The best camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Cuyahoga Valley National Park adventure.

100% (4 reviews)
100% (4 reviews)

Ohio’s only national park is a paradise for leaf-peepers, bird-watchers, and outdoor adventurers.  

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Community favorites near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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Top-rated campgrounds near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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Camping at Heritage Farms

47 sites · Lodging, Tents115 acres · Peninsula, OH
At Heritage Farms, we’re currently a 5th-generation, family-owned and -operated Christmas tree farm headed by my husband, George, and me, Carol. Originally founded in 1848 by my great uncle Lawson Waterman, it was my father who shifted our primary focus to cultivating Christmas trees in 1955. George and I took the reins in 1979 and have been happily continuing the tradition of growing trees while also expanding into other areas, including celebrating Halloween with our month-long Pumpkin Pandemonium in October. We’ve also taken to hosting the Peninsula Flea during the summer months, catering to a wide variety of artisan- and craftsman-centric clientele. As for camping, we began eight years ago following a trip George and I took to Denmark, wherein we stayed in a number of outdoor shelters that would later inspire us to construct the first of our several Adirondack-style shelters. We’ve since expanded to offering six shelters total, three of which share the same Adirondack aesthetic of our original build, and three of which take inspiration from an open-air A-frame design. Along with those shelters, we’ve mapped out nine primitive tent sites, all of which are available for rent, spring through fall—we hope to see you here! Heritage Farms is a 5th-generation, 115-acre farm located in the heart of the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and as such we are incredibly close to the various trails located across the Cuyahoga Valley. We are a working tree farm, and while we do ask for your care while residing among our fields, we also encourage you to take advantage of the beauty and serenity that our property has to offer! WHAT WE OFFER From April 1st to October 26th, 2024, we have 15 campsites available* for rental, including nine outdoor tent sites, three A-frame sites, two standard Adirondack shelter sites, and one “Glamping” site. Each site comes standard with a fire ring, a grilling grate, a picnic table, and a storage rack for firewood and kindling drop-offs. All shelter sites include closure devices for privacy and protection. Our Glamping site (numbered as Campsite 3) features an upgraded Adirondack shelter that includes a complimentary mattress, screen door and fasteners, exterior curtain, lean-to awning, and full propane grill and tool set. Also included is a furnished campfire ring featuring rustic bench seating and chairs. It’s a perfect site for large groups! Included for use by all campers is our Games Field, located by our lower gravel lot, adjacent to campsites A and B. This field holds a cornhole area, a horseshoes pitch, and a tetherball court, all with playing pieces available. We also have our Lending Wagon, stocked with board games, books, puzzles, and miscellaneous gear campers may need—we do request that all items borrowed from the Lending Wagon be returned before departing Heritage Farms. Other amenities include an information booth where carts, charging stations, and assistance from an on-site attendant can be found. *During October, several of our campsites (A-F, and 6) are closed in lieu of our Pumpkin Pandemonium. As a result, our reservations are limited during this month. SOME THINGS TO KNOW 1. We have capacity limits at our sites. Tent sites, labelled A-J, can hold three (3) tents. Shelter sites, numbered 1-6, have a shelter and room for two (2) tents. All sites are limited to a maximum of six (6) campers. 2. All vehicles (except bicycles) must remain in the designated parking lots. 3. No vehicles may be driven into the camping area at any time. 4. Campers are responsible for carrying their gear to their campsites—we provide wheeled carts for your use. 5. Ohio Primitive Camping licensing does not allow for wheeled camping on Heritage Farms property. This includes car camping, truck campers, popups, RVs, and any other wheeled camping vehicles. 6. Due to Summit County Health regulations, we cannot provide ground water. Please bring your own drinking water and washing water. We do have 1-gallon jugs of water available for purchase during reservations and upon arrival at Heritage Farms. Purchases can be made using PayPal, credit card, or cash. 7. Due to the potential risks posed to our crops, and to state and National Park regulations, WE DO NOT ALLOW OUTSIDE FIREWOOD on Heritage Farms property—firewood MUST be purchased from Heritage Farms. Firewood and kindling bundles are available for purchase upon reservation at a discounted rate and will be delivered to your campsite prior to your arrival. Firewood may also be purchased upon arrival at our standard rate, using PayPal, credit card, or cash. 8. Several of our campsites are situated along the boundary between the farm and Cuyahoga Valley National Park property. Please respect the designated boundaries and refrain from encroaching into unauthorized park territory. 9. Check-in times are from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you’re arriving after 7:00 p.m., please let us know your estimated time of arrival—if you’re arriving after dark, we’ll mark your site with a solar light. Checkout should be completed before 10:00 a.m.—all tents, equipment, and trash must be removed from your campsite prior to your departure. We do have a dumpster on-site where all camp trash must be disposed. Gray water stations are available for the disposal of used or dirty water. 10. Only campers registered to Hipcamp are permitted on Heritage Farms property. A public picnic area is available ¼-mile south of the farm for outside socializing. 11. DOG POLICY: we welcome dogs who have received prior permission from the farm owners. We limit the number of dogs on property each day. A dog registration form must be filled out upon arrival and must include information regarding rabies vaccinations—dogs that have not had the proper vaccinations are not permitted on the property. All dogs MUST be on a leash and in the physical control of their owner(s) at all times. No pets may be left unattended at any time—pets must be taken with their owner(s) any time the owner(s) departs the farm property. 12. Heritage Farms is a working farm, and as such machinery may be in use during your stay. OTHER INFORMATION Our 15 primitive campsites are situated 25 to 50 yards apart from one another. This allows for social distancing and maximizes campsite privacy. All 15 of our campsites at Heritage Farms are available for booking from April 1 until September 27, 2024; from September 28 to October 26, 2024, only shelter sites 1-5 and tent sites and G, H, and J will be open. We can't wait to see you on the farm!
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$40
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99%
(126)

