Mt. Gilead KOA Holiday Named Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s 2025 Campground of the Year
Mt. Gilead KOA Holiday achieves the highest award out of hundreds of campgrounds throughout North America
SAN ANTONIO – The Mt. Gilead KOA Holiday, owned and operated by Chip and Bambi Hanawalt, has been named Kampgrounds of America, Inc.’s (KOA) Campground of the Year for 2025. The award is the highest honor in the KOA campground system and was announced on Wednesday, November 20, during KOA’s annual Convention and Expo held this year in San Antonio, Texas.
After stumbling upon a campground for sale in Columbus, Ohio, the Hanawalts first became campground owners in 2000 and joined the KOA system in 2017. The couple sold that park to KOA, Inc. and embarked on a new greenfield development venture in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, breaking ground on the site in late 2019. They opened just in time for the July Fourth weekend in 2020 amid the challenges of COVID-19. This 150-acre property, located about 40 miles north of Columbus, offers ample green space and modern amenities.
The Hanawalts are committed to making the campground a family legacy, with their children and grandchildren helping with operations. The Hanawalts’ daughter, Haley, has grown up on her family’s campgrounds since the age of nine and now helps with daily operations.
“Joining the KOA system has been the greatest decision for our business,” said Haley Hanawalt, daughter of Chip and Bambi. “The brand’s high standards help us strive and strengthen our relationships with fellow KOA owners. The resources and support we receive have been amazing.”
Since opening, the Hanawalts have made significant additions to the campground including expanded amenities such as walking and biking trails, a driving range, additional bathhouses, and recreational facilities like volleyball and basketball courts. They’ve also added new Paw Pen sites, a 24-hour laundry room, a new Deluxe Cabin, a security gate, and 30 new full-hookup Pull-Thru Sites with patios. In 2023, the couple received a Campground of the Future Grant from KOA, Inc. and used that towards introducing a luxurious KOA Signature Site, complete with shelter, furniture, a washer and dryer, a bar, and a putting green.
“The Hanawalts continue to enhance the campground with meticulous attention to detail,” said Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of KOA. “Their unwavering commitment and passion for outdoor hospitality serves as a beacon for us all. We are immensely proud of their journey and visionary approach to crafting campgrounds that welcome families and bridge generations.”
For more information about the Mt. Gilead KOA Holiday, please visit the campground’s website.
ABOUT KAMPGROUNDS OF AMERICA
Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) is a pioneer in outdoor hospitality and an emerging trailblazer in the travel industry with a mission to “connect people to the outdoors and each other.” The company comprises two unique brands: KOA and Terramor Outdoor Resorts. KOA offers an unrivaled brand visibility, providing campground owners and operators unparalleled support in campground education, design, recruitment, marketing and technology. With more than 60 years of expertise, KOA is the world’s largest system of privately owned, open to the public campgrounds, consisting of more than 500 franchised and owned campgrounds. Terramor Outdoor Resorts, a glamping venture, delivers a refined and upscale outdoor experience.
As a steward of outdoor recreation access, KOA uses 1% of pre-tax profits to fund the Kampgrounds of America Foundation, which strives to increase opportunities for all to access and engage with the outdoors, make positive impacts in the communities where we live and work to help preserve outdoor spaces for years to come.
For more information, visit KOA.com and TerramorOutdoorResort.com.
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