Austin Lake has been selected as among the top campgrounds by USA Today. -- Julie Stenger

More than 15,000 are located throughout the United States.

In other words, no matter your location, camping, hiking, fishing, swimming and various outdoor activities are never too far away from your front door.

However, the quality of the campground and the amenities which it offers, are truly what makes for being the best of the best.

And one of those best just so happens to be situated right here — lying within the heart of the Ohio Valley.

A GREAT WAY TO CAMP — Austin Lake offers 17 cabins which guests can rent for two nights or more. The log-style homes are furnished with air conditioning, fireplaces, televisions, bathrooms with showers, stainless steel sinks, microwaves, stoves and microwaves. Cabins can sleep up to 11 guests, with some homes being pet-friendly. -- Julie Stenger

For almost eight decades, Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins has been offering generations of families a space where they can get away from it all; a place where they can connect by disconnecting, because cell phone and internet service is sparse … if it’s available at all.

It’s an environment which allows visitors to get back to nature and relax in a quiet calmness.

It is a home away from home.

And people have taken notice.

They have seen what William and Marsha Cable have continued to do for years — making guests feel welcome and offering more than 100 things to do throughout its 1,300 acres of Appalachian wilderness.

With its 80-acre manmade lake that affords guests the opportunity to swim, paddleboat, kayak, paddle-board or simply have fun atop its multi-piece, water inflatable Wibit course — one of the largest in the state — the campground received an accolade for which its owners are extremely proud when USA Today named Austin Lake as being among the Top 11 campgrounds in the country.

Coming in with a ranking of No. 6, the Toronto RV park is growing even more popular. Campers, hikers and families are traveling for hundreds of miles to visit the campground. Whether it is for a season’s stay in an RV, a week-long or weekend vacation in one of the 17 log-style cabins on site, or a brief outing for the day, at Austin Lake … there is always so much to do.

When basing their decision on which campgrounds are the very best America has to offer, officials explained they considered various features for what makes that campground stand out among the others. Features include how many playgrounds are offered for children? Of which, Austin Lake has four. Playgrounds were added throughout the park for the enjoyment of younger guests. There are swings, monkey bars, rock climbers, slides, tubes and balancing beams, as well as a handful of antique, spring-coiled, repainted rocking horses for toddlers.

Are there fire pits, picnic tables and potable water? The answers to that is yes, yes and yes.

The Cables added several deluxe patio campsites, which can accommodate a big rig, that feature stamped, concrete pads, patio furniture, an upright grill, fire ring, a picnic table, chairs and a poly glider. They are equipped with full hookups, including sewer hookups and 30- or 50-amp electric and water. Fire pits, picnic tables and shelters are spaced throughout the park for the convenience of guests.

Other features to determine a best campground are whether it offers a beautiful view and safe roads where children can bicycle or ride a scooter. The local park offers beautiful scenes to look at that are functional. Campers can enjoy an array of activities, including hiking along several trails.

The Cables work the main gate on a daily basis, greeting those who enter and exit the family oriented park. They drive the perimeter making sure those driving golf carts and vehicles obey the speed limit specified. The couple picks up any pieces of trash someone has left behind and constantly ensures the park, campground and cabins remain in the best possible condition for guests.

USA Today says another feature which determines the ranking of a park is if there are restrooms located within a short walking distance and do they have flush toilets and hot showers? The response to that is in addition to the concrete RV pads which have water hookups for campers, Austin Lake has a number of restrooms for guests with these amenities. The log-style cabins have bathrooms with showers. Only two cabins are not equipped with a restroom or kitchen. But for the other 15, the restrooms feature a shower with running hot water; kitchens with a refrigerator, microwave and stainless-steel sink; wood interiors furnished with log furniture, a loft, porch, fire ring and an upright charcoal grill.

The cabins also feature air conditioning with paddle fans.

Three cabins were added to the park in 2023 and three cabins were added this year, including the Butterfly Cabin, which was placed in memory of William Cable’s mother.

The two recently-added pond cabins sit along the water and were custom-built using local hardwood.

There are cabins which sleep larger families or groups wishing to spend the night at the lake. Anywhere between five and 11 people can stay in the Butterfly, Pond, Eagle or Buzzards Hideaway cabins.

The two Keyhole cabins can be rented side-by-side, sleeping up to 9 guests, while the basic Rocky Raccoon cabins sleep between two to five people.

Smaller families can enjoy spending time in the Train, Ladybug, Katydid, Great Blue Heron, Firefly and Dragonfly cabins. Each sleep between two and six people.

Those who need a handicapped-accessible cabin can rent the Great Blue Heron Cabin. The log-style structure has lower cabinets, bathroom bars and ramps.

