 Harrison
Lake State Park
26246 Harrison Lake
Road Fayette, OH 43521
(419) 237-2593
1-866-644-6727 for camping
and getaway rental reservations
| Activity |
Facilities |
Quantity |
| Resource |
Land, acres |
142 |
|
|
Water, acres |
105 |
| Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Hiking Trail, miles |
4 |
|
|
Picnicking |
yes |
|
|
Picnic Shelters, # |
3 |
|
|
Swimming Beach, feet |
150 |
|
|
Nature Center |
yes |
|
|
Summer Nature Programs |
yes |
| Boating |
Boating Limits |
EMO |
|
|
Launch Ramps, # |
1 |
| Winter Rec |
Sledding |
yes |
|
|
Cross-Country Skiing |
yes |
|
|
Ice Fishing |
yes |
| Camping |
Non-electric Campsites |
25 |
|
|
Campsites with Elec., # |
150 |
| |
Camper Cabin |
1 |
|
|
Pets Permitted |
yes |
|
|
Showers |
yes |
|
|
Flush Toilets |
yes |
|
|
Dumpstation |
yes |
|
|
Youth Group Camp, capacity |
100 |
|
|
Rent-A-Yurt
sites, # |
2 |
 |
In the midst of endless field of corn and soybeans stands Harrison Lake State
Park--a green island of scenic woodlands in a rich agricultural region. Harrison
Lake is popular for swimming, fishing, camping and canoeing.
Camping
The campground at Harrison Lake has 175 campsites, 150 of which have electric
hook-ups. The campground features showers, flush toilets, a dump station and
sites designated for campers with pets.
A group camp area with a 100-person capacity is available for organized youth
groups on a reservation basis.
Getaway Rentals
Two Rent-A-Yurt units offer futon beds, ceiling fan, mini refrigerator, and
outdoor as grill along with a sheltered picnic table.
One camper cabin is also available. Getaway Rentals are available for rent from
May 1 through October 31.
Boating
Non-powered watercraft and boats with electric motors only are permitted on the
lake. A launch ramp provides access to the lake.
Fishing
 Good
catches of largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, bullhead catfish,
northern pike and carp can be taken from Harrison Lake. A valid Ohio fishing
license is required.
Swimming
A fine swimming beach provides recreation for swimmers and sunbathers.
Picnicking
Several quiet picnic areas are located in scenic areas of the park. Three
shelter houses are available on a first-come, first-served basis or may be
reserved with a deposit.
Trails
A 3.5-mile hiking trail circles the lake and provides the opportunity to explore
the scenic lakeshore and woodlands.
More To Do
Bike and boat rentals are available in day use areas of the park. Also
available are volleyball and basketball courts and horseshoe pits. A playground
is located at the campground. Games and sports equipment can be borrowed by
registered campers at the camp office.
Nature of the Area
The area comprising Harrison Lake State Park was at one time part of a vast
wetland. This mysterious area contained towering trees, soggy black soil and was
a haven for the swamp rattlesnake (or massassauga, as it is also known). Very
little remains of that once great swamp, but the park still harbors unique
natural features associated with wetlands.
Great blue herons and common egrets can be sighted at the lake's shallow western
end. Numerous songbirds inhabit the park's meadows and woodlands such as the
vesper sparrow, common yellowthroat and brown thrasher. Several species of
reptiles and amphibians find the park's habitat suitable. Box turtles, painted
turtles, garter snakes, green frogs and American toads are found here. Small
mammals such as red fox, raccoon, skunk and the uncommon thirteen-lined ground
squirrel are frequently seen.
History of the Area
Originally, Lake Erie was much larger than it is today--stretching from
western New York to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Harrison Lake region was at that
time under the waters of Lake Erie. As Lake Erie receded to its present size,
the area formerly under water reverted to swamplands. This swamp (120 miles long
and 30 to 40 miles wide) became known as the Great Black Swamp due to the color
of the soil and dark shade beneath the giant trees.
 For many
years, the swamp was a tremendous barrier to western settlement. Most settlers
avoided the area, traveling around the swamp via Lake Erie to reach southern
Michigan. The Ottawa Indians settled only near the well-drained lands beside the
Maumee River and its tributaries. The swamp was the last area to be settled in
Ohio. It served as a reservation for Indians until they were forced out in 1842.
It was not until the development of soil drainage techniques in the 1850s that
large numbers of settlers moved here.
Even today, northwestern Ohio remains one of the most sparsely populated regions
of the state, although it is one of Ohio's richest agricultural regions.
In 1836, the United States Congress and the Ohio Legislature finally settled a
10-year argument with the state of Michigan as to the location of the
Ohio-Michigan border. For years, both states claimed ownership of a strip of
land 11 miles wide that extended from the mouth of the Maumee River near Toledo
to the Ohio border with Indiana. Today's Ohio-Michigan boundary is the one
agreed upon in 1836. Had Congress favored Michigan's claim in that year,
Harrison Lake State Park may have become a Michigan State Park!
In 1941, a dam over Mill Creek was completed and Harrison Lake was created. The
lake and surrounding area were maintained primarily for hunting and fishing
purposes until 1950 when Harrison Lake was established as a state park and
development for additional recreational usage began.
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