

    I found the camping sites a bit cramped both in depth and width. Site 89 and 90 shared the same parking pad. Limited flat locations existed for a tent and my tent footprint is fairly small. You do have a firepit and picnic table with all three in fairly close proximity, so you must be extremely cautious with wind direction when deciding for a fire, else you’ll have embers dotting your tent and picnic table. Even though the neighbors were trying to be respectfully quiet...you heard every conversation and saw their every move.

    No electric, which is fine in my book...the water spigot is centrally located on the loop and happened to be next to my site.

    The restroom/shower facilities were not well cared for upon my visit. The floors were very muddy and trash was piled up in the corner of one stall and out of necessities.

    Construction and dump truck noise started early with a project behind the restrooms.

    The visitor’s center was well-stocked and the employee was pleasant. Cell service is unavailable and even sketchy at the visitor’s center. Wood can be purchased at the visitor’s center.

    Close proximity to local attractions and a swimming pool are likely the big draw.

    Knowing that I prefer solitude and distance when camping, I’ll likely not return but choose nearby Lake Hope State Park for my local visits.

  • A
    Oct. 18, 2020

    Burr Oak State Park Campground

    Nice trails, not so nice campsites

    Most of the sites at this state park campground are very small and don’t have much level ground. Even the sites meant for RVs and trailers are right on top of each other. It’s almost like they took what should have been one site and made it two. There’s a handful of sites that offer a little space and level ground for tent campers. You may or may not have a picnic table and fire ring with a grill at your campsite when you arrive. According to staff, people take the fire rings and I guess there’s nothing they can do. Bathrooms were clean. The lake view trail was nice and accessible from the campground.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2020

    A.W. Marion State Park Campground

    A Good Place to Meet is in the Middle

    A new site for us at this campground, site 59 which is an inside site. We also had friends who booked 2 inside sites very nearby so we were able to all set up in the middle and share a large space for 10 people and 7 dogs. We were able to be socially distant, have space for cornhole and lots of room for the dogs. Our site pad was pretty level. My husband went over the pad just a little onto the grass, as the other side sloped. So when we stepped out of the camp, we wouldn't be stepping down on a slope. This is one of the quietest campgrounds we go to even though there is plenty for kids to do (playground). Had the weather been better, we would have brought our kayaks for the lake. You have three different types of restrooms. The ones closest to use are the drop toilets, a little further is a porta potty and the furthest was the flush toilets (no showers). It's our little slice of heaven so we like to try a new site each time if we are able. We take our dogs with us so we have to be a little more picky so we don't bother anyone.

  • Ruby W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2019

    Zaleski State Forest

    Ranger Review: Banner & Oak Firebiner at Zaleski South Loop

    Campground Review: With a close friend coming to visit from Spain, I wanted to show her a cool backpacking location in Southeastern Ohio. Zaleski State Forest seemed like a good choice for a new backpacker. There are multiple loops to trek, averaging about 10 miles per loop. Overall the trails are well maintained (minus a few dense areas). There was almost an excessive amount of blazes. Campsites are plentiful along the trails. We stayed at Campsite C. Each site has access to communal well-water and a restroom. Each site usually has a small fire ring and logs to sit on. Overall, the campsites were pretty decent and secluded, but nothing special view wise aside from the typical Ohio forest. I would say pretty overall, but nothing quite outstanding.

    Product Review: The Banner & Oak Firebiner is a neat little tool that has some really fun features! Most notable being the fire starter. The Firebiner uses a small spark wheel and replaceable ferro rod to create sparks. The sparks are pretty large for the little tool. I now use my Firebiner to start my MSR stove quickly and with zero plastic waste! I haven’t used it to try to start a straight up fire, but friends have successfully before. Most importantly, the spark wheel is just darn right fun to play with. The device has other little uses like a bottle opener, utility blade, and screwdriver. I absolutely love this device! Only complaint would be that I wish it came in different colors, but who really cares.

