Ohio State Parks
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Lake Loramie State Park

Lake Loramie (NW)

Address/Directions

4401 Ft. Loramie Swanders Road
Minster, Ohio 45865-9311

Park Office

937-295-2011

Camp Office

937-295-3900

Reservations for Camping, Getaway Rentals & Shelters

Call or reserve online: 866-644-6727
Reserve Campsites
Reserve Getaways
Reserve Shelters

Maps

Park Map
Campground Map

GPS Coordinates:

40.367474, -84.339294

Information

One of the original canal feeder lakes, 407-acre Lake Loramie State Park offers visitors a quiet retreat in rural Ohio. Swim from the sandy beach, hike along the old canal towpath, stay a night in a shaded campsite or boat the lazy waters of 1,655-acre Lake Loramie.

Nature of the Area

Although difficult to imagine, Ohio at one time had more than two-thirds of its surface covered by massive sheets of ice as much as a mile thick in places. At least three great ice sheets invaded Ohio’s boundaries in the geologic past. The last one retreated 12,000 years ago.

These ice advances directly impacted the natural features now evident at Lake Loramie State Park. Materials deposited by the glaciers included clay, sand, gravel and boulders of various sizes.

In the western half of Ohio where the land is generally level, these deposits resulted in some of the world’s richest soils. A great forest emerged after the glacial era, covering 95% of the state. In the vicinity of Lake Loramie, the vegetation consisted of mainly beech forests which thrived in the moist, fertile soils of the region.

Today, little can be seen of that mighty forest because development of the land for agriculture and other purposes has drastically altered the original vegetation. Small woodlots, grass plains, prairie and farmland are typical of the area today.

The park’s campground supports a colony of the unique bald cypress tree as well as a plantation of sweet gum dating back to the early 1950s. Waterfowl, including Canada geese, frequent the park along with various songbirds and small mammals. Wildflowers flourish in the forests and fields.

On the lake, waterlily, cattail and a beautiful display of American lotus enhance the view. A trail leading to Blackberry Island will treat visitors to glimpses of nesting red-headed woodpeckers and barred owls. The park’s meadows support a large population of eastern bluebirds.

History of the Area

Preceding the French and Indian War of 1754-1763, the Miami village called Pickawillany became prominent in this area. Over 400 Indian families lived here and it became the principal headquarters of the Miami Confederacy before being destroyed by the French in 1752 because the Miami Indians sided with the British.

Lake Loramie derived its name from the famous French-Canadian trader, Peter Loramie, who in 1769 established a trading post at the mouth of Loramie Creek near the west end of what is now Loramie Reservoir. Loramie first came to the area as a Jesuit priest to minister to the Wyandot and Shawnee Indians.

Loramie’s store became the center of Indian mischief against the settlers, and Loramie became a bitter enemy of the Americans. General George Rogers Clark destroyed the post and a nearby Indian village in 1782 during an expedition in the Miami valley. Loramie emigrated west with a band of Shawnee shortly afterwards. In 1794, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne built a fort on the former trading post site.

Lake Loramie was originally constructed in 1844-45 as a storage reservoir to supply water for the Miami-Erie Canal system. A short feeder canal connected Lake Loramie with the main canal which furnished transportation from the Ohio River at Cincinnati north to Lake Erie. The canal system reached its peak of economic importance in the mid-1800s. Eventually, the advent of the railroads and destruction caused by the floods of 1913 forced the abandonment of the canals in that year.

Since that time, Lake Loramie and other canal lands became recognized for their potential to serve increasing outdoor recreational needs. In 1949, Lake Loramie became the possession of the newly created Division of Parks and Recreation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and has been maintained as a state park since.

Camping

Reserve Campsites online

  • 115 electric sites
  • 45 electric premium sites
  • 15 non-electric sites
  • Showers, flush toilets and a dump station
  • Several sites are equipped with boat tie-ups
  • 3 group camp areas are available by reservation to organized groups
  • Miniature golf
  • Free WiFi access is available at the camp office to registered campers
  • Download the Campground map

Getaway Rentals

Reserve Getaway Rentals online

  • 4 Rent-A-Camp sites consisting of a tent, dining shelter, cookstove and other equipment can be rented during summer months by reservation only
  • 3 Cedar Cabins are available



Trails

  • 5 hiking trails
    • Upper Loramie Trail • 2 Miles • Easy
    • Lakeview Trail • 2 Miles • Easy
    • Little Turtle Trace • 1 Mile • Easy
    • Blackberry Island Trail • 1 Mile • Easy
    • Buckeye Trail- Hiking • 2 Miles • Moderate
  • A portion of the trail system follows the Miami-Erie Canal from the park to Delphos • This route is also a part of the Buckeye Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail

Boating

  • Unlimited horsepower boat motors are permitted
  • 91 docks & tie-ups are available to rent
  • 6 launch ramps provide access to the lake
  • The entire lake is classified as “no wake” with the exception of the designated “speed zone” in the west end of the lake
  • Water skiing is prohibited
  • Canoe rentals are available
  • Check for water quality advisories
  • Boating laws and information

Fishing

  • Lake Loramie provides anglers with good catches of crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, bullheads, carp and fair numbers of largemouth bass
  • Valid Ohio fishing license is required

Picnicking

Reserve Shelters online

  • There are 15 picnic areas located around the lake
  • Grills, restrooms and drinking water are provided
  • 3 shelterhouses are available, the Beach Shelter can be reserved online, while the other 2 shelters are on a first come, first served basis

Swimming

Hunting

  • Hunting is permitted in designated areas when in season
  • Valid Ohio hunting license is required

Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)

  • Cross country skiing on Little Turtle Trace trail • 1 Mile • Easy
  • Snowmobiling
  • Sledding
  • Ice skating
  • Ice fishing
  • Ice boating

Area Attractions