Living Beyond the Tent

by Brooke Buchanan

Camping is summertime staple. Whether you’re sleeping in a camper or a tent, camping is always a good way to connect with the earth and spend time with your friends and family. There are plenty of campgrounds, both locally and farther away, but here are some of the best.

For campers looking to camp locally, Leith Run Campground, located at 44400 State Route 7.

New Matamoras, Ohio 45767, is a good facility. With this campground being across the bridge from West Virginia, those who camp here have the ability of feeling as if they are far away from home, yet they are still close.

Leith Run offers 18 sites with full hookup and three tent sites. Almost all of the sites have a beautiful view of the Ohio River and every site comes with a fire ring. Full hookup campsite prices run $21 per night or $147 per week while the tent sites run $15 per night or $105 for the week; however, these prices may vary. For more information or to book a site, check out their website. Animals are permitted as long as they are caged or on a leash no longer than six foot.

In addition to the camping sites offered, two shelters can be reserved at Leith Run; they are perfect for family reunions, birthday parties or any other event that will drawl in a large group of people. Although these shelters are not side-by-side, they are within a short walking distance of one another. These shelters, that can hold 65 people, come with water hookup, electric, grills, picnic tables and can be reserved for $55 a day.

Although most campers are equipped with bathrooms, Leith Run offers bathroom facilities and a shower house for those who prefer to do their business elsewhere. Since campers can only hold a certain amount of water, taking a shower in a camper isn’t the same as taking a shower at home. To conserve water, campers would have to turn the water on and off through the course of the shower; at the shower house, campers can take a traditional shower. However, the shower house only has one shower, so there tends to be a line unless you go at the right time.

The campground has a playground for children and an area to play beach volleyball. Campers can bring bikes to ride, walk on the trails or play horseshoes at the pit. With the campground being along the river, campers can fish as well; however, make sure that those fishing have their fishing license if they’re of age.

Campers staying at Leith Run can explore the surrounding areas. The Jug, located down the road from the campgrounds at 38090 OH-7, Newport, Ohio 45768, has great food and dessert for those campers not wanting to cook over the fire. In addition to this, campers can explore the Wayne National Forest beyond Leith Run by going on a hike.

For those looking to travel to a campground, Hocking Hills, located in Logan, Ohio, has a great campground in addition to plenty of things to explore nearby.

Hocking Hills State Parks offers 258 sites at the campground; some of these sites are cabins for rent while others are standard full hookup sites for campers. A full list of the sites and their descriptions can be found on their website.

Hocking Hills offers flushing toilets and shower houses for their campers to use. In addition to this, the campground has an outdoor swimming pool and a few playground to keep the children entertained. The campground often has movie nights in their amphitheater, where they play different movies throughout the season.

Camps have easy access to Rose Lake where they can fish. There are also several different places to hiking at the campground.

Campers who wish to leave the campground to explore the surrounding area can hike through Old Man’s Cave, which is directly next door to the campground. This cave is the most popular out of all of the caves located in Hocking Hills state park. The beautiful rock formations located in the cave can be viewed through the year.

In addition to Old Man’s Cave, campers can view Ash Cave and Cedar Falls which are nearby. There is also ziplining, provided by Hocking Hills Canopy Tours nearby, that campers can participate. For more information about ziplining, check out their website.

Those who wish to take the night off from cooking can try some local eateries. Millstone Southern Smoked BBQ, located a little over 20 minutes from the campground at 12790 Grey St., Logan, Ohio, 43138, has a family oriented atmosphere.

Here, they offer all of the southern comforts: brisket, ribs, steak, wings and chicken and waffles. For the size and delicious taste of their meals, the price is justifiable. Check out there full menu here.

Overall, camping is an enjoyable activity to participate in during the summer. The choice of campgrounds aren’t limited to these two; there are tons of campgrounds to choose from.