Stopped by while in the area not knowing exactly what to expect. We walked down and saw the sculptures which were really neat. Sand is soft but somewhat rocky. There is a large area to accommodate a lot of people. They have ample parking and a few paths to walk. At the end of the path is an old lighthouse. Right now the end of the beach where the breakwall and building are, is closed off for wildlife. The water quality was poor for the day so there were not many people in the water. Also, the swim area seems very close to shore. I don't know how quickly it drops off, but I was a bit surprised. We did like seeing the walk path was mattes to the beach. Each trail was a different type of ground (sandy Beach path, harder trail though the shady area, part was a boardwalk). There were multiple parking lots, changing areas, and places for refuse and recycling. We enjoyed watching the boats. See more..
Geneva state park is a free state park with one of the best beaches on Lake Erie. I highly recommend a visit. It is well worth the adventure. It's so nice that even non beach goers can walk forever on the many trails and enjoy wetlands,Forrest, marinas and numerous sites on well paved trails. It deserves 10 stars.See more..
Main public beach area of the park was excellent. Arrived there around 10am and it wasn't too crowded, however crowd increased as the afternoon went on. Overall, the park/beach area are very good. Really wish the facilities were updated and maintained. Nice views of Lake Erie, which is the main attraction here. Good walking/biking path along the shoreline. Ample parking. Good place to spend a day.See more..
Practicing covid safety rules but can't controll guests from breaking the rules. They had limited people in the pool but some guests stayed all day keeping other guests from enjoying the pool. The food is not great. But the staff are all very nice. Wish they had bottled water in the room. We enjoyed the shuffle board and sitting out by the fire pits and watching the sunset. Beautiful views, would love to go when the leaves are changing in the fall.See more..
The main draw of Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is the Mound City Group, a collection of large reconstructed mounds commemorating the Hopewell tribe.See more..
This park was really nice. We stopped to play/visit along the way. Then we went to one of the beach areas. It was so nice. There was a cement retaining wall to sit along, if you didn't want to be in the sand. You could wade out a long way without getting very wet! The teenage birds in our group had lots of fun! We got a little sunburned, but thay was our own fault. There was a great lake breeze, so we never felt TOO hot!See more..
4.0Alum Creek State Park(178 reviews) - Great State Park. Speeding traffic is awful & constant!!! State Parks
We love camping in state parks and this park is great. The camp sites are separated by trees, which is great not to have other camper stacked upon each other. There is a lake for boating and swimming. Closer to the shore is a swimming area. However, the campground has a smaller access to the lake beach for campers. I loved this state campground, I only wish they would put in speed bumps or anything to slow down this traffic. There is a 10 mph sign posted but I literally seen no one (even the parks own trucks) doing 10 mph. This prevented us from walking and exploring more of the campground. This is a great state campground, if you can get past the speeding traffic & I mean fast speeding traffic.See more..
We stay at the Shawnee State Park campground and it was amazing! They have running water in the restroom, shower houses with hot water, and a laundry facility. We had campsite 11 and it was spacious with shade and plenty of room for our two cars (a truck and car) and two tents. They had a fire ring and picnic table and electric so we were able to charge phones (no cell service) and run fans. There was multiple hiking trails located at the camp ground and access to the lake for finishing, swimming, and kayaking. The campground is dog friendly. With COVID happening right now all sites must be reserved prior to showing up (plan ahead) and the camp store was not stocked (no ice, very little firewood) so come prepared with everything you need. I highly recommend staying here and hiking!See more..
4.5Malabar Farm State Park(154 reviews) - Fabulous Farm Sunday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM State Parks • Farms
Park that features a working farm and the 32-room country home built by Pulitzer prize-winning author, Louis Bromfield.See more..
We stayed at the campground; even though there are hundreds of sites it didn’t feel crowded. Very nice hiking trails throughout the park. Lake is pretty. The showers had only curtains not doors so be prepared if you’re planning on using them.See more..
our first family vacation with our kids and grandkids, we had a great time ate at the lodge several times, toured the area, went to the beach, rented pontoons for evening ride on the lake and visited hocking hills on sunday was a great time with our family, only downsize was the size of bathrooms very small, would recommend having the door open out instead of in to give a little more room and getting wifi in case anyone has an emergency back home as we traveled over 2 hours one way to stay and didnt realize no internet until we were there. but was still ok made us talk to each other more which was very nice and play board games together will definately be back for another trip with our family. beautiful amazing views every where we went was great trip for sureSee more..
