The North Pool Boat Launch Ramp at Caesar Creek State Park in Warren County will close for the upcoming recreational season while workers upgrade and expand the popular recreational facility. The launch ramp will close April 1 and remain closed through the Labor Day weekend.

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Sub-freezing nights and mild days start the sap flowing in Ohio's maple trees, signaling maple syrup festival time in some Ohio State Parks. Five parks will hold maple syrup festivals in coming weeks.

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Leadership of the state park system through difficult economic times, as well as a personal dedication to the system’s employees, has earned Ohio State Parks Chief Daniel L. West the “Professional Of The Year” award from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (OPRA).

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Snowmobilers, skaters and anglers who might be tempted onto the Portage Lakes ice this winter are advised by ODNR to exercise particular caution. An unseasonable flow of water through the Portage Lakes, the result of high lake levels due to recent rainfalls and subsequent freezing, may cause air pockets between the water level and ice.

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Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts will join Sean D. Logan, director ODNR, and others at the 43rd Annual Hocking Hills State Park Winter Hike on Saturday, January 19.

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The spectacular scenery of Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio will be clothed in its seasonal beauty for the 43rd Annual Winter Hike, scheduled for Saturday, January 19.

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Punderson State Park Lodge in Geauga County will soon benefit from $98,000 in federal funding obtained through the efforts of U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette.

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The Buzzard Cave Trail at Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County is again dressed in 50,000 lights for the annual "Holiday Trail of Lights" event. Animated displays, decorated trees and landscapes dot the quarter-mile trail, which is adjacent to the park's nature center. Access to the "Holiday Trail of Lights" is free.

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The resort lodge and conference center at Burr Oak State Park in Morgan County will close December 3 while workers undertake nearly $1 million in renovations that will increase the facility’s accessibility to people with physical disabilities.

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Gifts of outdoor fun are always welcome and Ohio State Parks is making it easy for shoppers this holiday season with gift cards that are good for a variety of recreational activities, including golf, boat rentals and overnight stays.

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ODNR applauds and supports the efforts of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown to tap federal funding for clean up of Grand Lake St. Marys in Mercer and Auglaize counties. Brown’s office announced Wednesday that the senator had succeeded in inserting language into the 2007 Farm Bill that would make federal funding available to local farmers for measures that reduce agricultural runoff into the lake.

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Representatives of local and state stakeholders with an interest in the future of Lake Snowden in Athens County are currently reviewing a plan drafted by Hocking College to maintain the facility as a public recreational resource for camping, as well as fishing, hiking and picnicking.

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More than 1 million holiday lights will illuminate the night for the eighth annual “Fantasy of Lights” display at Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County. The event runs Friday, November 16 to Sunday, December 30.

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A daring cliff rescue last summer has earned Jerry Cunningham, a park officer at Mohican State Park in Ashland County, the state park system’s Meritorious Lifesaving Award. Cunningham is the seventh person to receive the award since the recognition was initiated in 1994.

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Five state parks were recently named Point Of Pride Award winners in a first-ever competition sponsored by “Over The Back Fence” magazine.

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From organized hikes to bird watching and canoe tours, there’s no shortage of things to do in state parks, forests and preserves. Here’s a sampling of upcoming events.

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Ohio's state parks, forests and nature preserves offer hundreds of miles of trails through some of the state's most picturesque terrain. ODNR has compiled a list of the best locations to visit this autumn and view the change of seasons.

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Ashtabula and Lake counties are Ohio’s own “Napa Valley,” producing some of the state’s finest grapes and home to more than 20 local wineries.

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Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday near the dam at Salt Fork Lake in Guernsey County to allow for better drainage of rainwater from the structure’s right abutment. The project is expected to take about a week to complete, depending on the weather.

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Seasonal festivals are brimming with fall goodness, featuring bushels of squash and apples along with rows of golden pumpkins.

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