The Camp Cabin at the Hallstead

3 sites · Lodging7 acres · Hartville , OH
This small farm is 7 acres of the original 25 my great grandmother purchased for her family in 1934. Guests can enjoy the cabin as well as the barn, which has been converted to a rec area. Make our home and green space yours for a few days. Camp in comfort in our "little cabin in the woods." Accommodates up to six guests, with a queen-sized bed, a futon and two low single beds in the loft, accessible only by ladder. Kids 6 and older may sleep in the loft-- just like Laura and Mary-- and they can read a chapter of one of Laura Ingalls' "Little House" books before bed! The Camp Cabin contains a small refrigerator, microwave and gas fireplace (no, the pioneers didn’t have that!). Fresh eggs and other snacks are provided for breakfast. The restroom and shower are located in the walkout basement of the farmhouse, a 40 yard walk from the Cabin. The restroom has a private entrance and is used only by guests during their stay. Pet and feed goats and other farm animals. Enjoy fun activities on the farm and in the barn.
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$120
 / night
94%
(199)

Towpath Trail Peace Park

5 sites · Tents2 acres · Bolivar, OH
Primitive tent camping on the Greenville Peace Treaty Line, Buckeye Trail, Ohio-Erie Canal Towpath Trail, Scenic Byway, Tuscarawas River Water Trail, and the Great American Rail Trail! Located on the historic Ohio-Erie Canal between the village of Bolivar Ballparks and the McDonnell trailheads on the towpath trail ten miles south of Canton, Ohio, and 1.5 miles west of I-77 exit 93 on Scenic Byway Rt 212 in beautiful Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The Peace Park is designed for bikers, hikers, dog walkers, and anyone traveling through to book a campsite even if anyone isn't available to meet and greet. Campers, once booked may go to an available campsite and set up camp. Dog-friendly, handicapped-accessible Porta-Jon with hand sanitizer shared electricity for charging phones, pristine aquifer water, picnic tables, fire-pits, fireside benches, birds, butterflies, lightning bugs, wild turkey, deer, and other wildlife are often seen. Please note: We're located on a section of the Ohio-Erie Canal Scenic Byway, the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, and a 90-degree corner with a slight slope that causes trucks to downshift brakes. We recommend bringing earplugs if you're a light sleeper!
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$18.75
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96%
(170)