Between the cabins and campground, I highly recommend the cabins. They're near a secluded area of the lake, but the much-frequented beach is also easily accessed. The cabins have a/c, a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms with multiple beds, an enclosed back porch, ample living space, cable tv, a fire pit and a picnic table. Perfect for family gatherings as well as friend's gatherings.See more..
Camped for the weekend despite the heat. We spent the days checking out different things in the area, so we didn't do too much at the park. Coming into the property we easily found the campground check in. We were pleased with the cleanliness of the park and the proximity of restrooms and shower houses to each area of camp. They also have dumpsters throughout the grounds so you don't have to transport your trash to the entry of the park. Even though it was busy, the shower houses were clean and there appeared to be a lot of recreational equipment to use. We saw several kayaks, canoes and even some stand up paddle boards to rent. The lake is easy to access from multiple points and there is a lot of room for activities. The lodge overlooks the lake and is beautiful. We love that the campground offers movies on the weekends and does other seasonal events. We will be back, I think it is one of our favorites. See more..
We stopped here for some beach time with our family. The parking area is right across from the Glacial Grooves. We arrived about noon on a Friday (July 4th holiday weekend) and was able to find great parking. We also found a great shaded spot to setup our area. This beach is perfect for families with little ones, the grade is very gradual and shallow throughout most of the beach area. We also have teens who had a lot of fun in the lake as well so great for all ages. There is a kayak rental stand right on the beach, bring cash though for it!!! It's $30 per hour for a double and $19 an hour for a single. They have a port-a-john style restroom and kind of a changing area, my son described it as pretty much a large bird house with some doors on it because there was a lot of bird feces everywhere.See more..
Beautiful park and well maintained. The park was very clean and the walking trails are marked. They did suggest taking a picture of the map with your phone which was great for easy reference. This is also an easy trip from Cincinnati. I would certainly recommend this for an outdoor activitySee more..
I do a LOT of camping and I don’t think I have every seen such a clean campground. It’s like someone just went around with a broom and swept all - and I mean ALL - the litter, twigs…I mean everything that wasn’t consistent with “spotless”. Nice campground with lots of really nice sites. I only spent one night mid week in a tent but did walk the entire campground. Clean from corner to corner. Nice job, Ohio Parks and Recreation.See more..
3.5Lake Logan State Park(103 reviews) - Beautiful shaded and peaceful locale for picnics or just enjoying the sites!! State Parks • Parks
Looking for a spot to enjoy a shaded, peaceful picnic lunch and came across Lake Logan. Didn't hurt that it was a beautiful sunny afternoon!! There was a covered pavilion with picnic tables, plus a few outside. People were social distancing! And you could walk down to the water to enjoy being along the shore or watch the folks on a variety of boats ride on by. Restrooms nearby too.See more..
4.0East Fork State Park(94 reviews) - Lovely park with lots to do Sunday: 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM State Parks
This is a beautiful campground. Each site feels Private although it is a very busy place. The layout was easy to follow and there are many activities in and around the park and on the lake. We had an electric hookup but no other services. They only have about 20 sites with full hookups and these are booked far in advance.See more..
3.5Deer Creek State Park(85 reviews) - Great place to getaway from it all State Parks • Parks
We stayed in cabin 24. Nice cabin. Could have been cleaner, and the screen on the screened porch needed fixed, but overall a positive experience. Kitchen had everything we needed except a skillet (we bought a cheap one and left it in cabin). Items in kitchen included coffee maker, toaster, can opener, pots, utensils, plates etc. Cabin 21 appeared to be nicest cabin with a great view of lake. Our cabin was spacious, but no bunk beds due to it being cabin that can accommodate wheelchairs. State park lodge was fairly empty the week we went. Kids had indoor pool to themselves, we dined at restaurant one night for dinner, and we were the only ones in restaurant. The beach across the lake was busy- so we stayed on the lodge side. I would recommend this place if you need a getaway, especially if you’re concerned about COVID. Restaurant wouldn’t allow people in if they didn’t have masks on. Lots of hand sanitizer stations. Place was very rural, and was not busy at all. We will stay here again!See more..
