Ohio has two good options for large groups. Many Ohio State Parks have dedicated group camps, separate areas for organized groups that are reserved through Reserve Ohio. Private campgrounds handle groups by booking blocks of nearby sites and renting a pavilion as a meeting spot, which suits mixed groups of RVs and tents and big rigs. Which is better depends on how many people are coming, what they camp in, and whether the group wants trails and quiet or a beach and organized activities. Plan your stay at Ridge Ranch Campground in Newton Falls.
Group camping at Ohio State Parks
A group camp is a separate area within a state park for one organized group, such as a scout troop, church group, club or family reunion, instead of a run of individual campsites. Facilities and capacity vary by park, so read the park’s page and the listing on reserveohio.com before you book.
A few examples, all confirmed on ODNR’s park pages:
- Alum Creek State Park (Delaware County): one group camp at the south end of the park, plus a large campground with full-hookup and electric sites and a separate equestrian camp in the north.
- Sycamore State Park (near Dayton): two group camps alongside equestrian camping and about 18 miles of bridle trail. All camping there is by reservation.
- West Branch State Park (Portage County, near Ravenna): three group sites in the main campground, which has full-hookup and electric sites, its own small beach and a boat launch.
- Mosquito Lake State Park (Trumbull County, near Cortland): group camp areas plus full-service, electric and non-electric sites.
For more parks, our guides to the best Ohio state park campgrounds and Northeast Ohio state parks cover the region.
How to reserve an Ohio State Park group camp
- Book through Reserve Ohio, online at reserveohio.com or by phone at (866) 644-6727. Regular campsites open six months before arrival, to the day, with new dates released at 7 a.m. Check the group camp’s listing for its booking window and book the day it opens for summer weekends.
- Pay in full at booking, plus a $6.50 non-refundable reservation fee.
- Know the cancellation tiers. For campsites, group camps and unique rentals, cancelling 31 or more days out costs the reservation fee; 4 to 30 days costs that plus $6; 3 days or less costs that plus one night. Full details are in our cancellation policy guide.
- Call the park office with questions about capacity, vehicles, generators or amplified sound for your event. Rules differ by park.
Are there group rates at Ohio State Parks?
Group camps have their own fees, listed on Reserve Ohio. There isn’t a general discount for booking several regular sites. The discounts that do apply are individual: Golden Buckeye cardholders get 50% off campsites on Sunday through Thursday nights, and a 2026 state law directs a new 25% discount for veterans and service members. See Ohio camping discounts.
Groups with RVs and big rigs
Group camps are usually built around tents and shared space. If your group is mostly RVs, especially fifth wheels and large motorhomes, you’ll likely book individual sites instead. Before you commit:
- Measure your total length, including the tow vehicle if it stays hitched, and compare it with each site’s listed maximum.
- Match the hookups. Note who needs 50-amp service and who needs sewer at the site. Full-hookup sites are the first to sell out at popular parks.
- Ask for pull-throughs for the largest rigs and drivers who don’t like backing in.
- Count vehicles. Most campgrounds limit vehicles per site, so plan extra parking for the guests who drive separately.
For RV-specific options, see RV camping at Ohio state parks and full-hookup RV parks in Ohio.
Large group and event camping at a private campground
Private campgrounds work well for groups when you want everyone close together, a covered place to eat, and things for kids to do without leaving the park. Typical bookings are family reunions, church groups, graduation parties, camping clubs and friends who meet every summer.
Example: groups at Ridge Ranch Campground (Newton Falls)
Ridge Ranch Campground sits on 76 acres around a 17-acre lake near I-80 and the Ohio Turnpike in Trumbull County, about 20 minutes from Warren and 40 from Youngstown. Here’s how a group stay works there:
- Two pavilions. The outdoor pavilion, about 50 by 30 feet, was built by local Amish craftsmen and sits by the lake. The indoor pavilion is about 70 by 30 feet with a lower ceiling, a good backup when it rains. A shaded picnic area between the pavilion and the beach lets parents sit while kids are on the beach.
- Group pavilion perk. Groups that book 25 or more sites get one day of free pavilion rental. Current pavilion rates are on the rates page.
- Room for big rigs. Sites 17–26 suit large RVs, Class Cs and fifth wheels, and 22–26 are gravel pull-throughs with 50-amp service. Sites 17–21 and 27–32 are near the renovated restroom building, the camp store and the Kangaroo Jumper.
- Tents too. Tent sites are up front near the Kangaroo Jumper, with a quieter wooded tent area by the creek, so a mixed RV-and-tent group can stay near each other.
- Things to do on site. There’s a sandy beach and swimming area, the Wibit inflatable water park on the lake in summer, a playground, arcade, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoes, a dog park and catch-and-release fishing. Guests can bring their own kayaks and canoes. Food trucks visit on scheduled weekends, and the events page lists each weekend’s theme.
- Easy arrivals. License plates are collected when you book, and the front gate reads them, so each family is checked in before arriving and can drive straight to the site. That helps when twenty cars arrive at different times.
To set up a group, call (330) 898-8080 or use the contact page with your dates, number of sites, rig sizes and whether you want a pavilion. Ridge Ranch doesn’t have cabins, so everyone needs an RV or a tent.
State park group camp or private campground?
| Ohio State Park group camp | Private campground (e.g. Ridge Ranch) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Scouts, youth and club groups, tent-heavy groups | Reunions, mixed RV and tent groups, families with kids |
| How you book | Reserve Ohio | Directly with the campground |
| Setting | Trails, lakes and natural areas | On-site beach, activities and events |
| Gathering space | Varies by park | Reservable pavilions |
| Big rigs | Book individual sites; check lengths | Pull-through and 50-amp sites |
Group camping FAQ
How far ahead should a large group book?
For summer weekends, as early as the booking window allows. Ohio State Park campsites open six months out, and popular private campground weekends and pavilions also fill early, especially holiday weekends.
Do Ohio State Parks have group campsites?
Many do. Alum Creek, Sycamore, West Branch and Mosquito Lake are among the parks with group camp areas, all reserved through Reserve Ohio.
Can a large group bring several RVs to one campsite?
Usually not. Campsites have occupancy and vehicle limits, so each RV generally needs its own site. Book adjacent sites and ask the campground to group them together.
