Campgrounds and RV parks near Bainbridge, OH

Bainbridge sits in southern Ohio's Paint Creek Valley, in Ross and Highland counties along U.S. Route 50. The village is the closest town to Paint Creek State Park, a 5,652-acre public recreation area centered on Paint Creek Lake, a reservoir created by damming Paint Creek. The site was dedicated as a state park in 1972 and forms the backbone of the region's RV and tent camping options. The closest campground to town is Areas 1-2-3 - Paint Creek State Park, the state-run modern campground on the north side of the lake. Within roughly a half-hour drive, private options include Long's Retreat Family Resort near Latham, Lake Hill Campground near Frankfort, Bayview Campground Cottages, and Shady Trails Family Campground. The area suits families and short-haul RV renters from Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, and northern Kentucky. Attractions within a short drive include Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Serpent Mound, and the Highlands Nature Sanctuary.

Areas 1-2-3 at Paint Creek State Park is reserved through the Ohio State Parks reservation system at reserveohio.com. Sites open six months in advance, and reservations can be made online or by calling 866-644-6727. Parks that use the reservation system no longer offer walk-in campsites, so book before arrival. A reservation fee applies, and full payment is due at booking. Private parks including Long's Retreat Family Resort, Lake Hill Campground, Bayview Campground Cottages, and Shady Trails Family Campground handle their own reservations directly by phone or through their websites, each with their own deposit and cancellation rules. For summer weekends and holidays, book two to three months out. Cancellation-alert services can help pick up last-minute openings at Paint Creek.