Dillon State Park
5265 Dillon Hills Drive
Nashport, OH 43830-9568
Park Office (740) 453-4377
Camp Office (740) 452-1083
1-866-644-6727 for cottage
and camping reservations
The wooded hills and scenic valleys of the Dillon area offer a picturesque
setting for outdoor adventure. Whether boating the quiet coves and inlets of the
lake or hiking the forest trails, Ohio's rural hill country provides an
outstanding recreational experience at Dillon State Park.
 Cottages
There are 29 family cottages nestled in the woods overlooking the north
lakeshore. Each cottage has air conditioning, cable television, gas heat, two
bedrooms, bath, living room with sofa bed, all-electric kitchen, dining area and
screened porch. One cottage is fully accessible. Linens, towels and kitchen
utensils are furnished. Please call 1-866-OHIOPARKS (1-866-644-6727) for
reservations.
Getaway Rental
The park now offers a tepee for overnight rental. The tepee can be reserved
online or through the reservation center. For reservations call 1-866-644-6727.
The tepee is equipped with two cots, a propane cook stove, a cooler and a
battery-powered lantern. No pets are permitted.
Camping
There are 195 campsites for tents or trailers. Of these, 183 have electric.
The non-electric sites are walk-in only offering excellent primitive camping.
The campground is equipped with flush toilets, showers and a dump station. A
commissary with grocery items and laundromat is located near the check-in
station.
Boating
Boating with unlimited horsepower is permitted at Dillon. Three boat ramps
are provided for access to the lake. A boat concession offers boat/motor rental,
fuel, fishing and boating supplies, and snacks. Seventy docks are available for
rent on a seasonal basis.
 Swimming
An excellent 1,360-foot swimming beach is located near the park office. The
wading pool is closed until summer 2007.
A game area is adjacent to the beach offering volleyball and a playground
area as well as lighted courts for tennis and basketball.
Fishing and Hunting
Largemouth bass, muskie, bluegill, crappie and catfish are plentiful. Hunting
with shotgun or longbow is only permitted in season and in designated areas.
Duck hunting is also popular; duck blind permits are available through the park
office. A valid Ohio hunting and/or fishing license is required.
NOTE: There will be a
youth hunt in the park on November 18th & 19th, 2006. For more info
call 740-453-4377.
 Sportsmen's Area
This modern facility includes lighted trap and skeet fields with high, low,
and combination houses, a 100-yard rifle range and 25-yard pistol range with
firing line shelter and tables. Restrooms and meeting space are located indoors.
For more information please call 740-452-3529.
Trails
Visitors who enjoy nature study will find that Dillon's trails are pathways to
discovery. There are 15 miles of wooded bridle trails. Please call or visit the
park office for a map.
The Ruffed Grouse Nature Trail is approximately 3/4-mile long and introduces
the hiker to the varied habitats of the area. This trail is a branch of the
6-mile long Licking Bend Trail which skirts the lakeshore. Three other
fascinating trails--Blackberry Ridge Trail (1 mile), King Ridge Loop (1.1 miles)
and Hickory Grove Loop ( 1.5 miles) are located very near the camping and
cottage area.
Picnicking
Picnic areas complete with tables and grills are located at many pleasant and
scenic spots throughout the park. Two shelters available on a first-come,
first-served basis, are located at the overlook area and beach. A boater's
picnic area with well water and vault-type latrines is located on the lake.
Nature of the Area
Dillon State Park in Muskingum County is situated in an area of the state
that possesses diverse and interesting natural featuresresulting from the unique
properties of the Black Hand Sandstone. Sand, eroded hundreds of millions of
years ago from mountains farther east, accumulated in a vast delta in the sea
covering the region. This hard bedrock erodes to form sheer cliffs and supports
a lush, hardwood forest.
 The rolling,
reverting farmland of the Dillon area provides visitors the opportunity to see
some of Ohio's most magnificent wildlife. White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and
wild turkey can be seen by quiet observers. During migration, numerous species
of waterfowl visit Dillon's waters and sightings of bald eagles have also been
reported.
History of the Area
Much of the history of the Dillon region can be attributed to the effects of
transportation through the park. The Licking River provided transportation for
Native Americans on their way to Flint Ridge where outcroppings of flint were
found. In the Blackhand Gorge, carved by the Licking River, a sandstone cliff
bore a soot blackened engraving of a human hand. This mysterious petroglyph is
thought to have served as a guide marker for Indians searching for Flint Ridge.
Specimens of Flint Ridge flint have been found as far east as the Atlantic
seaboard, as far south as Louisiana and as far west as Kansas City.
Other methods of transportation affected the Dillon region. The Old National
Road, just south of the park, was partly responsible for the establishment and
growth of nearby Zanesville. The Ohio-Erie Canal followed the route of the
Licking River for several miles and boosted trade and commerce to surrounding
towns. An inter-urban railroad that connected Zanesville and Newark with
Columbus passed through Blackhand Gorge. Steamboat traffic was busy through
Zanesville on the Muskingum River.
In 1803, Moses Dillon purchased the land bordering the Licking River where
the park is located. This industrious, early American built and operated a local
iron foundry, founded the village of Dillon Falls and dammed the Licking River
to provide water power for the community. Moses Dillon is probably most noted
for his contributions toward the design and construction of the world-famous "Y"
bridge in Zanesville.
Dillon Reservoir was constructed for flood control by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and was completed in 1961. The park was dedicated in August 1968.
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