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| 5,800-acre Indian Lake offers a variety of water-related recreational opportunities • Boating, fishing, skiing and camping are highlights of this 800-acre multi-use park |
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Camping 
- 405 electric sites
- 35 electric premium sites
- 12 full hook-up sites
- Heated shower houses, flush toilets, laundry facility and camp commissary
- Beach, boat ramp and boat docks are provided for exclusive use of registered campers
- Pet are permitted on designated sites
- Seasonal naturalist program, playgrounds, miniature golf, basketball and volleyball, and bicycle and boat rental
- Games and sporting equipment are available to registered campers at the camp office
- Group camp area may be reserved for groups up to 60 people by advanced registration
- 20 boat camping spaces are also available (these site do not accomodate tents)
 Getaway Rentals 
- 3 Camper Cabins are available from early May through October 31 each year
- Pets are prohibited in the camper cabins
- Camper Cabin D64
- Hard sided structure that sits on a wooden platform with a locking front door
- Offers a lakefront view
- Sleeps up to 4 adults on 2 futon beds and 1 set of twin-size bunk beds
- Amenities include 2 100-amp electric outlets, A/C, heat, microwave, small refridgerator, gas & charcoal grills, ceiling fan with light, skylight, 2 chairs & table inside and covered picnic table outside, fire extinguisher, broom & dust pan, waste basket, and storage pod
- Camper Cabin C6
- Hard sided structure that sits on a wooden platform with a locking front door
- Sleeps up to 4 adults on 2 futon beds and 1 set of twin-size bunk beds
- Amenities include 2 interior 100-amp electric outlets and 1 electric outlet outside, A/C, microwave, small refridgerator, gas & charcoal grills, ceiling fan with light, skylight, 2 chairs & table inside and covered picnic table outside, fire extinguisher, broom & dust pan, waste basket, and storage pod
- Heaters are not permitted in this unit
- Camper Cabin C7
- Hard sided structure that sits on a wooden platform with a locking front door
- Sleeps up to 4 adults on 1 full-size futon bed and 1 set of twin-size bunk beds
- Amenities include 2 interior 110-amp electric outlets and 1 electric outlet outside, A/C, heat, microwave, small refridgerator, gas & charcoal grills, ceiling fan with light, skylight, 2 chairs & table inside and covered picnic table outside, fire extinguisher, broom & dust pan, waste basket, storage pod, and fire ring
Boating
- The 5,800-acre lake offers unlimited horsepower boating
- 5 launch ramps
- 530 boat docks available for seasonal rental
- Skiing is popular in the open zone area
- Boaters may swim off their boats around Walnut Islands, Red Oak Island, & Oldfield Beach
Fishing
- Largemouth bass, saugeye, white bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye, yellow perch and catfish are plentiful here
- Valid Ohio fishing license is required
Trails
- Cherokee Trail, a 3-mile easy walk through brushy habitat, is located west of the camp
- Pew Island Trail, a 1-mile path, encircles Pew Island, which can be accessed from a causeway & offers a spectacular view of Indian Lake
- 3-mile paved bikeway is located on the West Bank between Old Field Beach and Lakeview Harbor, also allows walkers and joggers
Swimming
- 2 public beaches, Old Field Beach and Fox Island Beach provide 1,400-foot access to the lake
- Swimming is permitted during daylight hours only
- Swim at your own risk & be sure to keep an eye on the kids
- Pets are NOT permitted on swimming beaches
- Check for water quality advisories
Picnicking 
- 8 shaded picnic areas equipped with tables and grills are located around the park
- 5 shelters are reservable online or by calling 866-644-6727 • Rental fee is $50/day for each shelter
- Black Hawk Shelter -- Partially enclosed 25' x 30' shelter on a paved site is ADA accessible with 2 electric outlets (110-amp), small grill, 8-10 picnic tables, parking for up to 30 vehicles, close to restrooms and lake, adjacent picnic area has grills and lots of shade
- Bridge Shelter -- Open 30' x 20' shelter on a paved site is ADA accessible, electric is NOT available, 8 picnic tables, parking for up to 30 vehicles, close to lake, located at the Blackhawk Chanel, near the Oldfield Beach bike trail
- Fox Island Shelter -- Open 30' x 20' shelter with 2 electric outlets (110 amp), group grill, 8 picnic tables, parking for up to 50 vehicles, close to restrooms, lake, beach, volleyball court, and boat rental
- Oldfield North Shelter -- Partially enclosed 25' x 30' shelter on a paved pad is ADA accessible with 2 electric outlets (110 amp) located at the main beach, small group grill, 6-8 picnic tables, parking for 20+ vehicles, close to restrooms,bike trail, and large fishing jetty
