Camping along the Ohio River Way: Now in Partnership with Hipcamp
One of the biggest questions we hear from people traveling the Ohio River Way is: “Where can I camp?”
If you’re paddling for multiple days, biking long-distance, or connecting trail segments town by town, recreationists need places to stay that are safe, legal, and easy to find.
To help solve this, we’re partnering with Hipcamp, the leading platform for unique and small-scale camping stays. This collaboration gives recreationists something they’ve never had before along our corridor: a centralized, reliable directory of campsites in river communities.
Introducing the Ohio River Way Camping Collection
We’ve officially launched the Ohio River Way Collection on Hipcamp — a curated set of campsites and small campgrounds located near the National Water Trail.
Instead of searching across multiple websites or relying on word-of-mouth, travelers can now browse a single collection that updates automatically as new hosts list their properties. Whether you’re planning a two-day paddle, a week-long ride, or a multi-town road trip, the collection makes overnight planning much simpler.
Why This Matters for River Travelers
Until now, finding overnight options along the Ohio River Way has been scattered. The new Hipcamp collection creates a growing, centralized resource to plan multi-day travel along the corridor.
For paddlers, cyclists, and travelers, this means:
Better route planning ahead of time
Being able to choose sites based on distance, amenities, and your daily mileage
Avoiding unsafe or unpermitted camping situations
Planning longer, more ambitious trips with confidence
Why This Matters for River Communities
Hipcamp guests are supporting local economies. Guests spend dollars per stay at nearby businesses, from restaurants and markets to marinas and bike shops.
For small towns along the Ohio River, even a handful of new campsites can mean:
More visitors discovering local attractions
More dollars staying in the community
More opportunities for landowners to diversify income
More reasons for travelers to choose these towns as part of their route
When people have a place to stay, they have a reason to linger.
Who Can Become a Host?
You don’t need a big campground to participate. Many types of properties work well on Hipcamp:
Farms, ranches, vineyards, or other private landowners with a few acres to spare
Existing campgrounds and RV parks looking to reach new guests
Cabin owners, glamping operators, and small retreat centers
Once a site is listed, it automatically appears in the Ohio River Way Collection — no extra work required.
Interested in hosting? Learn more here.
What Hipcamp Provides Hosts
To make hosting simple and worthwhile, Hipcamp offers:
Free listing (Hipcamp only earns when you do)
Calendar sync to prevent double bookings
Year-round support from a U.S.-based team
Up to $1M in liability coverage for every booking
Professional photography in many regions
Fire ban alerts, clear rule-setting, and streamlined tax management
Visibility to 8M+ campers searching for unique stays
Hosting can be a small effort with a surprisingly meaningful impact — both for you and your town.
Creating Connection Along the Ohio River Way
Creating accessible overnight options is one of the most important steps toward making the Ohio River Way a fully connected, multi-day recreation corridor. This partnership with Hipcamp fills a long-standing gap and helps more people experience the river in a safe, sustainable, and community-supported way. More places to stay mean more people discovering how special this region truly is!