Federal Campgrounds in Ohio
Federal coverage only. This directory lists campgrounds on federal land (Forest Service, Park Service, BLM, Corps of Engineers and other agencies) from the Recreation.gov RIDB export. State-park, county and private/KOA campgrounds are out of scope.
Ohio has 18 federal campgrounds offering 394 overnight sites across three managing agencies. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates 13 campgrounds, primarily at reservoirs and lakes throughout the state. The U.S. Forest Service manages 4 campgrounds within the Wayne National Forest, and the National Park Service operates 1 campground. Sixteen of these sites accept reservations through the federal booking system.
This directory covers federal campgrounds only. State park campgrounds and private facilities such as KOA are not included here. For the most current information on site availability, amenities, and to make reservations at federal campgrounds in Ohio, visit Recreation.gov, the official federal recreation reservation platform. Facility details and conditions may change seasonally, so checking the reservation system directly is recommended before planning your visit.
How to read the Ohio directory
Use this page as a starting map of federal camping in Ohio: the agency split tells you whether you're mostly looking at national-forest sites, park-service grounds or Corps-of-Engineers lakeside camps, and the busiest rec areas below point to where the campgrounds cluster. Every name links to its live Recreation.gov page for current site counts, photos and booking.
| Rec area / forest | Campgrounds |
|---|---|
| PEDRO | 3 |
| BERLIN CENTER | 2 |
| Warsaw | 2 |
| NEW MATAMORAS | 1 |
| LEWIS CENTER | 1 |
| Waynesville | 1 |
| Springfield | 1 |
| Brecksville | 1 |
Common questions
How many federal campgrounds are in Ohio?
18 in this directory, with about 394 overnight sites, across national forests, parks, Corps of Engineers and other federal land. State and private campgrounds are not included.
Are these campgrounds reservable?
16 of the 18 take reservations through Recreation.gov; the remainder are generally first-come, first-served. Confirm on the facility's Recreation.gov page before you travel.
Largest federal campgrounds in Ohio
- Mill Creek Camping (Berlin Lake) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · 306 sites · Berlin Center
- Iron Ridge - Lake Vesuvius · U.S. Forest Service · 34 sites · Pedro
- Oak Hill - Lake Vesuvius · U.S. Forest Service · 32 sites · Pedro
- Leith Run · U.S. Forest Service · 21 sites · New Matamoras
- Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area · U.S. Forest Service · 1 sites · Pedro
- Alum Creek Below Dam Area · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Lewis Center
- Caesar Creek Lake · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Waynesville
- Cj Brown Dam And Reservoir - Dam Site (Oh) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Springfield
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park Picnic Shelters · National Park Service · n/a sites · Brecksville
- Deer Creek Lake Day Use · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Mt. Sterling
- Delaware Lake Damsite Shelters · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Delaware
- Dillon Lake Group Picnic Shelter · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Zanesville
- Mill Creek Day Use · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Berlin Center
- Mohawk Dam Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Warsaw
- North Branch Kokosing River Lake - Campground · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Warsaw
- Paint Creek Dam Site · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · n/a sites · Bainbridge
Ranked by overnight-site count from RIDB; “n/a” means the site count isn’t published (often a first-come or dispersed area). Each name opens the Recreation.gov facility page.
Compare every managing agency → · Reservable vs first-come in Ohio → · Choosing a Ohio campground →
Compiled from the federal RIDB export, verified June 2026. How we compile this. Confirm current details on Recreation.gov.