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| 587-acre Pike Lake State Park is located in the midst of the scenic wooded hills of southern Ohio. The small 13-acre lake and surrounding state forest contribute to the park's rustic charm. |
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Camping 
- 80 sites with electricity
- Latrines, dump station, tables, fire rings and camp commissary are available
- Campers with pets are permitted on designated sites
- Campground offers basketball and horseshoe courts, in addition to playground equipment for youngsters
- Park office loans games and sporting equipment to campers
- A group camp that can accommodate up to 60 people is available by reservation
Cottages 
- 12 family cottages
- Family cottages sleep six people, are heated and air-conditioned for year-round use
- Family cottages have 2 bedrooms, bath with shower, living room with hide-a-bed and gas log fireplace, kitchen/dining area and screened porch
- Dishes, kitchen utensils and linens are provided
- Daily houskeeping is not available
- 12 basic cottages
- Standard cottages are air-conditioned and available during the summer months only
- Standard cottages sleep up to four people and have a kitchen/dining area, bath and living/sleeping area
- Dishes and kitchen utensils are provided
- Linens are NOT provided
- Daily houskeeping is not available
- Pets are permitted in select cottages, please call 866-644-6727 for more information
- A group lodge offers kitchen facilities, two baths, and sleeping accommodations for 16 people
Fishing
- The small 13-acre lake in the park offers good catches of largemouth bass, channel catfish, bullheads, bluegill and crappie
- A valid Ohio fishing license is required
Swimming
- A beautiful sand beach is provided for swimmers
- Changing areas, showers and vending machines are 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
Boating
- Non-powered watercraft and boats with electric motors only (up to 4-1/2 horsepower) are permitted on the lake
- Rowboats, canoes and pedal boats are available for rent
- Boating laws and information
Picnicking 
- 10 picnic areas are located in scenic locations around the park
- Grills and tables are provided
- 2 picnic shelters can accommodate 80 each and can be reserved online or by calling 866-644-6727
Trails
- 5 hiking trails
- Lake Trail • 0.4 Miles
- Mitchell Ridge Trail • 1.2 Miles
- Wildcat Hollow Trail • 1.2 Miles
- Greenbrier Trail • 1/2 Mile
- CCC Trail • 1/2 Mile
- Bridle trails are located in the adjacent state forest, horses are not provided by the park or forest
- Portion of the Buckeye Trail goes through the adjacent state forest
Disc Golf
- 18 holes
- Rental equipment is available
- No fee is charged to play
- See what other parks have disc golf courses
Hunting
- Hunting is NOT permitted in the state park, but is permitted in the adjacent state forest
- Valid Ohio hunting license is required
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- Sledding
- Ice skating
- Ice fishing
More to Do
- Playgrounds, basketball courts, horseshoes are available in various day-use areas of the park
- Nature center offers programs during the summer months
Area Attractions
- The nearby town of Bainbridge is the starting point for the Paint Valley Skyline Drives, a series of four scenic tours of points of interest in the area • One of these tours passes through the state park
- The Division of Wildlife manages the Kincaid Fish Hatchery along S.R. 124 • The hatchery originally began as a bass farm in 1935 • Now, muskellunge are also raised for stocking the state lakes
- Lake White State Park and Paint Creek State Park are a short distance away
- 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
- For more information on area attractions, visit
Nature of the Area
Pike Lake region is located in the unglaciated portion of the Appalachian plateau in Ohio • As the Appalachian Mountains were uplifted, this plateau was created west of the new mountain range • The plateau marks the boundary between the hilly eastern section of Ohio and the flatter western portions • Just thirty miles west of Pike Lake, the terrain changes dramatically from forested hills to rolling farmland
The landscape of Pike Lake is characterized by dense forests of oak, hickory, tulip, ash and other hardwoods • Several outcroppings of the sandstone bedrock have been exposed in the park
The dense forest and remote location of Pike Lake create excellent habitat for Ohio's forest game animals • White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, gray squirrel, rabbit and the elusive wild turkey are abundant • Other mammals in the park include skunk, opossum, raccoon and red fox • Reptiles include the box turtle, black snake, five-lined skink and the endangered timber rattlesnake
The forest is known for its variety of ferns, mosses, lichens and fungi • The wildflowers are diverse, creating spectacular displays--spring through autumn
History of the Area
Pike County is located in an area that has many earthworks constructed by Ohio's prehistoric people • These "first citizens" of Ohio lived in the Scioto River Valley and its tributaries, appearing here sometime around 800 B.C. • The Moundbuilders eventually gave rise to the woodland Indian cultures--the first white settlers encountered • One tribe, the Shawnee, made this area their home and hunting grounds • They were fiercely protective of their land
Nearby Chillicothe, the first capital of Ohio, spurred early settlement in the area • Some of the early, historic buildings still stand. Just south of the park is "Eagers Inn" built in 1797 • The inn was constructed on a trace that ran from Limestone, Kentucky to Chillicothe • Limestone (now called Maysville) was an important crossing on the Ohio River • Many settlers from Kentucky followed this passage on their way to the frontier
During the Civil War, only one advance was ever made by the Confederate Army into Ohio • General John H. Morgan crossed the Ohio River into Indiana, then rode with his cavalry into Ohio north of Cincinnati • "Morgan's Raiders" traversed the southern portion of the state, passing near present-day Pike Lake State Park • Eventually, he and many of his men were captured in southwestern Columbiana County near Salineville • Less than five months later, General John Morgan and six of his men escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary and returned to the Confederacy
Also during this historic period, the family who farmed this valley found a wounded soldier collapsed in their field • The unconscious union soldier never revived • His name, unit or hometown were never known • Today, a solitary headstone below the dam at the base of a large oak tree marks the grave of this casualty from a tragic war
The present park first began to take shape during the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) days of the 1930s • One of the Ohio camps was established near the future site of Pike Lake at Morgantown • Corpsmembers dug the lake by hand, built two or three fire towers in the area, constructed the roads to make them accessible and planted hundreds of pine trees • Pike Lake was originally a state forest park, but with the formation of the Division of Parks and Recreation in 1949, it became an official state park that year
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