We stayed for a weekend in October and it was some of the best views we have had from a campsite. To wake up to a waterfront view, and great views of the hills, was a treat we haven’t experienced before. Shower house was clean, and the camp store had a nice selection of necessities as well as souvenirs. We will definitely be visiting again!
I had the awesome experience to hammock camp on the Patton cave trail, along the creek that winds the length of that trail. It was a strenuous hike to pack in/out of, but was beautiful scenery. The cave is amazing, and if you’re interested in backwoods camping, there are an abundance of spaces to do so. I packed in at the trailhead by a horse camp, so there was a bathroom before and after the trip. But honestly, not worth it if you want a toilet. I walked the creek for hours just looking at all the rocks on the sandbars. I have never encountered so many geodes in my life. Truly magnificent to encounter. The only negative was that we came after a lot of rain. So everything is permanently wet and mosquitos/ticks abounded.
The shower houses are pretty nice for a state park, and the sites, while some can be a bit difficult to navigate with hills, are pretty spacious. There are a lot of good shady spots to pick from, and the hiking is amazing. This is an annual trip for my family.
We stayed for a week on an RV back in site. The sites can be soemwhat close together, but with this mostly just being home base, we didn’t find it to be a problem. Our oldest rented a bell tent, and when I say they are the cutest camping spot, I am not exaggerating. The bell tents sit on the river and away from all the RV sites. They even include 2 full size beds and lamps/nightstands. The entire grounds is surrounded by a river that has a swimming hole and can be traversed in a tube. The playground is large and our son was there multiple times a day. They have a movie in the park each Friday and offer church services on Sundays. The trolley runs through the grounds and into downtown gatlinburg, but takes about 30 minutes to get to town. The bathrooms/showers are all private stalls and pretty well maintained. We will definitely be visiting again in the future.
East Harbor State Park was a huge park with good amenities, and several places to access the water. They have several fishing areas, a beach, and boat ramps. They also have a huge camping area.
With only vault toilets and 10 electric sites, this campground isn’t for everyone. But if you can make it past those unique features, camping here is actually great. With hiking trails directly linked to the campgrounds, it’s easy to explore the beautiful park. And this really is a great gem in Ohio, as part of the Miami river and Clifton gorge, the terrain is distinct, and breathtaking. Also, the camp hosts were incredibly friendly and the maintenance of the vault toilets was the best I have seen.
I stayed here in June and it was a pretty nice place. Several spots for tent camping, but several electric hookups were not functional. Bathrooms were not impeccable, but they were fairly updated. The only real problem we encountered was the dirt road through the site was difficult to navigate, even though it hadn’t rained for a few days. Just a lot of wear and tear. But super friendly campground, and will definitely return!
We stayed on an electric site with tents and we were impressed with how clean and organized the camping areas are. The shower houses were well maintained, though some of the restrooms are aging. The maps/photos do not do justice to the terrain. Like the trails, be prepared to be on a hill, as most sites sit on the hillside. But with easy access to the hiking trails, a fishing lake, and several swing sets for our son, we will absolutely be returning next year.