Make the reservation thru monday..... then leave late Sunday.

By having early checkout time, the space is clear for someone to come in,
set up, and enjoy the evening.

It's a give and take..... If you were coming in on Sunday night, you
wouldn't wait untill 5pm to check in.

Being a frequent camper in the Ohio Park system for 20+ years....I
have seen it all.
 When I was a young buck, dad would get off work on Friday afternoon,
cash his check, run home+hook up, get gas, go the the grocery for a
quick shopping trip..and then go to the park +set up (with a pretty
good variety of available spaces).
 Those days are gone...camping has become a sport! I think that the
current reservation system is far better than the past 5 years or so.
Yep it does require you to think a little ahead. Maybe they need to
have a section for first come first serve..and leave the rest to
reservations.
 The 1pm checkout rule does not bother our family as we usually get
'er rolling early to get home to get the mowing and other chores done
and to be able to relax a tad before going back to work on Monday. We
have packed up and moved the camper to the main parking lot a couple
of times on Sundays where we wanted to hang around longer. And yes we
have even paid for Monday to give us extra time.
 I have also stood around in the parking lot for 4+ hours on a Friday
morning to be able to get my name in the lottery for a possible site.
I have watched adults swear and threaten the State park employees. I
have seen fist fights over squatters rights (the hubby drops off the
wife and or a kid with a lawn chair to reserve a spot...while the
another family is actually paid for the spot minutes earlier tries to
pull in and claim their land)..all of which has been eliminated with
the reservation system (as far as I can tell) I have a lot of money
invested in this sport...If I want to play...I have to obey.

Ohio still has some of the finest state parks in the U.S. I have seen
many others..and we are lucky to have what we have.

Happy camping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kyle "The Ohio Hiker"

My experience in Ohio State Parks is that most campers are packing up in the
morning so that they can make the drive back. That was even before any sort
of reservation system was put in place. Otherwise, I have never seen any
hard and fast enforcement of the rule to leave by one Sunday afternoon, the
campgrounds are almost never full Sunday nights.

The way it used to be with people reserving (and paying for) a campsite days
in advance of when they were going to actually use didn't sit well with
people. Many were being turned away and the paid for sites left empty.
People complained, and that business stopped. Now you have to occupy the
site (not just park your stuff on it) every day that you are paying for it.

The current reservation is probably what works best, and what will continue
to be used. Imagine driving for two or three hours to a desitnation on the
chance of being turned away. Better to know ahead of time if you have a
spot. Even if I'm going to an Ohio State Park somewhere on a last minute
decision, I reserve a spot.