The Blackhand Gorge Trail in Heath is built on a former rail corridor and so grades are gentle. The trail is asphalt paved, well signed, and is 4.3 miles long. The trail runs on the southern side of Licking River and through the gorgeous Blackhand gorge. Thick forest vegetation provides complete shade for the trail and it remains surprisingly cool. Cyclists, hikers and other trail users will be treated to views of the adjacent river, the gorge, and high rock walls and bluffs. Evidence of the railroad history of the area is obvious as you pass through huge pieces of blasted rock. There are also nature hiking trails branching off from the main paved trail. Plaques along the trail provide history of the old railroad and of quarries in the area. Parking is available at both ends of the Blackhand Gorge Trail. At the larger eastern parking lot, there is a historic log cabin, but I did not find any signs telling what it is. Blackhand Gorge Trail is one fully enjoyable trail for all.See more..
4.0Catawba Island State Park(84 reviews) - Used their boat ramp and parking for Put In Bay long weekend excursion. State Parks • Parks
Nice clean park with awesome boat ramp , restroom and parking. Really nice docks and wide ramps. Met other boaters that commented on parks nice ramp and parking lot.. See more..
4.0Findley State Park(79 reviews) - nice but bring an air matress! State Parks
Amongst the beech, maple and pine lie a lake, and many bird species.See more..
This place feels magical. There are different trails you can take depending on how rigorous a hike you want to do. The paths are color coded on trees. They are not always easy to find. I recommend keeping children close as there are many gorges next to hiking trails that would be easy to fall into. I noticed that families with young children stayed below the cliffs near the waterfall.See more..
We go to this park often, in every season. Peaceful and lovely. A paradise for bird waters or if you like to watch deer. Turn off at the fishing hole on the way to the boat dock. Very picturesque. There are bathrooms near the waterfront, but they're closed in winter. If you go left to the gated entrance, beyond that there are camper spaces and yurts you can rent, if camping is your thing.See more..
Cowan Lake is small but beautiful lake It is a clean lake that doesn't allow anything over 10 horse power boats. There is ample fishing, and they rent out a variety f boats for your pleasure. I am not rating this 5 stars because there isn't but 1 restaurant around there. Lots of camping and cabins in the area though.See more..
A beautiful state park, great to hike, bike, or just hang out in! Grew up in the area..lucky me! Beautiful creek runs through the main park, with lots of trails and beautiful scenery. Nice autumn festival in October See more..
4.5Grand Lake St Mary's State Park(58 reviews) - Wonder base camp for exploring the Miami and Erie Canal State Parks • Parks
Paved walkways on both the east and west sides of the lake provide nice lake views. The campground is well kept with friendly staff. Both electric and full hook up sites. Some beautiful, mature trees in the campground. Sites range from full on sun to shady. The pads are mostly level. If this is your first time to stay in the area, check out the Grand Lakes Region Visitor Center which is very close to the park. Lots of good information to get you started. This is a great location for exploring the Miami and Erie Canal. Many interesting historic sites and a great place to bike or hike. Baker Woods State Nature Preserve is nearby. In early June, the displays of large leaf waterleaf in bloom are wonderful. Be sure to visit Memorial Park in St Marys to see the canal boat.See more..
4.5Scioto Trail State Park(57 reviews) - Hiked, Picnicked and had a white knuckle, breath taking, scenic drive on Forest Road 6! State Parks
Take a quiet trail into the thickness of oaks and hickories. The Scioto Trail State Park in the Appalachian foothills makes for a pleasant hike.See more..
4.0Rocky Fork Lake State Park(56 reviews) - Great trip at the beautiful Rocky Fork Campground State Parks • Parks
Overall we had a great weekend trip to Rocky Fork. The campground is one of the nicer ones in the area that we've stayed at. The camp store was nice, stocked with the essentials, friendly staff, and yummy Hershey's ice cream! The campground, restrooms, and shower house were all clean. We noticed before we checked out that staff were cleaning up sites as folks were leaving. The only complaint we had was that the showers were cold. We only had hot water for maybe a minute then it went cold for the remainder. That did not make for a very good shower experience with our younger kids! We spent a day at the lake on a boat and enjoyed tubing and swimming in relatively clear water with minimal boat traffic. I would definitely recommend a stay here, and we'll likely be back!See more..
