Paint Creek State Park Campground

280 Taylor Road

Bainbridge, Ohio 45612

Camp Store: (937)-981-7061

Reservations: (866) 644-6727

Website: http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/paintcreek

Paint Creek State Park is located in South Central Ohio. The campground is open year round. During the winter months, there are limited amenities and the camp store is closed. However, there is always one shower house available. We camped there a few days before Christmas. We have also visited in the spring. We stayed at campsite #37. It was spacious and included a fenced-in deck area. Other sites we liked included 39, 57, 62, 78, 112, 115, 119, and 125. Site #116 backed up to the lake and offered a lot of space and a deck with a scenic view. If we return to Paint Creek, we plan to book this site. If you are camping with others, sites 160, 161, 162, 164, and 166 would be great for group camping. For the 2015 camping season, regular sites cost $24/night. Sunday through Thursday, Golden Buckeye members receive ½ off. Premium sites (w/decks) run $26/night. Paint Creek also offers cabins ($50/night) and one yurt ($45/night). Walk-in sites can be found at sites #13, 15, 44-54, and 181-194. Beginning in 2015, some Ohio state parks offer seasonal sites. Paint Creek is one of them. The camp store was fully stocked with camp supplies, food, and fishing gear. Check-in time is 3:00 and checkout is 1:00.

Appearance

Paint Creek consists of paved roads and pads. For the most part, the campground was manicured. Nothing overly glittery but nice. One a recent visit we did see several new flower gardens and planters getting ready for summer planting.  We anticipate these will be a nice addition and really add beauty to the campground. Most of the sites on the outskirts of the roads provided shade while located inside the loops were open-air sites. Some sites provided a scenic view of the lake. Each site provided a picnic table and a fire ring as well as 20/30/50 amp electric. Like many Ohio State Parks, there is adequate distance between sites for privacy at Paint Creek.

Rating: 

 

Family/Pet:

Paint Creek is quiet state park away from the hustle and bustle of main roads and highways. The downside to this is the spotty cell service (Verizon and AT&T). The campground provided a variety of activities for kids. There are two playgrounds with swing sets and such. There is a volleyball court as well as a basketball court. Paint Creek also offers a nice putt-putt golf course. For the disc golf enthusiasts, there is a nice 21-hole course outside of the campground (walking distance). The campground hosts movies at their amphitheater. A number of hiking trails can be found at Paint Creek.  Each month there are a few themed weekends such as family birdhouse building, bike decorating contest, yard sale, VIP breakfasts, and the annual Halloween campout. Paint Creek is pet friendly, however, they are not allowed in the cabins or the yurt. Unfortunately, the campground does not provide a fenced-in dog area nor a pet-friendly beach. However, there is plenty of road and trail to walk your dogs.

Rating:

Area Attractions

Being situated in the countryside, Paint Creek is not a major tourist attraction. However, there are activities nearby. The lake is 1,190 acres with unlimited horsepower. Fishing is popular among anglers (saugeye, bluegill, bass, catfish and crappie). There are wildlife areas that permit hunting with a valid hunting license. Hiking, biking, and bridle trails exist throughout the 5,652 acre park. There is a 1,000 foot beach for swimming. Paint Creek is also near other Ohio State Parks: Pike Lake and Rocky Fork. For the history enthusiast, there is Native-American history in this region found at Fort Hill State Memorial and Seip Mound State Memorial.

Rating:

Restrooms

The restrooms and shower houses are like most you will find in state park campgrounds.  Generally speaking, they were decent and clean. Nothing to brag about. We used the family shower room because it was more spacious and provided adequate hooks for our towels and cosmetic bags. The water was warm and provided a consistent stream of water.

Rating:

Overall Rating: