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 Camping 
- 183 electric sites
- 14 premium electric sites
- The campground features hot showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities and a dump station
- Camp office loans games and sports equipment to registered campers
- Camp area also features basketball, volleyball and horseshoe courts
- Pet camping is permitted on designated sites
- A primitive horseman's camp is available for riders who bring their own mounts
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| Located amid the breathtaking scenery of the Paint Creek Valley, 5,652-acre Paint Creek State Park features a large lake with fine fishing, boating and swimming opportunities. A modern campground and meandering trails invite outdoor enthusiasts to explore and enjoy the rolling hills and streams of this scenic area. |
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Getaway Rentals 
- 2 Deluxe Camper Cabins
- Available April through the 1st weekend in December
- 14' x 20' single room floor space with an exterior porch
- Each unit sleeps up to 4 on a full-size bed and 2 bunk beds
- Each unit has A/C, TV with DVD/VCR player, microwave, refrigerator, and gas fireplace (seasonal use only)
- Gas grill, fire ring and picnic table located outside the unit
- 1 Yurt
- Round canvas structures on wooden platforms, with a wooden lattice framework and canvas roof with a dome skylight
- Available mid-May through mid-October
- Unit sleeps up to 4 on 2 full-size futons
- Includes a mini-fridge, microwave, and table with chairs
- Gas grill, fire ring and picnic table located outside the unit
- Pets are not permitted in the camper cabins or the yurt
- Daily housekeeping service is NOT provided
- Linens, towels, cooking and eating utensils are NOT provided
- Units are located within walking distance of the campground restroom facilities
Boating
- Unlimited horsepower boating is permitted on 1,190-acre Paint Creek Lake
- 3 launch ramps provide access to the lake
- Boat rentals, fuel and seasonal dock rentals are offered
Fishing
Swimming
- A large 1,000-foot sand beach provides enjoyment for swimmers and sunbathers
- A bathhouse with restrooms and changing booths is available
- 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
- 3 picnic areas with tables and grills are provided near the marina and the beach
- Picnic shelter at the camp ground is reservable online or by calling (866)-644-6727
Trails
- 4 hiking trails
- 18.2 miles of bridle trails
- 12 miles of mountain bike trails that also allow hiking
Hunting
- Hunting is permissible on the lake for waterfowl and on the adjacent wildlife area
- Pheasant, rabbit and white-tailed deer are abundant
- Hunting is not permitted on Sunday
- Valid Ohio hunting license is required
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- Sledding
- Cross country skiing
More to Do
- Nature center features displays of native wildlife and fish, as well as programs during the summer months
- Miniature golf can be enjoyed for a small fee
- 18-hole disc golf course • View the course layout
- Rock climbing is permitted along the Harmony Trail and Spillway Wall • Contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (937-365-1470) for information
Area Attractions
- Nearby state parks include Pike Lake, south of Bainbridge, and Rocky Fork, near Hillsboro • Both parks offer camping, hiking and fishing opportunities
- Fort Hill State Memorial, a prehistoric Indian hilltop earthworks, is located south of Paint Creek
- Seip Mound State Memorial, built by the Hopewell Indians, is just east of Bainbridge
- A dental museum is located in downtown Bainbridge
- Adena State Memorial, the restored home of Thomas Worthington is one of The Ohio Historical Society's premier sites • It includes Worthington's newly-restored 1807 mansion and a 13,000 square foot Museum/Visitor Center
- Nearby Oldaker and Fallsville wildlife areas offer hunting, fishing and wildlife observation
- Miller Nature Sanctuary, a state nature preserve, is located east of Paint Creek off State Route 50, and contains rare native Ohio plants, outstanding geologic formations and several dolomite caves. Access is by written permission only
Nature of the Area
The Paint Creek region lies at the very edge of the Appalachian Plateau • This escarpment marks the boundary between the hilly eastern section of the state and the flatter western portions • Most of the plateau in southeastern Ohio was never reached by glaciers, although the Paint Creek area bears evidence of glacial activity • One stream near the park, Rocky Fork Creek, was blocked by glacial ice and reversed direction, rapidly cutting the 75-foot gorge seen today. Sullivantia, an extremely rare wildflower in Ohio, blooms in the gorge in mid-summer
Equally impressive here are the Seven Caves, all located about 50 feet above Rocky Fork Creek. • A short trip to the caves from the park is well worth the time
Before Paint Creek was impounded to form a reservoir, the creek valley was unrivaled in the state for scenic beauty and its display of wildflowers • Some of this unspoiled land yet remains above the still waters of the lake • Wild geranium, jewelweed, yarrow and Queen Anne's lace can be found blooming in the woodlands and meadows of the park
The reservoir provides habitat for numerous waterfowl and shorebirds as well as the great blue heron • Osprey and bald eagles have been sighted over the lake • The limestone outcroppings on the lake's edge provide nesting habitat for the cliff swallow • Other songbirds, raccoons, white-tailed deer and the elusive wild turkey inhabit the park
History of the Area
We are not the first to recognize the richness and beauty of this land • Prehistoric Indian cultures built a variety of earthworks throughout the region, while the Shawnee Indians considered the Paint Valley home
Conflicts often arose between the original holders of the Ohio country and the white settlers invading from the east • A Shawnee named Waw-will-a-way became a victim of this strife when he was unjustly accused of scalping a white man • This Indian encountered three white men in the Paint Valley bent on revenge for the scalping • They shot him in the chest, yet he killed one and severely wounded the other two before he succumbed • His funeral pyre laid at the peaceful confluence of the Paint and Rattlesnake creeks
The waters of the creeks provided a source of power for early mills • Grinding grain, processing wool and sawing wood were all facilitated by the waters flowing over dams constructed in the creeks • Many of the original dams were made of only earth and wood and were washed out by annual floods • One such mill, Crawford's Mill, was built at a place later called Hewitt's Crossing on Paint Creek • The site now lies beneath the waters of the reservoir • Construction of the dam on Paint Creek started in 1967, and the site was dedicated as a state park in 1972
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