- Oldfield South Shelter -- Partially enclosed 25' x 30' shelter on a paved pad is ADA accessible with 2 electric outlets (110 amp) located at the main beach, small group grill, 6-8 picnic tables, parking for 20+ vehicles, close to restrooms, voleyball court, bike trail, and large fishing jetty
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- Snowmobiling
- Ice skating
- Cross country skiing
- Ice fishing
- Ice boating
Hunting
- Hunting is permitted in designated areas only
- Valid Ohio hunting license is required
More To Do
- Nature center offers programs during the summer months
- Playgrounds are located at various areas throughout the park
- Sand volleyball courts at the beach
Area Attractions
- Located six miles east of Bellefontaine on State Route 540, Zane Caverns feature illuminated two-level caves • The caves are known for the formation of "cave pearls" • There is a fee for admission
- Ohio Caverns, three miles east of West Liberty on State Route 245, is the largest of all Ohio caves • Exquisite crystal-white stalactite/stalagmite formations are found in great profusion and artistic settings • There is a fee for admission
- Mad River Mountain ski area is located five miles east of Bellefontaine on US 33
- Horse rentals are available at Marmon Valley Farms on US 33
- Piatt Castles, Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-O-Chee, are located near West Liberty on State Route 245 • Built by the Piatt family after the Civil War, the houses are noted for their architecture, furnishings and collection of Indian relics
- West of Indian Lake are Lake Loramie and Grand Lake St. Marys state parks • Both feature camping and water related recreation
- Northeast of the park are Killdeer Plains and Big Island wildlife areas operated by the Division of Wildlife • Both areas offer hunting and bird watching opportunities
- Gross Woods, a state nature preserve operated by the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, is one of the least disturbed woods in west-central Ohio
- For more information on area attractions, visit
Nature of the Area
The region of Indian Lake was originally a cluster of natural lakes situated on the Miami River • As the continental glaciers left Ohio, chunks of ice broke free, melted, and formed water-filled depressions called kettle lakes • The resultant shallow, marshy, natural lakes in this region covered an area of 640 acres • Among these were Old Indian Lake, Otter Lake, Blake Lake, Sheep Pen Lake and the Buck Wheat Patch
The present and much larger lake lies along one of the country's major avian migration routes • Indian Lake is an important resting stop for birds such as Canada geese, ducks, grebes, swans, egrets and herons • Many stay over the summer to nest • Bald eagles once nested in the area but are no longer found here
History of the Area
Early American history tells of the Indian tribes who lived and hunted in this region • Because of its close proximity to the Miami River, Indian Lake became part of the Indian trade route linking the Ohio River to Lake Erie • Generations of native Americans followed this route and occupied villages in the vicinity • By the early 1800s, white settlers made their way here and the history books record many accounts of skirmishes and battles resulting from the conflict between the Indians and new settlers • The famous frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton were known to have traveled here
Despite Indian Lake's popularity as a year-round recreational area, the lake was not originally constructed with that purpose in mind • In the early 1800s, the primary means of commercial transportation was the canal system • Old Indian Lake was built in 1851 as a feeder lake for the Miami and Erie Canal to maintain the required four-foot water depth
Following the passage of a resolution by the Ohio General Assembly in 1850 to use Indian Lake as a water supply for the canal, a bulkhead was built in Washington Township where the Great Miami River began and covered 1,000 acres • The work began in 1851 and was not completed until 1860 • The total cost up to that time was $340,000 • Irish laborers performed the work with picks, shovels and carts • Ironically, use of the canal system was declining as work on Indian Lake was completed • In 1893, Indian Lake or Lewistown Reservoir as it was then called, spanned 6,334 acres with 29 miles of shoreline • On April 9, 1898, the Ohio General Assembly dedicated the lake as a recreation area by the name of Indian Lake
Indian Lake became a popular resort area at the turn of the century due to its central location on the old Toledo and Ohio Central Steamline and the Ohio Electric Railway • At one time, Indian Lake was known as the "Midwest's Million Dollar Playground" • In 1949, the old Department of Conservation was abolished and Indian Lake became part of the newly-created Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation
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