Camping the Cuyahoga Valley in the Former Home of Camp Mueller

A loud pop shakes us from the hypnotic spell of the campfire that continues to blaze long after the s’more-making is done. The popping embers dance and spin in front of our tent like flickering stars, rising toward the canopy of trees that have stood guard over the ancient rite of roasting marshmallows at Camp Mueller for generations.

Located within the boundaries of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Peninsula, Ohio, the long-running summer camp was heaven for the countless urban youth who ventured into the park’s verdant embrace. Each summer, the children would experience a symphony of chirping birds, rustling leaves and crackling fires instead of the usual rhythm of life in Cleveland only 30 minutes away.

(Photo courtesy Laura Watilo Blake)

Now, the former summer camp is being transformed into a private campground for all ages that promises an unforgettable overnight with instant access to history, wildlife and recreation within Ohio’s only national park. Valley Overlook at Camp Mueller will have a mix of primitive sites, cozy cabins and glamping tents when fully complete.

Cabins that once echoed with the whispers of spooky ghost stories told by kids tucked in their bunk beds are now vacation homes with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchens, living areas and covered porches.

Upon opening for the 2023 season in mid-May — when I visited with my nine-year-old daughter — only the glamping tents (called “canvas cabins”) were ready to go, but as DIY campers, staying in one is an absolute indulgence.

(Photo courtesy Laura Watilo Blake)

Perched on wooden platforms, the one-room sanctuaries can convert the most-fervent indoors-y type into a bona fide camping aficionado. Unzipping the front flap and pulling it aside reveals an inviting living space dominated by a sumptuous queen-size bed adorned with plump pillows, luxurious bed linens and a chunky cable-knit throw. Flanking the bed are two side tables, while a cushioned bench rests by its foot. The sight of two extra throw blankets folded over the reading chairs brings me peace of mind, and I anticipate wrapping up in one to stave off the morning chill. A dining table with bench seats and a folding luggage rack complete the number of furnishings, and there is still ample room to move around or accommodate two other guests in sleeping bags.

“It’s like taking your bedroom and moving it outside,” says Janet Schoen, who has worked alongside her husband, Terry, and their five grown kids to get the 62-acre campground up and running for the last couple of years. “Nature, in all its glory, is just on the other side of the canvas.”

(Photo courtesy Laura Watilo Blake)

We pause to listen to birds sing as they flit among the magnificent tapestry of oak, hickory, maple and beech trees, which shelter a diverse array of deciduous trees and shrubs in the understory. On a walk around the campground to scope out the closest bathroom (there’s a clean pit toilet about 50 feet away from our tent), we meander past two varieties of viburnum bushes bursting with clusters of white lacy flowers. For a longer walk on the property, head uphill to the lookout point that gave Valley Overlook its name.

“You’ll know it when you see it,” Terry Schoen says just before we set off with the simple directions he’s given us.

 A 20-minute hike rewards campers with an awe-inspiring view of the Cuyahoga River Valley, especially when it’s bathed in the hues of the setting sun. Though none of the campsites and cabins have such a scenic view, a picnic table perched at the overlook serves as a perfect vantage point to watch the sun cast its golden glow over the valley. Northeast Ohio weather has different plans for us. Instead, the sun disappears behind a thick haze instead of regaling us with a show-stopping spectacle.

(Photo courtesy Laura Watilo Blake)

No one seems to mind, though. It’s still a tranquil setting to bid adieu to another day and marvel at the magnificence of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park below. Normally a moment like this would be overlooked in our hurried return to Cleveland, but staying at Valley Overlook gives us more time to truly savor the experience of being in the park, which contains hundreds of cultural and recreational assets.

Later, we contemplate the next day’s itinerary while we sit by the fire. The campground is just a half mile from the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, where we can hike or bike three miles on relatively flat terrain to Peninsula for shopping and dining, and on to Boston Mills Visitors Center two miles further, where the main headquarters for the National Park Service is located. Driving expands our range to other areas of the park, such as Hale Farm & Village and the massive cliffs along the Ledges Trail.

We’ll just have to wait to see what tomorrow brings.

For now, as we sit in front of the tent in a post-s’mores somnolence, we just have to decide whether to put another log on the fire or let the flames die down so we can snuggle up under the covers and slip into a peaceful slumber.