Looking to go glamping in Ohio and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Ohio and stay off the beaten path. Each glamping location offers quick access to one or more of Ohio's most popular destinations.
Large campground features shady sites for all types of camping. Pets are welcome on designated sites.
An equestrian camp has 30 primitive sites available on a first-come, first-served basis.
286 electric campsites offer both wooded and sunny areas, some of which overlook the lake. Each site has 20-, 30- and 50-amp electrical hookup. 24 full-service campsites offer electric, sewer and water hookups Heated shower facilities with flush toilets and dump station Beach and boat ramp for exclusive use of the overnight guests Basketball courts, volleyball, miniature golf, horseshoe pits, and playgrounds Nature programs Equestrian camp has 30 primitive sites available on a first-come, first-served basis.
This recreation area is part of Michael J Kirwan Lake
East Harbor State Park Campground is the largest in the Ohio State Park system. It offers Full Hookup, Electric, Non-electric and ADA sites. Pets are permitted at all sites. Other options include a Yurt (ADA), two Sherman Cabins (one ADA cabin), and Group Camping. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (866) 644-6727.
Located in Ohio on the sandy shores of Lake Erie awaits an enormous haven of fun, with tons of chances to recreate. Boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and camping all attract flocks of visitors to East Harbor State Park.
Nature lovers will rejoice thanks to the dense population of waterfowl, shore birds, and other species of wildlife. Owing to the swampy, wetland climate, a host of migratory species regularly flock to the region. However, the land was not always this rich. It wasn’t until the draining of the Great Black Swamp that the land transformed into an agricultural oasis, producing regional varieties of fruits such as grapes and peaches.
Before European Settlement, East Harbor region was home to Native American tribes like the Ottawa and Wyandot Tribes. Stemming from the translation “trader”, the Ottawa tribe earned its title due to the geographic location of East Harbor. During the period of Westward Expansion, this park’s acreage was first the heart of popular trade routes for Native Americans.
As it developed, the region has long been valued for its recreational potential. In fact, Lake Erie is more similar (and exotic) to a tropical beach resort than you’d first think. This is due to the extensive range of plant and animal life, long sandy beaches, and the immense size of the lake itself. As a result of these factors, 1,831 acres were reserved and protected, to be known today as East Harbor State Park.
Camping at East Harbor is readily available with 352 electric sites. Furthermore, there are 160 non-electric sites available for a cheaper nightly rate. There are also an additional 51 full hook-up sites for those in Recreational Vehicles. Working Nomads and Van Dwellers will be grateful to find Wifi Available, however there is a small fee to use it.
Finally, there’s Dump Stations, Bathrooms, and Showers are routinely located throughout. For a more secure (and expensive) shelter option, there is one Yurt available for reservation. Book in advance, however, as it tends to be very competitive.
If you’ve got furry friends, you can take a breath of relief as pets are permitted on all sites. Moreover, Bike rentals are available as well as games and sporting equipment from the camp office/lodge. Get outside with your friends (any number of legs invited) and enjoy everything that East Harbor State Park has to offer.
The modern year-round campground offers more than 200 Electric sites, including 20 with Full Hookup, and more than 100 Non-electric sites.
228 campsites with electrical outlets 137 non-electric campsites with vault latrines Picnic table and fire ring at each site. Leashed pets are permitted on any site. Showers, flush toilets, laundry, and trailer waste station Recreational amenities include outdoor checkers, basketball and volleyball courts, and playgrounds Water available in winter
Campground closed for renovations starting Nov 2019
This recreation area is part of Delaware Lake
Located in eastern Ohio, Salt Fork State Park encompasses a diverse and beautiful landscape featuring forested hills, open meadows and misty valleys decorated with winding streams. This magnificent state park is Ohio’s largest state park, with 17,229 acres of recreational facilities available to visitors. Salt Fork State Park camping is possible at more than 200 individual campsites, open year-round.
$23 - $34 / night
Guide
First time at this park I can see why it's always booked up. It seems like the sites are good sized but some are on slopes even the pads so make sure to bring stuff to level. Bathrooms were clean separate showers verizon works well here.
