Hidden Hollow Campground, near Bloomingdale, Ohio, is a free camping location that offers a peaceful escape into nature. With designated sites featuring picnic tables and fire rings, it’s an ideal place to unwind and enjoy a campfire under the stars.

The campground is well-maintained, providing pit toilets and a hand pump for water, though visitors should bring their own drinking water. Many campers have praised the tranquility of the area, with one noting, “Great, quiet, close to nature experience.” However, be prepared for some noise from a nearby gun range, which can be heard throughout the day.

For those looking to stretch their legs, there are hiking trails nearby, and fishing opportunities are just a short drive away. While the campground is free, registration is required upon arrival, and the ranger checks in regularly. If you're seeking a budget-friendly camping experience with a laid-back vibe, Hidden Hollow Campground is worth considering.

Hidden Hollow Campground — Fernwood State Forest

Valley View, OH is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Valley View. Find the best campgrounds near Valley View, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.

Valley View

The Best Camping Near Valley View, Ohio

Spent the first camping trip of the summer here on Memorial Day weekend and it was a beautiful spot. There are a number of sites set up in a circle, the initial sites are better suited for RVs while the sites along the back of the loop are flatter and can accommodate a tent. This was our first car camping in an actual campground experience in a while - our last few trips were all backcountry sites - and it felt very luxurious. The campground is situated near shooting ranges so the gunfire lasts late into the evening and begins early in the morning disrupting the serenity a bit.

The best part - it's free! Just register at the box. There are vault toilets and each site has a fire ring, picnic table, garbage cans, and there are spots to dump waste water. It's very well-organized and well maintained.

Free!

All paved sites with picnic tables. Most have fire rings. All free but you must fill out a registration card. There are pit toilets and a water pump. The ranger comes by everyday to collect registration cards.

Looking for a free camp this one is it

It is a very well maintenance campsite most have fire pits a lot of level ground for tent camping pull in parking spots for RVs and campers a bathroom on site and two different trails to hike fishing minutes away the gun rage is also near (the gunshots don’t bother me) must register when you arrive at the box attached to the bathroom building can’t beat it for FREE

Relaxing camping 

This tiny gem of a campground is actually quite decent.  Each site is furnished with a small fire ring and picnic table.  The fire rings do not have a grill grate.  The pit toilets in the restroom are "fragrant" when you enter the women's side of the building but not so terribly that they can't be used.  My friend did gag upon entering the men's room.  There are designated wastewater areas to dump grey water, but you'll have to bring your own water for drinking, washing, etc.  There are no electric hookups. 

As others have mentioned, there is a gun range nearby and you can hear occasional firing.  Helicopter traffic at night was a slight distraction from the otherwise quiet night I spent here.  

There is an easy orange-blazed trail behind site 10 but as of this writing, a
there are several downed trees blocking the trail a good distance in.

I'd definitely stay again.  

5/3/2021 Edited to add:. Well, our second stay here is decidedly less positive.  We are at site 9 this time.  No fire ring here.  The women's bathroom is filthy and it made me gag (there is feces all over one toilet seat and the other smells so bad that I just peed in the woods).  It's turkey season so lots of noise in the woods.  

Can't beat free, but caveats abound.

We needed a place to crash after traveling all day and knew it was going to be a quick turnaround so we stumbled upon this campsite. It served its purpose as it allowed us to rest for the night. However, I didn’t feel very safe! All through the night there were sketchy cars and trucks in and out of the campground. The noise level was high all throughout the night. We got lucky and landed a level site, but most of the sites are extremely unlevel. Luckily, it wasn’t too crowded (other than the people coming and going), but the sites are very close together. 
Didn’t use the restroom facilities as we had our own, but they looked very unkept from the outside. 

Free for a reason? 

Gun range 5 mins away or so. Bees are ridiculous.(they love sugar) oh yeah, Harvest Spiders all over the place so be cautious. 
Bathrooms are disgusting but they have toilet paper 🤷🏻‍♀️. 

Normal Camping Bugs also. So bring big spray. 
Picnic Tables ,Fire pits,paved. 




Clean after yourself!
 Trash near the campsite.

Relaxing BUT you can hear gunshots all day until 11pm

Wasn't very primitive and the gun range is so close all,you hear all day aware guns but beautiful site 22 is at the end and away from others more than the other sites 

Free / quite / clean / not very private 

Self-register with cards located at pit latrine building. 14 days every 30. No problem getting 40' skoolie in and parked in mostly level spots. Camp fire rings and picnic tables at most sites. 🚱 hand pump available, grey water pits and trash cans available. Here late April through early May. 22 total sites, never more than 4 people camping here, including us.

Great 🆓 camping!

Very well kept, completely free 1st come campground just outside the very small town of Bloomingdale, OH. Pit toilets and no source of safe, clean water anymore. Very quiet everytime I've camped there, many times btw. Great, quiet, close to nature experience.

Close to nature

Thunderstorm had filled all hotels so I looked fora free campground.  Set up my site and stayed in my wagon due to storms.  It was very peaceful.  

Great last minute stay

Paved, free, self register, FF, pit toilet, cell service 3 bars. Only negative to some maybe gunfire at nearby range during day. Fernwood state forest. 

Photos of Hidden Hollow Campground — Fernwood State Forest

Real photos from real campers