    Here is a link to check out the Firebiner yourself: https://bannerandoak.com/products/banner-and-oak-firebiner?variant=9696793034788&currency=USD&gclid=CjwKCAjwnMTqBRAzEiwAEF3ndu9CmerLos5Y1yvjGHJ2L4FG732wg9bMpyPAJRa3m8dxlxffZ6Nt-RoC6LQQAvD_BwE


Guide to South Bloomingville

Primitive tent campsites near South Bloomingville, Ohio are scattered across the Appalachian foothills where elevations range from 700 to 1,000 feet. The region's terrain alternates between steep ravines and forested ridges, with most camping areas situated on level ground along former logging roads. Night temperatures can drop significantly even in summer, with average overnight lows in July reaching down to 60°F.

What to do

Mountain biking on Baileys Trail System: Access this 31-mile single-track mountain bike system from nearby camping at Benton's on the Baileys. "This campsite is near the Baileys Bike System," notes Keith B., making it a convenient base for cyclists.

Hiking with water access: Many trails connect to fishing spots near campsites. At Monday Creek OHV Dispersed, free primitive tent sites provide trail access. Kevin C. reports, "Camped at the west side of the vaulted toilet lot. Arrived about 5 PM and all 3 camping spots were empty."

Historical exploration: The Moonville Tunnel, accessible via connector trails, offers historical interest for hikers. Leon H. from Zaleski State Forest mentions, "Moonville Tunnel is close and is a great bookend before or after your hike."

What campers like

Privacy at higher elevations: Secluded tent sites require short walks but reward with solitude. "Extremely private primitive camping surrounded by Wayne National Forest and steps from the Baileys Trail System," writes Keith B. about Benton's on the Baileys.

Loop trail options for weekend trips: Multiple backpacking routes allow for varied trip planning. "The trail is diverse and great for beginners and experienced hikers," reports Matt S. about Zaleski State Forest. "Its a popular trail for a reason!"

Ridge camping with valley views: Many sites are positioned on higher ground. Emily M. states, "Excellent campground that is tucked out of the way. You have to walk to the site, up a steep hill, but it is very private and quiet."

What you should know

Trail difficulty varies substantially: Some paths require moderate experience. Kevin T. notes about Zaleski trails, "I'm a backpacker and this was tough. There is clear trails and a lot of rocks to climb on top of."

Water availability fluctuates: Most established sites have water access, but quality varies. Lani R. at Zaleski State Forest Horse Camp reports, "Water is definitely well water tastes meh better off bringing a filter just in case."

Limited cell service: Many tent sites have no connectivity. Lani R. adds, "NO SERVICE PLAN ACCORDING make sure you have a map especially to get out of the park!!!!"

Wildlife encounters: Both wanted and unwanted animals frequent the area. "We ended up meeting our guide kitty friend at camp 1- most likely dumped which sucks but very friendly," shares Lani R.

Tips for camping with families

Choose appropriate loop lengths: Select trails based on children's hiking abilities. Renée C. shares about Zaleski State Forest Horse Camp, "We did the South Loop at Zaleski - 10.9 miles. The hike was great. Lots of ups & downs, a pond & beautiful rock outcroppings."

Watch for poison ivy and ticks: Several campers report these issues on trails. "Trails had lots of poison ivy & ticks present," warns Renée C.

Plan for bathroom needs: Toilet facilities exist but supplies don't. Renée C. notes, "Latrine available (bring toilet paper)."

Consider sharing campsites: Popular areas fill quickly. "Campsites fill up quickly & areas will be shared. Not all have fire rings," Renée C. adds.

Tips from RVers

Arrive early for best spots: Limited parking exists at trailheads and camping areas. Tammy F. at Old Stone Church Campground shares, "Easy pull-thru site for our small travel trailer. Each pull-thru is set-up for horses, but RVs are allowed (according to NFS website)."

Expect basic facilities: Most areas have minimal amenities. "The only facilities here were a single pit toilet (surprisingly clean) and a trash can at each site," reports Tammy F.

Cell service varies by location: Some sites have better connectivity than others. Tammy F. notes, "I had good 4G ATT service. Worked well, with no drops. Data was a bit slower than usual but still good."

Honor system payment: Many sites operate on self-registration. "Campsite fee is $15 on the honor system. If you have a National Park's Golden Age or Access pass, they honor a 50 percent discount," explains Tammy F.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near South Bloomingville, OH?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near South Bloomingville, OH is Zaleski State Forest with a 4.4-star rating from 17 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near South Bloomingville, OH, with real photos and reviews from campers.