Sawdust FarmCamp

5 sites · Lodging, Tents80 acres · Geneva, OH
Welcome to Sawdust FarmCamp! Located in Geneva, Ohio. We have four different sites to choose from: one tent site, two glamping tent sites, and one cabin. NEW 2025! The Nature Mindfulness Hike, where we find a deeper connection to nature, is now included with your stay. It is held every Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Need some additional relaxation? Book a Reiki Healing at the Jug House next to the pond for an extra fee. Reiki is a Japanese stress reduction and relaxation technique that promotes healing. Contact your host for availability before booking. We also have the option to book all our sites for a 15-person retreat, with special extras only available for that booking, including a pavilion teepee tent. Portable toilets are available, pets are welcome, and campfires are permitted. Potable water and hot water showers are only available at our cabin, and our glamping sites only have solar camp showers (not the tent site New hot showers are being planned for the 2024 season. Naturalist Isabelle H. Klein wrote a collection of letters from her home of Sawdust (named form the sawdust left by the loggers of the early 60’s) for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Explorer Magazine from the winter of 1969 to the summer of 1976. They then were published as the book “Letters From Sawdust” by the Press of Case Western Reserve University for the Museum. It is a lyrical voyage through the seasons at the Sawdust Tract in Northeast Ohio. She details encounters with the wildlife of the area as well as the changing seasons and plant life. Reminiscent of Thoreau's writings about Walden. In 1978 an additional house was moved onto the property from Sidley's gravel pit and joined with the existing Klein farmhouse. We decided to preserve almost 400 acres of the property with the help of the Western Reserve Land Conservatory for the Cleveland Museum Of Natural History, Natural Areas. Forest is home to the red-sided dace, and 10 rare species of birds, including cerulean warblers. The original small family farm and surrounding woods we have retained are being restored and updated. We are proud to call Sawdust home and would love to share it with you.
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$20
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94%
(190)

Camping in Wine Country

4 sites · RVs, Tents195 acres · Geneva, OH
Purchased by my grandfather back in 1953 it has been a diverse fruit farm for many years.  Currently we have almost 200 acres, a lot of it woods.  We don't currently grow the crops that we did but we have planted some wine grapes in the last several years.  As we also have a winery, The Winery at Spring Hill, we wanted to get some of our own grapes in the ground.  We have several places for tent camping and we have a large parking lot at the winery for RV parking.Learn more about this land:Right in the middle of Ohio's Wine Country!  Enjoy an evening at our winery or take the day and explore the 26 wineries in the area.Woods and fields surround the camping area.  Close to the natural beauty of the Grand River (State Wild and Scenic River). Just a few miles from Geneva State Park and Geneva-on-the-Lake. Lots of activities: wine tasting, covered bridges, boating/canoeing/kayaking, fishing, swimming, biking, hiking, birding, nightlife, history, golfing, and lots of natural beauty.  
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$28
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100%
(100)