Guide
This campground has some features that are nicer than what is found in many state campgrounds. There are some secluded sites back in the woods, so you don't feel like you are camping in a parking lot in a few places. NOTE that most of these secluded sites (along the back edge of the campground) are up a flight of stairs. You have to carry all your gear up a hill or stairs to set up. You will not be near your car, which can get annoying.
The bathrooms were average, not great but not gross. 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, and when we finally could, someone was in our parking pot for the next hour.
The lakes are quite tiny. The one at the campground is more like a large pond- fine for paddling around on a paddleboard for practice, but don't think you'll get in any meaningful kayaking or sight-seeing on this pond. The other lake is slightly bigger, but still not big enough for kayaking more than a couple hours at most.
The new campground is on the river on what used to be the golf course- I will write a separate review for that.
The lodge has some amenities (pool, hot tub, cafe, bar), but we ate in the restaurant and it was terrible. I do not recommend. Get some apps at the bar if you have to but keep your expectations low. We had pork nachos and the pork tasted old, everything was cold and it gave me a terrible stomachache.
Scout
The park is closed and should no longer be listed on the app.
Traveler
Everyone is very polite and helpful with anything you may need. The camp hosts are awesome 👍
Guide
TL:DR-This is a really nice, well-kept campground, though there may be some noise.
Pros: very clean, well-kept grounds and bathrooms; there's a nice-looking playground, two lakes, trails.
Considerations: the entire time we were here, the wind was 10-15 mph and all of our neighbors were very quiet, friendly, and respectful. So the majority of what we heard was October winds blowing leaves off the trees (nice!!), but the few times the wind died down, or when motorcycles or large trucks were on the highway, the sound came thru loud and clear.
The only other thing I can say that I don't think others did, is that some of the sites, like ours, while more or less level where you'd put an RV, might require going up or down an incline to get to the picnic table. A bit of a problem if you have trouble with knees or hips. ;)
Legend
General: This campground is huge with a mix of FHU (some back-in and some pull-through), electric hookup, no hookup, group sites, cabins, and one yurt. On a Monday night in June, many of the sites were occupied.
Site Quality: All camper pads were paved and appeared level. Some sites were a little close together but there was reasonable separation and there was plenty of foliage. Site H3 was a good one as it had no site next to it on one side.
Bath/Shower house: In our loop, the bathhouse was clean. It took a while for the water to get hot but once it did, it was very hot. The water pressure was very good. The only problem with the shower was that water leaked out onto the floor outside and there always appeared to be a lot of water, which could pose a slipping hazard.
Activities/Amenities: A camper store and nature center, game room, laundry, dump station and potable water, disc golf, hiking trails, multi-use trails, marina (for large boats, not kayaks or SUPS), basketball, volleyball, archery, fish cleaning station. I think I mentioned everything!
We enjoyed our two-night stay here, and if/when we return, we would consider taking a ferry to some of the smaller islands nearby.
Legend
General: 214-site campground, all with electric hookups. Campsites are in four loops.
Site Quality: All sites are paved and appeared to be level. A fire ring, picnic table, and electric hookup complete each site. Generous foliage provides separation between most sites.
Bath/Shower: Fully contained all-gender units in the third loop. Each one has a bench and a baby changing station. Soap and air dryers. A more traditional bath/shower house was in the fourth loop (don’t know about the first two loops).
Activities/Amenities: Several hiking trails (but it was raining when we were there so didn’t explore), a small putt-putt course (free use of putters and balls), disc golf, shuffleboard, basketball, tennis, and a small camper store. Each loop has a playground and other recreational options (i.e. volleyball net). The marina offers water toy rentals.
My five-star rating is based on the possibility of what our stay might have been if the weather had cooperated! Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy during our stay in June. We will definitely be back again to take advantage of the marina rentals.
Guide
Autumn is the best time to camp in Ohio. Lots of small bathrooms. Lake access. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was due to the fact there was no quick reentry. Had to wait for rvs in front of me to register.
