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Top Ohio State Parks: See reviews and photos of State Parks in Ohio, United States on Tripadvisor.
Jan 26, 2022 · At these state parks, you can enjoy lots of fun activities depending on the time of year you visit, including swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, disc golfing, and, of course, learning about Ohio’s rich wildlife and natural history.
- Can’T-Miss State Parks in Northwest Ohio
- Best Northeast Ohio State Parks
- Favorite State Parks in Eastern Ohio
- Central Ohio State Parks to Explore
- Popular State Parks in Southeast Ohio
- Stunning Southern Ohio State Parks
- Must-Visit State Parks in Southwest Ohio
- Accessible Ohio State Parks
- Visiting Ohio State Parks
- Plan Your Ohio State Parks Tour
1400 State Park Road, Oregon, OH 43616 Maumee Bay State Park is perfect for visitors and nature enthusiasts of all ages, featuring hiking trails, swimming, a lodge, a golf course, and a seven-lane archery range. Families can take a walk down the Storybook Trail (one of several found in Ohio state parks) to explore nature while following a children’s story. Commonly spotted wildlife include frogs, butterflies, and white-tailed deer. It’s also a fantastic spot for bird-watching, as over 300 spe...
4049 E. Moore’s Dock Road, Port Clinton, OH 43452 This lovely park is open during the day and is right on Ohio’s Great Lake. Visitors can boat and kayak, fish, and more in Lake Erie. There’s an abundance of songbirds in the area, with hundreds of species spotted, making it a fantastic spot to relax, picnic, and bird-watch. In the winter months, popular activities include ice skating and ice fishing. This park is just one of five located on Lake Erie.
1169 N. Buck Road, Lakeside-Marblehead, OH 43440 East Harbor has the biggest family campground of all the Ohio state parks, with available cabins, 354 electric sites, 51 full hookup sites, and 168 non-electric sites. Reservations are required for all campsites. The park is located close to one of Lake Erie’s beautiful public beaches, where visitors can swim and relax on the shore. Deer are commonly spotted in the area as well.
4499 Padanarum Road, Geneva, OH 44041 The nearly 700-acre Geneva State Park is located on Lake Erie’s northeastern shoreline, providing plenty of opportunities for visitors to swim, boat, fish, lay out on the sand, and explore estuaries and marshland. For outdoor enthusiasts wanting to extend a day trip, there are plenty of available lodging options. The Geneva State Park Campground offers cabins and full hookup, electric, and non-electric tent camping sites. Another option is the nearby Lodg...
3116 State Route 3, Loudonville, OH 44842 Mohican State Park’s thousands of acres of forest were, at one point, used as Native American hunting grounds. Later on, in the 1800s, the famous “Johnny Appleseed” cared for apple tree nurseries here. Today, you can enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, mountain biking, picnicking, and more. Some of its must-see features include Clear Fork Gorge, Lyon’s Falls, the Mohican State Scenic River, and the nearby Pleasant Hill Lake (an excellent fishing spot). Pl...
920 Division Street, Kelleys Island, OH 43438 One of the most unique features of Kelleys Island State Park is the glacial grooves that can be found within its bedrock. This massive tract of grooves, which is 15 feet deep and 35 feet wide, is said to be the largest in the world. It’s easily accessible, too, right near the campground. Swimming, hiking, bird-watching, boating, and fishing are other available activities in this Ohio state park. You can even hike to Inscription Rock to discover an...
14755 Cadiz Road, Lore City, OH 43755 Salt Fork State Park is the largest state park in Ohio. Its more than 17,000 acres include a large lake, woodlands, meadows, valleys, and serene streams. The park’s namesake is from a salt well located in the southeastern region of the park that was formerly used by Native Americans. Aside from its abundant outdoor activities, the park is known for its excellent 18-hole golf course and the Kennedy Stone House, an 1800s historic home that has been restored...
16170 Wolf Run Road, Caldwell, OH 43724 Wolf Run is a peaceful state park nestled within the Appalachians where tranquil hills and mountains intermingle with idyllic woodland scenery. Forest covers more than 70 percent of the region, and while you hike or camp, you may spot wildlife like deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, and great horned owls. You can also swim, boat, and fish at Wolf Run Lake. Boats with up to 10 horsepower are permitted; with calmer waters, anglers can find an abundance of blue...
3615 S. Old State Road, Delaware, OH 43015 Alum Creek State Park is an easily accessible escape to nature, located just north of Columbus. It’s the perfect spot for dog lovers — the park includes the 4-acre Friends of Alum Creek Dog Park, which even has a fenced-in water swim and play area just for furry friends. Other park features include lake swimming, watersports, horseback riding, and family-friendly mountain biking. The Storybook Trail is perfect for children — as you walk along the tra...
5202 US Highway 23 N., Delaware, OH 43015-9714 Delaware State Park is known for its more than 1,000-acre lake and large selection of watersports opportunities, including a fenced-in dog park and swim area. Aside from the reservoir, there are abundant hiking trails through woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Some of the top hiking trails are the Big Foot Trail, Fisherman Trail, Lakeview Trail, Dam Trail, and Briar Patch Trail. This Ohio state park is also the perfect destination for bird-watcher...
3790 State Route 370, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 John Bryan State Park is home to a National Natural Landmark, the Little Miami River gorge. You can hike a variety of trails throughout the 752-acre park to experience the region’s nature and see the gorge’s beautiful waterfall, as well as limestone and shale formations. Paddlers can access the river by launching just outside of the park. Rock climbing enthusiasts can also enjoy the park’s public rock climbing and rappelling area.
