Ravenswood camping opportunities span the Ohio River and surrounding areas with elevations ranging from 580 to 800 feet. Summer temperatures average 85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer more moderate conditions for outdoor activities. The region's heavily wooded terrain creates natural shade at many campgrounds.
What to do
Disc golf at Forked Run: The 18-hole course offers varied terrain through wooded areas near the lake. "There is a frisbee golf course. Overall, this part of the park is beautiful," notes a visitor at Forked Run State Park Campground.
Hiking at Lake Hope: Multiple trail systems with distances from 1-3 miles offer various difficulty levels through dense forest. "There are plenty of hiking trails and at the lake you can rent kayaks for the day!" reports a camper at Lake Hope State Park Campground.
Boating at O'Brien Lake: Launch directly from the campground for fishing or paddling on this smaller, less crowded lake. "Right beside the area for camping is the parking lot where you can put in boats into O'Brien Lake. There seems to be an abundance of deer in the area," notes a camper at Statts Mills Campground.
Kayaking at Krodel Park: Rentals available at the lake with calm waters ideal for beginners. "The fish were not biting for anyone. It's part of a public park," mentions a visitor at Krodel Park Campground.
What campers like
Quiet weekday camping: Most local campgrounds have significantly lower occupancy Monday through Thursday. "Camping is deserted pretty much on weekdays and on weekends the same people camp in the same spots a lot, probably because most spots are not level," explains a visitor at Forked Run State Park.
Wildlife encounters: Deer frequently visit campsites, especially at dawn and dusk. "There are a lot of deer in the park and the surrounding area. We had several walk right through our campsite," reports a camper at Burr Oak State Park Campground.
Lake activities: Multiple lakes in the region offer swimming beaches with designated areas. "The lake was nice but I am not sure if they recently had some weather that caused it to be pretty brown/muddy, or if that's normal," notes a Forked Run visitor.
Family-oriented atmosphere: Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours starting at 10pm. "Our family has camped here for many years and up to 10 days at a time. Looking forward to our next trip and hitting the beach again," shares a return visitor to Forked Run.
What you should know
Toilet facilities vary widely: Many campgrounds in the area have outdated facilities or pit toilets only. "Toilets are vault style and very old so you can imagine it's hard to clean/keep clean. I do like they have water fountains with faucets every 10-15 sites," explains a Forked Run visitor.
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have spotty or no cellular coverage. "No wifi and cell service was a little spotty (I had 1-3 bars at times for cell service)," reports a visitor at Krodel Park Campground.
Payment methods: Some campgrounds remain cash-only operations. "Cash only or check is also a bit inconvenient and archaic in 2025," notes a Krodel Park camper.
Dog friendly campgrounds near Ravenswood: Most area campgrounds allow pets with standard leash requirements. "We camped at both Dock 3 and Dock 2 with our dog, those are the only two areas that allow pets," reports a camper at Burr Oak.
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Forked Run and Burr Oak both maintain designated beach areas with shallow entry points. "They have a nice beach and the lake is awesome. There are adequate shower facilities," shares a Burr Oak visitor.
Playground conditions: Check recent reviews for playground status as maintenance varies. "The swings were all broken and on the ground in the playground, the picnic tables were broken and falling apart," warns a visitor at Statts Mills.
Indoor alternatives: Rippling Waters Church of God Campgrounds maintains an indoor pool useful during rainy days. "Pool area was clean! We tent camp, but walking around, the camping trailers did not appear to be crowded together," notes a recent visitor.
Educational opportunities: Lake Hope offers ranger-led programs during summer months. "The naturalists feed hummingbirds at the nature center. They pull the feeders for awhile leading up to a 'Feed the Hummingbirds' program. So cool! The birds come right to you!" shares an enthusiastic visitor.
Tips from RVers
Site dimensions: Many campgrounds have shorter-than-standard parking pads. "Some of the back in sites are REALLY short so we changed our originally reserved spot once we got there," advises a camper at Forked Run.
Water quality concerns: Several campgrounds in the region have heavily chlorinated or sulfur-containing water. "Water also had a strong odor of chlorine. After showers I felt like I was just getting out of a pool. So keep that in mind, might want a filter besides the typical blue filters," recommends a visitor at Kountry Resort Campground.
Leveling challenges: Many sites throughout the region require significant leveling equipment. "Camp sites are very small and very unlevel, had to raise back of camper and put front about a 1/4" off ground to get close to level," reports a Lake Hope camper.
Dump station locations: Not all pet-friendly campgrounds near Ravenswood have on-site dump stations. "There seems to be an abundance of grey water dump stations about the same spacing but staggered with the filling," notes a Forked Run visitor.