TravelerGreat park. Staff friendly and helpful bathrooms close to every site. Would be more convenient if all sites had full hookups
Traveler
Tent site was nice. We could make dinner and there weren’t any mosquitoes even though it was right above a swamp. It was a nice driving distance from Hocking Hills and a neat place to camp.
Scout
Drove past Sandy Hollow which is another great Dispersed Campground with around 82 sites to cover all types of vehicles within a mile of Hook Lake.
Hook Lake has less sites but also sites to handle all types of vehicles.
I am here in October and there are very few other campers, two at the moment.
I chose a site on a hill that I was able to get my 40+ rig into, I was all by myself with a great view.
I have Verizon which is almost constant, and TMobile which is spotty. Other sites might not have as good of cell service.
They have trash, but no water.
Both of the Camp Grounds mentioned there is no danger of getting a big rig into and not out of so don’t be afraid.
TravelerWe had a great time. Lots of activities and trails.
Traveler
There's so much to do at the village! What a wonderful place for history lovers and/or kids. In addition to the village, there is a splash pad, a pool (in the nearby inn), and a couple of hiking trails.
We stayed in Site 23. The sites are sizable, level, and well maintained. The shower house and restrooms were extremely clean.
The campground was peaceful. It was full during our stay, and the other campers were very courteous. Nobody was loud and obnoxious.
We were able to catch the Northern Lights!
Traveler
More trails to add to the collection.
Traveler
Well, honestly I love this place. I grew up in the Ohio valley and I love living here. I used to have a large family when I was young and we would get together here and rent out large portions of lots and all the kids would play on the trails and flash light tag at night. There is a section for horses and bridle trails for them as well, with one large trail that circles the entire encampment. There are play grounds, basketball courts, a beach. Fishing is good and you can rent kayaks and boats. There are bathrooms and showers which were recently replaced with brand new facilities. There is even a little store where you can buy snacks, camping gear and even rent corn hole boards. I have a lot of good memories at this place. I think you would, too.
Traveler
RV Sites are gravel w electric hookups. close to major highways. staff were friendly.
Guide
I had a tent site and it wasn't bad. The site next to me was blasting music but turned it off around 8 so I won't dock points. The bathrooms were clean and it was easy to get to from the highway. There was a lot of road noise though. The tent platform was level and clean. I would stay again.
Scout
Super nice people- small sites- bathroom/ shower cleaned - a interesting area by Lakerside which is an 1800s art with very nice restaurants and shops most closed after Labor Day / do not take your rv /small roads - skip Sandusky
Scout
Very nice campground, convenient and clean. A lot of lake front camp sites
Guide
This campground has nice big sites, not the tiny sites that some Ohio state park campgrounds have. Most of them looked relatively level. However, there is no privacy, you are smashed right against your neighbors on both sides, and some parts were essentially just an RV parking lot.
The showerhouse was fine, I wouldn't call it clean as there was hair and scummy stuff everywhere, but I was there on a fully booked weekend so I guess you'll have that. The toilet/sink building nearest to our site reeked of urine, think gas station bathroom that hasn't been cleaned in years- looked clean but smelled terrible. There was also just one pedestal sink in this bathroom, so nowhere to put your things if you want to brush your teeth, even wash your hands.
The big problem was the noise. We were there on "camper appreciation weekend" and they way they "appreciated" us was have an extremely noisy, not-very-talented cover band blare extremely loud 70s and 80s music for three hours on Saturday night. They had big speakers, amps, drum set, the whole bit. You could hear it quite clearly and loudly from every corner of the campground. I go camping for peace and quiet, to hear the crickets and birds and the crackle of our campfire. I do not want to have to endure three hours of men wailing on their guitars and belting out every top forty hit ever written by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It was extremely annoying, disruptive and jarring, and took away from our camping experience of sitting peacefully by our camp fire. If I were to return here, I would call first to make sure they are not "appreciating" the campers and putting on an unsolicited rock concert.
