Miami Whitewater Forest Campground (Harrison, OH)

513-367-9632

http://www.greatparks.org/recreation/camping/miami-whitewater-forest-campground.html

This campground is part of the Hamilton County Park system in greater Cincinnati.  Hamilton County Park System offers three scenic campgrounds:  Miami Whitewater Forest, Steamboat Bend, and Winton Woods. A motor vehicle permit is required to enter each park and is not included with the camping fee rate. L The Miami Whitewater Forest Park is made up of 4,343 acres which includes a 46 site campground.  (3o minutes northwest of Cincinnati)

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Appearance:

The campground is divided into two sections. In the upper section there are paved roads and sites, while in the lower level the roads are paved with gravel sites.  The campground is in a very a very wooded area so all of the sites are shaded.  The upper level sites are best suited for tent camping – many of the sites are very unlevel with steep pitches.

There were tons of birds within the campground and a trail system close to the campground. The campground is small, 36 sites in all, and the size of the sites are average and similar to the size of most state park campsites.   At the top of the hill when you first pull in is a dumping station, the only location for trash disposal, and the main shower house with flush toilets and showers.  There are also pit toilets in other areas of the campground.

Activities:

While the campground itself did not have planned activities, within a ½ mile from the campground the Boathouse/harbor area has a lake, fishing, bike, canoe, kayak, paddleboat, hydrobikes, and pontoon rentals, etc. There is a golf course in addition to a 9 hole Frisbee golf course.  There is a picnic area and store stocked with fishing equipment, snacks, etc.  There are numerous trails within the park with varying degrees of difficulty.  We especially enjoyed the Badlands Trail. There are also bridle trails. We saw a fair amount of wildlife including deer, woodpeckers, a beaver dam, just to name a few. The trails also had a good variety of spring flowers in bloom when we visited in April.

Pet/Family Friendly:

The Harbor has a lot of activities for families to enjoy. In addition to all of the above mentioned activities there is also a water playground for kids to enjoy in the summer months. There is also a small but well maintained playground located within the campground.

Miami Whitewater campground allows two pets per site, and must be leashed at all times.  Dogs are allowed on all trails and we found the trails to be wide enough and well-groomed so the dogs could enjoy the walk.  There are also restrooms with water fountains near most trail sites so we could easily give the dogs fresh water. They are currently in the process of constructing a fenced in dog park area.

Restrooms:

We were pleased with the cleanliness of the restroom located at the main entrance to the campground.  This facility had flush toilets, and private individual showers. The shower house was small in comparison to others we have visited but adequate in relationship to the size of the park.   We thought the space and cleanliness of these showers were far superior to those commonly found in State or County Park facilities.  A downside to the showers was that the water was on a timer.  While the water was hot and the pressure was good, you had to reset the water every minute or so.  The campground had two other pit type facilities (three per site).While there isn’t much good to say about pit toilets, it was nice to have one close to our site for late night bathroom trips.

Overall:  We really loved the scenic aspect of this park and campground.  We look forward to returning.