We had a wonderful weekend camping at Dillon. The restrooms were very clean. The park has taken the proper measurement to protect folks during this time of COVID-19. The park is very pet friendly. Our dog was able to go everywhere with us! We went for a hike and played on the beach. Unfortunately, the beach area did have alot of trash. And the trails are very rugged. Overall, we were very happy!See more..
With so much attention on Hocking Hills, this small lake is a great, less crowded option. It's a beautiful lake with limited HP boats, so it stays less crowded and more in tune with nature. We rented kayaks at the Boat house. You could easily spend all day exploring the lake, but two hours was a nice, easy trip to explore the northwest portion. Lots of birds, turtles, and even a water snake. There is a small beach that they must groom each morning, and a nice picnic shelter north of the beach. On a Friday afternoon before Labor day, it was almost deserted. A great out-of-the-way location to explore the outdoors. See more..
Agree this is a very well-run park. I just spent 30 Days on the road and this is the first place with the gravel around the fire pit was RAKED between campers! Busy with kids/families on Fri/Sat..quiet by noon on Sunday. Will go back, for sure.See more..
4.0Burr Oak State Park(48 reviews) - Relaxing Day on the Boat State Parks • Parks
We live local and wanted a day of relaxing on the water somewhere. Comparing the other lakes in the area Burr Oak has more water to boat around on and the rentals are more cost friendly! Skip & Dakota - the guys running the marina were a great help with everything and got us out on the water. Overall we made two big loops around the lake with occasional stopping, dropping anchor, and fishing/swimming. We rented the boat for approximately four hours and it was right around $130. For those asking, we have Verizon cell service and it seemed like on one side of the lake we had service & the other we did not. Downside is that your eating options are pretty much limited to the Burr Oak Lodge if you didn’t bring anything, but overall was the wonderful relaxing day we wanted. Will definitely go back.See more..
Mosquito lake is a nice place for us to go just to get out of the house for the day or go camping. It's close by and convenient. We already have several reservations made there for camping this summer but when I heard on the news that it's posable the name of the park could be changed to "honor" our last president who takes absolutely NO interest in our state or national parks at all other then to destroy them, I'll have to consider that if that happens, our reservations will be canceled and will find another park to spend our time and money at. I wish people would just leave well enough alone and leave politics out of things. His name will just cause people like us to reconsider going there when it should be a place for EVERYONE to enjoy like it's always been for all these years. Why do some idiots have to ruin a good thing.See more..
We had a nice hike with friends at Caesar creak state park on the horseshoe falls trail. Loved the swinging bridge and the falls. The trail was a little muddy in early May however we enjoyed our hike.See more..
This is one of the smaller state parks in ohio. There is a campground, lake, hiking trails, nature center and playground.I like to fish and kayak the lake here. It's generally not too crowded. The hiking trails are hilly and average less than a mile each. There are grills and shelter houses for picnics. It's a well maintained park, one of my favorites.See more..
4.5Indian Lake State Park(42 reviews) - Great Lake for water soorts Spent More than 3 hours State Parks
This place has a nice beach - long and clean. No trees but lots of room and changing areas. You can get there by biking on the path that surrounds the lake for a good bit. It’s a great way to spend a day - bring your picnic and kayaks. See more..
3.5Tar Hollow State Park(41 reviews) - Logan Trail within Tar Hollow State Park State Parks
My wife and I hiked about three miles of the Logan Trail within Tar Hollow State Park. We began under the Pine Lake Dam, off of the parking lot. The trailhead is along the forest line without any markers from the parking lot, so we had to walk around the tree line before finding the trail, but it wasn't bad. The trail from point A on the attached photo is somewhat steep. I don't believe the trail is used very often as it is quite overgrown in some areas - to five feet and higher. I am glad I wore pants and a long sleeve shirt (lightweight as heat index was 90F) as I am sure some of the plant life growing over the trail would have been poisonous. A decent trail - decent workout.See more..