Hemlock Hideaway

12 sites · Lodging, Tents18 acres · Geneva, OH
Hemlock Hideaway and its 18 acres was originally part of a larger 100-acre plot that was surveyed and settled in the late 1700's by Gideon Granger of the Connecticut Land Company. Granger sold it to one Jehoikim Burget in 1815 for the whopping price of $400. The resident house was built in 1816 by Burget and then passed down to family members over the next 5 generations, until we bought it in 2003, marking the first time the house and remaining property were ever officially sold. In the mid 1800's, a grist mill was put up across the river from the cabin, and our creek was the main road in and out of that operation. There is a gravestone belonging to the wife of Jehoikim's son, she being half Native American and therefore couldn't be buried in the local white cemetery. We also own the original hand-written deed from 1815 detailing the sale of the original 100 acres to Jehoikim Burget. Learn more about this land: Our primitive cabin nestled in the woods overlooking the Grand River is a nature-lover's paradise! Come canoe, fish, experience wine country, or unplug and just get away from it all. Please note: There is no running water or electricity at the site, but the cabin is generator-ready and there is an outhouse.  The cabin does have a wood burning stove for heat and simple cooking, however there is no running water or electricity.  That being said, the building is wired and has plugs and outlets and is generator-ready.  You provide your own generator and fuel.  We provide bottled water, sheets, pillows, flashlights, a fire ring with cooking grate, charcoal grill (you provide the charcoal), access to firewood, and an outhouse with toilet paper.  Our 1/4 mile of Grand River frontage can be accessed right outside the cabin door via a quick hike down the somewhat steep hillside.  If hiking isn't preferred, then a quick two-minute drive will take you to the Harpersfield Covered Bridge Metropark - a favorite of local fishermen.  Bigger groups with tents are welcome, but will need to bring all supplies beyond what we provide for two guests. 
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$65
 / night

The best camping near Cuyahoga Valley National Park guide

Overview

About

The Cuyahoga River snakes its way through the heart of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, fringed with forest trails, waterfalls, and pebbly coves. Take a ride on the century-old Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad; hike, bike, or horseback ride along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail; or try seasonal activities such as cross-country skiing and ice fishing. Fishing and bird-watching spots abound along the river, and you can also bring your own kayak or canoe. Camping is not allowed within the park, but private campsites and state park campgrounds sit within a short drive. 

When to go

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is open for adventures year-round, but peak season is April through October—make an early start if visiting at this time, as parking spaces fill up quickly. For the best views, come in late spring, when wildflowers are in full bloom, or in mid-October, when fall foliage is at its most vibrant. Winter snowfall means you’ll need to swap your hiking boots for snowshoes, but many trails stay open year-round.

Know before you go

  • Cuyahoga Valley National Park is 20 miles south of Cleveland, about a 25-minute drive away, and just a 15-minute drive from Akron.
  • There is no admission fee to visit the national park, and free parking is available at Boston Mill Visitor Center, Brandywine Falls, and Ledges Trailhead.
  • Facilities include a visitor center, picnic and day-use areas, restrooms, and two snack bars. You can bring your own registered watercraft, but you must follow Ohio state laws.
  • Backcountry camping and overnight parking are prohibited.
  • There are ADA-accessible restrooms, picnic areas, and parking spaces at Cuyahoga Valley. The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is also accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
100%
4 ratings · 4 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Camping is not allowed within the boundaries of Cuyahoga Valley National Park itself. However, there are several nearby campgrounds and parks where you can camp and still enjoy the beauty of the Cuyahoga Valley area. Some of the options include:

  • Cuyahoga Valley Campground
  • Cleveland Metro Parks
  • Apple Valley Camping

These campgrounds offer a variety of amenities and facilities, making them a great base for exploring the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its surrounding areas.

It depends on your interests and how much time you want to spend exploring the park. For a comprehensive experience, we recommend spending 2-3 days in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This will give you enough time to enjoy the park's main attractions, such as hiking the trails, visiting the waterfalls (including Brandywine Falls), exploring the Ledges Trail, taking a scenic train ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and visiting the Canal Exploration Center. Additionally, you can explore the park's diverse flora and fauna, as well as enjoy activities like biking, birdwatching, and stargazing. If you have limited time, a one-day visit will still allow you to see some of the park's highlights, but a longer stay will provide a more immersive experience.

No, there is no entrance fee to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park. However, some activities and special events within the park may have their own fees or require reservations. Enjoy exploring the park!

Top points of interest near Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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