19852 State Route 664, Logan, OH 43138 Hocking Hills is one of the most popular state parks in Ohio and has also received national and international acclaim for its beautiful features, such as caves, waterfalls, scenic cliffs, gorges, and seasonal wildflowers. Visit Ash Cave, Old Man’s Cave, Whispering Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, and Cedar Falls to see some of the magnificent nature that Hocking Hills has to offer. Available activities include hiking picturesque trails, camping, fishing, disc golf...
27331 State Route 278, McArthur, OH 45651 Lake Hope State Park is located within the Zaleski State Forest and contains nearly 3,000 acres of woodlands, gorges, ridges, a lake, and even remnants of old mining equipment. For those looking to stay in the park for multiple days, there’s a family campground, vacation cabins, backpacking sites, a hunter’s camp, and an equestrian camp. Popular hiking trails include the Buzzard Cave Trail, Tulip Trail, Greenbriar Trail, and White Oak Trail. Deer, wil...
10220 Burr Oak Lodge Road, Glouster, OH 45732 Enjoy the beauty of the Appalachian foothills and surrounding woodlands at one of the best state parks in Ohio. Boat, swim, and fish at Burr Oak Lake, or hike one of many forested trails. Several connect with the Buckeye Trail, a statewide trail that’s popular for backpacking. The full-service lodge at Burr Oak State Park is perfect for family trips with amenities such as a tennis ball and basketball court, an indoor swimming pool, miniature golf,...
144 Lake Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601 This Ohio state park is located within the Scioto Trail State Forest and provides stunning views of the Scioto River Valley. It’s the perfect place to find peace and solitude. Visitors can swim, fish, and paddle in the lake or explore the surrounding woodlands. There are three hiking and biking trails ranging from easy to difficult — the Friendship Trail, 3-C Trail, and Church Hollow Trail. Keep an eye out for the wild morel mushroomsduring your trek!
4908 Marietta Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601 The Great Seal State Park features adventurous hiking trails with access to hills that overlook the scenic Scioto River Valley. These same hills are shown on the Great Seal of Ohio, the park’s namesake. There are over 23 miles of trails to explore here, including varying difficulty levels of hiking, mountain biking, fitness, and horseback riding trails. Several multi-use trails include Rock Garden, Shawnee Ridge, Sugarloaf Mountain Trail, and Bunker H...
9800 North Shore Drive, Hillsboro, OH 45133 Rocky Fork State Park’s more than 2,000-acre lake has a marina, docks, six boat launch ramps, and no limits on horsepower, making it the perfect spot for boaters and watersports enthusiasts. It’s also a great place for fishing, with plenty of bass, bluegill, crappie, saugeye, white bass, channel catfish, and flathead catfish, the latter of which can grow up to 40 pounds. Hiking trails around the park provide access to a scenic gorge, dolomite caves,...
6301 Park Office Road, College Corner, OH 45003 Surrounding Acton Lake, one of the most unique features of the Hueston Woods State Park is its abundance of prehistoric marine life fossils. These fossils are mostly from the Ordovician period and can be found within the limestone and shale bedrock of park creeks. The park is also known for its picturesque covered bridge, more than 12 miles of hiking trails, excellent bird-watching, fishing, a Nature Center, and over 20 miles of mountain biking...
4404 State Route 125, West Portsmouth, OH 45663 Many years ago, this region was used by Native American Shawnee Tribes for hunting. Today, the Ohio state park encompasses more than 1,000 acres within the Shawnee State Forest, which locals often refer to as the “Little Smokies.” The park offers a fantastic variety of trails and opportunities to kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or pedal boat in Roosevelt Lake and Turkey Creek Lake. Shawnee State Park also has a Historic Log Cabin and family-friendly...
There are quite a few Ohio state parks with wheelchair-accessible amenities, trails, and campgrounds with ADA accommodations. Several amazing options include: 1. Hocking Hills State Park with accessible trails— Ash Cave, Conkle’s Hollow, and Hock-Hocking Expedition Trail 2. Barkcamp State Parkwith accessible electric campsites and scenic paved trai...
This list includes some of the best state parks in Ohio, but there are still many other unlisted, amazing parks and other outdoor destinations to explore!
Aside from the many beautiful Ohio state parks, there are nearly 20 state forests and various state nature preserves, wildlife areas, national wildlife refuges, and even a national park. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which is located in Northeast Ohio, provides more than 125 miles of hiking trails and the opportunity to paddle along the Cuyaho...
Wonderful first visit to Hocking Hills State Park. Well maintained hiking trails through beautiful woods with an almost rain forest like appearance with the mossy rocks and trees. Ferns abound.
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Visited Alum Creek State Park in December; not the best time to enjoy all the recreational opportunities, including water sports, available at this State Park. But, I stopped at three salient features of the park- the Beach (campgrounds), the Visitor Center, and the Dam.
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Mar 16, 2023 · All of the five state parks near Columbus in Ohio can be reached within a 2 – 3 hour drive from the city. So, they are all easy to get to for a day trip. However, if you fancy making a weekend of it or even want to spend a longer period of time there, most of them have camping options.
Feb 6, 2020 · To help you narrow down all your outdoor options in the heart of the Buckeye state, we rounded up twelve destinations for camping near Columbus, Ohio where you can take advantage of the best the Buckeye State has to offer, whether you prefer tents, RVs, or cozy cabins.