There are a wide range of trails at this park shared by hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. There is the main park area with two sections: shelter and playground section and a campground section. You can pick up trails from either section. We like picking up the trails from the campground section. The Shawnee Ridge Trail (blue blaze) is the longest - 10 miles one way. There are many other trails and that connect creating endless hiking routes. Pick up a trail map in one of the mail boxes or download from website. At point A, consider heading north on the trail to hike the steepest part of the trail system - Sugar Loaf Mountain. Great view at the top in late fall when the leaves have fallen. Oh...by the way, there's a nice disc golf course throughout the park. Haven't tried it, but it's well maintained.See more..
We visit this area every year and decided to go to this park for a picnic. The park is well kept and has a nice little gift shop that has yummy ice cream. There are walking trails and playground areas as well. There is a Goodyear Blimp Hanger right across Wingfoot Lake & if your lucky you can see a take off or landing. When we return to the area next year we will come back to the park for another picnic; it's a great park !!See more..
4.0A.W. Marion State Park(34 reviews) - Not much wildlife for being a state park. State Parks
The park seemed small, and it was okay, just not one of my favorite state parks. We are on a journey to see all 88 state parks in Ohio. We saw 4 on this particular day, and it was our least favorite. That being said, it's still has beauty, and fishing and water so it's not all bad. Our favorite thing was their camping area w/outdoor movie theater. We didn't see any wildlife hardly while we were there. It could of been the gunshots from the nearby hunters scared them off.See more..
4.5Barkcamp State Park(26 reviews) - Barkcamp in the fall State Parks • Parks
The campground is beautiful, wonderfully kept and groomed. We stayed during Halloween and many campers had trick or treat parties that looked like the kids were having great fun. Of course we had to remain socially distanced during our stay but we did meet some wonderful people. We had a problem with our electric hook up at the sight, it had a bed breaker in the power pedestal which we reported and campground personnel quickly fixed the issue.See more..
Lake Alma is a pretty little state park, a small slice of wilderness not far from Wellston and all the conveniences of town in case you burn the s'mores. All of the reviews rated average or below concern a camping experience. I did not camp so cannot comment on those experiences except to say the park itself is very scenic. The road around the lake is one way beyond the campground and one lane is for cars while the other is for pedestrians. It seems a little strange at first to see the lane beside you divided in half, down to the size of roads on a kid's playmat. You get used to it and it is much more rewarding to look to the lake side anyway. One older couple was out walking while I was driving but they wound up beating me to the highway because I stopped so long to take pictures along the way. Don't miss walking the bridge out to the island for a really great view.See more..
My family packed up for a hike and picnic. They had several trails that were flat and well maintained. As we ate a picnic table we so many animals; deer, fox, squirrels. There is also an Indian Mound to check out. We really enjoyed our afternoon and the ride out there.See more..
4.0Lake Loramie State Park(20 reviews) - Loved this Park Spent More than 3 hours State Parks • Nature & Wildlife Areas
We had a great stay. Yes, a little dated but they are making rennovations including more full service hook-ups. The staff was great and the Park has so much to offer. A bonus is the great amount of colorful song birds. Lots of Baltimore Orioles and Red-Headed Wookpeckers along with Goldfinch, meadowlarks, hummingbirds and many more.See more..
went out with friends on their pontoon boat while we were in town. Calm waters, beautiful views of homes and some statues. There are places to pull your boat into to get something to eat, or actually stop at the park to swimSee more..
I like to hike with my dog at different parks and decided to come here. The first little trail we took was completely paved and had some informational signs. We went back behind the museum and found that we could get about 2 more miles out of dirt trails. It’s been a rainy spring/summer so we found the trails rather muddy. It wasn’t too hard to tromp around the muddy parts. There is flint everywhere on the quarry trail and made it easier to walk on the trail because it was less muddy. It’s pretty neat that all the ditches in the area were from it being mined. Overall a nice park but I did find it a little difficult to find my way out. -bathrooms -water fountain -picnic area -museum -information for learning All equal a good park for little ones!See more..
4.0Furnace Run Metro Park(18 reviews) - Lovely local park Spent 1-2 hours State Parks • Hiking Trails • Forests
Walked several short trails & around part of lake/pond. Grounds were immaculately groomed, public restroom was clean and nicer than most hotels!See more..
Would of given a 5 except road through campground is really bumpy. Great campground. Most sites are large and many have view of lake. Camp has nice playground and it’s own swimming beach. There is a public beach too. See more..
