Lake Erie Islands State Park
For all parks contact:
Catawba Island
4049 E. Moores Dock Road
Port Clinton, OH 43452
1-866-644-6727 for camping
and getaway rental reservations
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Catawba Island |
419-797-4530 |
|
Kelleys Island |
419-746-2546 seasonally |
| Middle Bass Island |
419-285-0311 seasonally |
South
Bass Island
Oak Point |
419-285-2112 seasonally |
Limestone cliffs, historic wineries, crystal caverns and a shimmering
Great Lake greet visitors to the Lake Erie Islands state parks.
These five state parks offer unique island retreats with an atmosphere both
festive and casual. Fishing, boating and swimming can be enjoyed at each park.
Kelleys Island
The family campground contains 45 non-electric and 82 electric sites,
showers, flush toilets, and a dump station. A volleyball court and playground
offer more to do. The camp office loans games and sports equipment to
registered campers. Pet camping is permitted on designated sites.
A youth group camp is available by reservation for organized groups.
Six miles of hiking trails lead to scenic vistas, historic sites and two
nature preserves, North Pond Nature Preserve, and the North Shore Nature
Preserve, offering excellent locations for watching wildlife.
Picnic areas, a picnic shelter, launch ramps, fishing access areas and a
100-foot swimming beach are also available.
Limited hunting is permitted in designated areas of the park. Check with the
park office for details.
Kelleys Island can be reached by ferry from Sandusky or Marblehead
Peninsula.
Two premium Yurts, complete with efficiency kitchen, bath with shower and
furnished living area, along with two Rent-A-Camp units are available during the
summer season.
Catawba
This day-use park also serves as the main headquarters for Kelleys Island, South
Bass and Oak Point and
Middle Bass Island state parks. A fishing pier, launch ramp, picnic shelter
and picnic areas can be found here. Swimming is permitted at your own risk.
Oak Point
Located on the northwestern tip of South Bass Island, this day-use park offers a
scenic picnic area, fishing access and overnight docking facilities.
South Bass Island
The family campground features 125 non-electric sites, and 10 full service sites
with electric, water and sewer hook-ups. The campground offers flush toilets,
showers, and a dump station. Pet camping is permitted on designated sites. A
youth group camp is available by reservation for organized groups.
Four cabents, combining the best features of a cabin and tent, and the Rustic
Cabin are available for weekly rental from Memorial Day to the last weekend in
September. Two picnic shelters, picnic areas, launch ramp, fishing pier and
small stone beach area are also available. South Bass Island is accessible by
ferry from Port Clinton or Catawba Island.
Middle Bass Island
This day-use park is currently under development. Dockage is available by
reservation.Contact the Catawba Island park office.
Nature of the Area
Several parks comprise the Lake Erie Island group. The islands were formed
during the glacial period when massive ice sheets entered Ohio. Glaciers gouged
and scoured the bedrock; their tremendous weight left deep depressions which
filled with meltwater, forming the Great Lakes.
Lake Erie, the smallest of the Great Lakes, is shallow--allowing for violent
storms with high waves. The lake is divided into three basins. The western basin
has an average depth of 25 to 30 feet; the central basin averages 61 feet; and
the eastern basin shows an average depth of 120 feet.
Lake Erie has high nutrient levels and warm temperatures which produce greater
numbers and varieties of fish than any other Great Lake. Annual catches nearly
equal the combined catch of all other Great Lakes. Yellow perch, smallmouth
bass, white bass, channel catfish and walleye are dominant species.
 The islands are
composed of limestone bedrock. Small scratches in the rock surface known as
glacial striations are common while major grooves such as those found at Kelleys
Island are rare but awesome.
Vast stands of red cedar and the presence of underground caverns, both
associated with limestone are found here. The islands and shoreline support a
variety of reptiles including the state's highest concentration of the harmless
fox snake. The timber rattlesnake was at one time quite prevalent on the islands
but is now gone from the area. Rattlesnake Island was so named due to the
presence of this reptile years ago.
Migrating songbirds rest here before winging across the lake. Hundreds of
different species have been identified, making this one of the best birdwatching
areas in the country. Several nesting pairs of the magnificent bald eagle are
located in the area.
History of the Area
Prior to the War of 1812, the Lake Erie Island region had been occupied by
Ottawa and Huron (Wyandot) Indian tribes at different times throughout the
years. A testimony to their existence on the islands is carved in Inscription
Rock on Kelleys Island. Pictographic writings over 500 years old are etched in
this massive limestone boulder.The Ottawa and Huron were eventually moved out by
European settlers. The War of 1812 ended the last Indian threat to the European
settlement of Ohio. One decisive naval battle of that war was fought in
Put-In-Bay, off the shores of South Bass Island. Oliver Hazard Perry with an
inferior fleet defeated the British making famous his saying, "We have met the
enemy and they are ours." The victory gave the Americans control of Lake Erie
and led to the ultimate defeat of the British in that war.
 The islands
remained sparsely settled until 1854 when J.D. Rivers purchased five of the
islands. At first he turned Put-In-Bay into a sheep ranch, having at one time a
herd of 2,000, but eventually he converted the island into a fruit farm. Despite
the extreme northern location, the islands have the longest frost-free period of
any area in Ohio due to the stabilizing effect of the lake.
It soon became apparent to islanders that the cultivation of grapes was very
profitable. The grape culture has had a dramatic influence on the islands,
sometimes called the "Wine Islands." By 1887, more than one-third of the grape
product and nearly one-half of the wine product of the entire state was credited
to this area. Wines from these islands were once pronounced by the best judges
as being comparable to the best productions of France. Several island wineries
still exist today.
In addition to raising fruits, the islands supported other profitable
industries. Logging of red cedar, quarrying for limestone and the propagation of
fish provided additional means of support.
For over a century, South Bass Island has been famous as a summer resort. Ruins
of the Victory Hotel, destroyed by fire in 1919, are still evident. Tourism
thrives today making the islands one of the most popular vacation spots in the
state. The five areas comprising Lake Erie Island state parks were added to the
state park system in the early 1950s.
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