The newspaper states another feature which is of interest when ranking campgrounds is, “Are there interesting local attractions and lots of green space where groups of children can play?”

One cannot be ranked No. 6 and not have these features on site.

While there are surrounding attractions people can visit when staying at Austin Lake, the park itself offers several attractions.

Guests can fish in three spring-fed fishing ponds which are stocked for catch and release. There are children-friendly creeks which flow through the park and offers hours of fun, including a 30-year-old swinging rope bridge where children can walk across the waterbed below.

Numerous hiking trails are found within the park for those who enjoy adventure, climbing and perhaps even bird watching.

There is artwork throughout the park, with additional pieces being added each year. Metal dinosaurs, dragons and gargoyle sculptures were created by students at the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School. The students designed, cut and welded the steel pieces together. These range in length from 4 feet to 16 feet.

Chainsaw carvings were created specifically for the park, including several Bigfoot, eagles, buzzards and a woodsman. The woodsman carving weighs two tons and was made from a black walnut stump that remained following a dam project done in 2018.

Daily admission covers plenty of activities for individuals and families, including swimming, a sandy beach, a pollywog pond, taking hayrides, playing bingo, playgrounds, hiking trails, basketball, sand volleyball and picnic shelters.

Guests can take part in a game of cornhole in the campground and picnic areas. A concrete cornhole board was erected as the game became more popular. There also is a concrete Foosball table located near the concession stand. Campers and daily guests are permitted to use the games when they are not out on the water or walking one of the park’s trails.

Campers, along with daily and picnic guests, can purchase an armband that can be used to ride the paddle boats, take out a kayak, use the pedal karts, play on a downhill tube slide and take advantage of the Wibit waterpark. The Wibit and Rockit inflatables are among the lake’s biggest attractions, the Cables said.

There are several components which make up this inflatable floating obstacle course in the lake. The course is one of the largest in the state. The course includes a climbing wall, hurdles, slides, a trapeze, swing, balance beam and trampoline.

The Cables explained the Wibit inflatables are extremely popular with visitors. Families have come from Pennsylvania to specifically utilize the course, which provides hours of entertainment and offers an excellent workout.

The Wibit course is for those 45 inches and taller. Life jackets are provided.

There are Wibits available for toddlers, as well, such as the Wibit frog hand and a mini slide. The water rides are perfect for children under 6 and who are less than 45 inches tall.

Activities which include an additional cost are: The Zambezi River Gem Mine, paddle boards, paddle-boats, pedal karts, kayaks, canoes, water toys, bumper boats, an 80-acre stocked lake in which no license is required, pontoon rentals and shelter rentals.

The five pontoon boats are available to rent, two of which are equipped with ski tubes to pull swimmers around the lake. Three of the pontoons are reserved solely for fishing and cruising. Reservations can be taken for either a half day or all day.

Campers have the option of reserving golf carts during their stay. The carts make it easier to get around the mile-and-a-half-long campground and are available in a four-seat cart, a six-seat cart or an eight-seater limo cart.

Campers can enjoy themed weekends, with each offering various planned activities, including the annual Christmas in July event and Spooktacular Halloween Weekends. They can enjoy “Bigfoot’s Big Ride,” a wagon which holds up to 50 guests and is strung with LED lighting to make it more visually appealing during the trips throughout the park every Saturday evening, weather permitting.

Finally, the question of is there a dog park or dog area if you plan to bring a pet?

The Cables realize that a pet is oftentimes part of the family, and they have made the necessary arrangements to allow for dog swimming in the lake and there are pet-friendly cabins available, so guests never have to worry about spending the night and leaving their animal behind.

The park has received a Good Sam excellent rating and is in the top 10 percent of parks in the United States.

A majority of the park’s employees are local teenagers, who assist at the reservation desk, work as lifeguards at the lake, wait on customers inside the concession stand, work as food service employees, maintenance workers, beach and waterfront attendants and hospitality staff. The Cables explained they prefer to hire dependable teenagers who receive good grades and follow directions, as they make great employees who respect their guests.

William Cable stated the teenagers are part of the reason the lake is as popular as it is and why the family-owned and operated business consistently ranks among the best in the country.

“The credit for the success of Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins goes to each one of the kiddos that are employed at the lake during the summer that are part of making the guest experience incredible,” he said. “They all are a hoot.”

Austin Lake is located at 1002 township Road 285A in Toronto. To make a reservation or for information, e-mail the Cables at austinlake@austinlakepark.com, call (740) 544-LAKE or visit the website austinlakepark.com.

Other campgrounds which placed in the Top 11 in the USA Today were found in Florida, Arizona, Colorado, New York, California, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.