USDA Forest Service · Ohio
Iron Ridge - Lake Vesuvius
USDA Forest Service · Ohio, United States
- Sites
- 34
- Hookups
- 20 electric, 34 with water, 8 no hookups
- Season
- April 10 to October 11
- Max RV length
- 58 ft
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 801 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 4
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · Verizon weak · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- IRON RIDGE (NFSR 1959) · asphalt · high degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Wayne National Forest
- Nearest town
- PEDRO
- Address
- 6518 State Route 93, PEDRO, OH, 45659
- Phone
- 740-534-6500
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting
34 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
34 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
Iron Ridge is one of two campgrounds in the Vesuvius Recreation Area in southeastern Ohio's Wayne National Forest. Iron Ridge offers a great location for outdoor recreation, with activities like boating, swimming and fishing on Lake Vesuvius. Horseback riding and hiking are also available in the rolling hills surrounding the campground.
Recreation
Boating, fishing and swimming on Lake Vesuvius are the area's most popular activities. Anglers may catch bass, catfish, crappie or bluegill.
More than 40 miles of trails exist in the area, with trailheads beginning at or near the campground. A 1/2-mile hiking trail connects the campground to Lake Vesuvius. Lake Shore Trail offers an 8-mile loop around the lake and shorter trails lead to Rock House Cave, a grand, tunnel-like sandstone cave that was once used by Native Americans for shelter.
Facilities
The campground offers multiple sites for RV camping, many of which have electric hookups. Some first-come, first-serve sites are also available. Each campsite can accommodate up to eight individuals.
Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring with grill. The campground has accessible flush toilets, showers and drinking water. Campsites 9, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 all have access to shared water spigots, while all other campsites have their own individual water-hookups. A dump station is located on-site.
Natural Features
Iron Ridge Campground is located on a wooded ridge above 143-acre Lake Vesuvius. A scenic forest of mature eastern hardwoods covers the area.
Nearby Attractions
The closest town is Ironton, Ohio, less than 10 miles from the campground.
Fees
There is a $5 electric hookup fee. The total fee of electric site is composed of $15 basic camping fee and $5 electric fee.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 26° | -7° | 64° | 10 of 11 |
| February | 44° | 30° | 11° | 70° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 56° | 37° | 11° | 78° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 68° | 47° | 27° | 85° | 2 of 11 |
| May | 76° | 58° | 39° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 82° | 64° | 52° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 86° | 70° | 63° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 83° | 69° | 59° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 81° | 64° | 52° | 96° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 66° | 48° | 35° | 84° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 54° | 37° | 21° | 70° | 3 of 10 |
| December | 45° | 31° | 3° | 66° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Trails nearby
- Sand Hill Trailhead · 0.3 mi as the crow flies
Vesuvius Main Loop 30 mi Hike, Hungry Hollow Connector 0.4 mi Hike, Sandhill Connector Hike · Drive there - Balancing Rock Trailhead · 0.9 mi as the crow flies
Balancing Rock 0.5 mi Hike, Balancing Rock Connector 0.2 mi Hike · Drive there - Rock House Trailhead · 1.1 mi as the crow flies
Longbow Archery 0.6 mi Hike, Rock House 0.4 mi Hike · Drive there - Longbow Archery Trailhead · 1.2 mi as the crow flies
Longbow Archery 0.6 mi Hike, Rock House 0.4 mi Hike, Longbow Accessible Spur 0.1 mi Hike · Drive there - Bluegrass Trailhead · 3.1 mi as the crow flies
Vesuvius Main Loop 30 mi Hike · Drive there
All 169 trails in Wayne National Forest
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 3 sites
- Oak Hill - Lake Vesuvius · USDA Forest Service · 1 mi · 32 sites
- Virginia Point Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 14 mi
- Greenbo Lake State Resort Park · Kentucky State Parks · 17 mi · 102 sites
- Jackson Lake State Park · Ohio State Parks · 20 mi · 33 sites
All public campgrounds in Ohio · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.