 Barkcamp State
Park
65330 Barkcamp Road
Belmont, OH 43718
(740) 484-4064
1-866-644-6727 for camping and getaway rental reservations
| Activity |
Facilities |
Quantity |
| Resource |
Land, acres |
1005 |
|
|
Water, acres |
117 |
| Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Hunting |
yes |
|
|
Hiking Trail, miles |
4 |
|
|
Bridle Trails, miles |
24 |
|
|
Picnicking |
yes |
|
|
Picnic Shelters |
3 |
|
|
Swimming Beach, feet |
700 |
|
|
Nature Center |
yes |
|
|
Summer Nature Programs |
yes |
| Boating |
Boat Limits |
EMO |
|
|
Seasonal Dock Rental, # |
36 |
|
|
Launch Ramps |
1 |
| Winter |
Sledding |
yes |
|
|
Snowmobiling |
yes |
|
|
Ice Skating |
yes |
|
|
Cross-Country Skiing |
yes |
|
|
Ice Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Ice Boating |
yes |
|
Camping |
Campsites with
Elec., # |
125 |
|
|
Rent-A-Camp, # |
3 |
|
|
Pets Permitted |
yes |
|
|
Showers |
yes |
|
|
Flush Toilets |
0 |
|
|
Dumpstation |
yes |
|
|
Group Camp,
capacity |
25 |
|
|
Camper Cabins |
2 |
|
|
Horsemen
Campsites, # |
25 |
Belmont County's rugged hills provide the backdrop for picturesque Barkcamp
State Park. In addition to fine recreational facilities, visitors will enjoy the
mature woodlands, open meadows, scenic lake and abundant wildlife of this
secluded park.
Camping
Barkcamp offers 125 electrified campsites in sunny and shaded areas. The
campground features hot showers, tables, firerings, two wheelchair accessible
sites and a dump station. The 25-site horseman's camp offers electrical hookups,
a horse washing station and accessible mountin ramp.
Three Rent-A-Camp units consist of a tent, dining canopy, cooler, cookstove,
and other equipment.
Two deluxe Camper Cabins offer bunks plus a mircowave, refrigerator,
two-burner stove and ceiling fan. Pet camping is permitted on designated site.
Boating
Boats with electric motors only are permitted on Belmont Lake. Seasonal boat
tie-ups are available. A launch ramp provides access to the lake.
 Fishing and
Hunting
Anglers will enjoy good catches of bass, blue gill, crappie and trout. A
wheelchair accessible area allows all persons to test their skill at fishing.
Hunting is permitted in designated areas. Squirrel hunting is popular here. A
valid Ohio fishing and/or hunting license is required.
Swimming
A 700-foot beach provides enjoyment for swimmers and sunbathers.
Picnicking
Seven picnic areas are scenically located around the park. Each area provides
tables, grills, water and latrines. Three picnic shelterhouses are available and
can be reserved by calling the park office.
Trails and Interpretive Area
Miles of hiking trails invite visitors to enjoy the solitude of the forest. The
Lakeview Trail, Woodchuck Nature Trail, Hawthorn Trail and Hawk Trail lead to
natural treasures and provide opportunities for nature study, birdwatching and
wildlife observation. Barkcamp's bridle trail meanders along the entire
lakeshore affording a pleasant day's ride. A special paved trail winds through
the pioneer village, enters the adjoining mature woodlands and provides access
to the Antique Barn. Interpretive signs are placed along the route explaining
the cultural and natural history of the park.
In the camp area, a bit of American history is preserved. The Antique Barn was
built in the 1800s by Solomon Bentley, an orchardman of renown. One variety of
apple that he marketed was the "Bentley Sweet." The barn is now home to summer
naturalist activities and historical displays.
A resurrected log cabin and other pioneer structures near the barn take visitors
back to an even earlier era.
Nature of the Area
The sandstone hills of the Barkcamp region are part of the Appalachian highlands
which envelop the southeastern part of Ohio. In the sandstone bedrock can be
found layers of coal which were formed by decaying swamp vegetation millions of
years ago during the Pennsylvanian geologic period. Barkcamp State Park lies in
the heart of the coal-mining region of Ohio.
The hills and valleys of the area are clothed with a second-growth forest.
Today, southeastern Ohio is one of the most extensively forested in Ohio, and
only a few areas remain which suggest the magnificence of these original
forests.
The woodlands of Barkcamp support a variety of plant and animal life. The
observant visitor may find a wealth of woodland wildflowers including wild
geranium, hepatica, bloodroot and spring beauties. The woodlands explode with
flowering dogwood and redbud blossoms in spring.
Songbirds, squirrels, skunk, opossum, raccoon, white-tailed deer and the wild
turkey take up residence in the park's varying habitats.
History of the Area
This area was first inhabited by the Moundbuilders, then later by Wyandots,
Delaware and Shawnee. Belmont County was one of the earliest areas settled in
Ohio, and the scene of several bloody conflicts between settlers and Indians.
Prior to the Treaty of Greenville of 1795, the nearby Ohio River was the
accepted boundary between Indians to the north and settlers to the south of the
river. Conflicts arose as land-hungry settlers began encroaching on Indian
lands. The celebrated Indian fighter, Lewis Wetzel, was often through this
region. Wetzel instigated many of the conflicts as Indians were the object of
his mortal hate. A large boulder near the park's Antique Barn bears an
inscription carved by Wetzel.
 The Society of
Friends (Quakers) established the first church in the area. Benjamin Lundy, a
Quaker who lived in St. Clairsville, became known as the "Father of
Abolitionism." He formed an anti-slavery society here in 1815 called the Union
Humane Society. At one point, there were 120 miles of the Underground Railroad
in Belmont County. Lundy helped produce the abolitionist paper, The
Philanthropist at nearby Mt. Pleasant.
As years passed, coal was discovered and became the foundation of the area's
economy. Belmont County is now the state's leading producer of coal with an
estimated 5,668 million tons of coal available below the earth's surface.
Land acquisition began for the park in 1955, and a dam was completed in 1963
resulting in the 117-acre Belmont Lake. The park derives its unusual name from
Barkcamp Creek, the former site of a logging camp where logs were stripped of
their bark in preparation for delivery to the mill.
More To Do
Volleyball and basketball courts, as well as horseshoe pits, can be found at
the campground and in day-use areas of the park. A playground is also located at
the campground. The camp office loans games and sporting equipment to registered
campers.
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