Traveler
Eagle point is more rustic than the campground by the marina. Gravel pads, many on sloping ground. No way to know which sites might work for you until you look when you arrive. Someone did answer the phone, though, and let us move to another site.We had electric-only, by choice, for 2 nights. Water nearby. Not very many transient campers, but lots of "seasonal" to permanent-looking larger trailers. Quiet in our loop because only a few sites were occupied. Very nice bathroom and shower building. The dump station here is set up for emptying totes- not much room to park a trailer/RV for dumping at it. We drove to the dump station by the marina to have more room to work. Rinse water hose at the sewer opening had no water hose fitting on it (just a skinny brass angled spout), so no way to rinse our blackwater tank. Potable water was 40 feet away, but all water came out of a backflow preventer, so no way to use a hose. Disappointed with the dump station. Overall, it was fine for 2 nights. If you have a boat, there are lots of covers to explore on the lake. The water is very silty, and rather shallow in most places.
Scout
Excellent campground with fantastic staff and owners. Nice swimming pond with inflatable attractions. Well stocked camp store. Lots of activities for the whole family.
TravelerDated, but pretty clean bath\shower building with clothes washer and dryer ($2). Sites in C-loop are far enough apart to not feel too crammed together. Power pedestal has 20, 30 and 50 amp service. 30 amp worked fine. Lots of trails, allowing dogs on leash. True, other amenities are a drive of at least a couple miles to get to. ATT service was fine for streaming using ROKU and my phone as a hotspot. Paved, level pads, but not long enough for largest trailers. Check size if you have one. Sites at South end of loop get the most shade
Ranger
First time visiting this state campground and we only stayed one night, did not explore entire park. Grounds well maintained, clean and decent amenities. The sites are well placed and a good size. But no water view on any of the “premium water view” sites in loop L, other than one L17 (the picture with view) Same for loop K. Guests and hosts were friendly and welcoming. Quiet except for the road noise due to nearby busy roads. The boat launch to lake access is very nice with plenty of parking and space. Not bad for a stop when traveling through or a weekend. We stayed with 34’ camper. Site L15 (picture with red truck)
GuideI don’t have much to say about this campground but to start off on a high note the pool was nice. Now the reasons for our low rating. WiFi was nonexistent, everything was dirty and run down. Our RV site was ok. Family rented a cabin and it was disgusting. Dirty furniture-dishes-run down. Toilet looked like someone died in it. For $250 a night our recommendation is get a hotel-cheaper and cleaner (which is what our family ended up doing). Oh and letting permanent sites fly all sorts of political flags makes this KOA unwelcoming and honestly a little scary. Do not waste your money here.
Ranger
This state island campground is more than expected! worth the ferry travel, a paradise kept secret. We stumbled upon this island by accident along our travels after Labor Day and we totally fell in love. The water front camping, swimming, boating, kayaking, historic sites, attractions and facilities are superb. Everything you need and more than you expect. We traveled in with our 34’ trailer. The ferry cost was a bit high, around $200 round trip for us, truck and camper….but it was worth it!! The campground is immaculate, quiet during the week especially after Labor Day, the weekend brings a larger crowd. Walking trails, sites, boating and swimming all available from campground. Sandy shallow beach with beautiful view. Ice, firewood and a store conveniently located at campground. The campground is small and sites a bit tight but spaced accordingly and comfortable. Two waterfront cabins and two yurts available for rent as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the island overall. The glacial grooves, limestone crusher, north loop trail, beach and boat launch all withing walking distance. We rented bikes downtown to explore rest of island, including winery, cantina and local bars. Counting the days to go back.
TravelerMe and my partner went during Labor Day and left the fourth. We were there for three days and two nights. It was amazing. Our spot was a small walk to the water so we could fish and still keep up with the fire. We were right against the woods. There was a perfect flat spot for the tent. The trees were great cover from the bright sun. We were also able to walk to the restroom and could see the whole building from our site. We were site 009. So the bathroom was across the road. Everyone was very friendly there as well! The only downside was the grill for the fire pit. It’s at an angle so cooking on it was difficult as it was hard not to spill food
