Maumee Bay State Park
1400 State Park Road
Oregon, Ohio 43618-9532
| Park Office |
(419) 836-7758 |
| Campground (seasonal) |
(419) 836-8828 |
| Nature Center |
(419) 836-9117 |
| Golf Course Pro Shop |
(419) 836-9009 |
1-866-644-6727 for camping and getaway rental reservations
1-800-282-7275 for lodge and cottage reservations
Maumee Bay State Park offers not only the finest of recreational facilities in
the Midwest, but also a unique natural environment created by the convergence of
the land and Lake Erie.
The lodge, cottages and golf course are nestled among the scenic meadows, wet
woods and lush marshes teeming with wildlife. The balance of recreational
facilities with the natural world gives visitors a diverse experience in a
coastal environment.
Resort Lodge
Ohio's eighth state park lodge opened in May of 1991. Quilter Lodge overlooking
the Maumee Bay of Lake Erie offers 120 guest rooms each with balcony.
Lodge features include racquetball courts, game room, saunas, whirlpools,
indoor and outdoor pools, conference and meeting rooms, dining room and lounge,
and a snack bar.
Resort cottages
The deluxe cottages at the park are nestled among scenic wetlands and a
picturesque golf course. The cottages are equipped with a gas fireplace, heating
and air conditioning, fully equipped kitchen, living area, two bedrooms with a
loft, or four bedrooms. Cottage guests may use all lodge facilities.
Camping
The park boasts a modern family campground with 252 sites. The campground is
equipped with showerhouses, flush toilets, electricity and playground equipment.
The campsites are open and spacious and border natural meadows and ponds which
are open to fishing for campers only. Pet camping is also permitted. Three
Rent-A-Camp units consisting of a tent, dining fly, cooler, cook stove and other
equipment can be rented during the summer months. Rent-A-Yurt offers a
microwave, stove and regrigerator, along with futon beds.
Five miles of asphalt "bicycle/pedestrian" trails provide access to most of
the day-use areas.
Trails
Developed hiking trails in the park include the Mouse Trail, a 3-mile diverse
trail winding through meadows and young woodlands, and several miles of paved
combination trails for bicycling and cross-country skiing. Hikers will discover
acres of meadow, marshland and woodland. A 2-mile boardwalk traversing swamp and
marsh wetlands has interpretive signs, an observation blind and tower, and
wheelchair accessible loop.
Picnicking
Picnic areas with tables and grills can be found adjacent to the beach areas.
Fishing and Hunting
Lake Erie known as the "walleye capital of the world" offers some of the best
fishing opportunities in the midwest. Great catches of walleye, channel catfish,
freshwater drum, smallmouth bass and yellow perch delight the fisherman. The
man-made inland lake near the lodge offers good pan fishing opportunities with
two wheelchair accessible fishing piers.
Hunting is permitted in adjacent Mallard Club Marsh Wildlife Area. A valid
Ohio fishing and/or hunting license is required. All wildlife regulations apply.
Winter Sports
This park invites you to the thrills and spills of winter activity.
Cross-country skiing, winter nature walks, ice skating and sledding on the
area's top rated sledding hill await you.
Boating
A 32-slip marina on Lake Erie has dockage available by reservation. A 57-acre
inland lake in the park is suitable for sailing, canoeing and other
non-motorized boat use. Canoes, paddle boats, row boats, and sailboats are
available for rent.
Personal watercraft can be
rented on the Lake Erie beach.
 Swimming
The park boasts two sand beaches. One beach is located on the Lake Erie shore
while the other lines the park's inland lake. A concession area and changing
booths are provided. A large lakeside amphitheater lies between the two beaches.
Golfing
Maumee Bay's unique 18-hole "Scottish Links" style golf course has low, rolling
mounds, bent grass fairways, greens and tees, numerous sand bunkers and ponds. A
golf pro-shop is in operation with a PGA certified professional on staff.
 Nature Center
A state-of-the-art nature center staffed by a year-round naturalist is located
in the park. The Trautman Nature Center is equipped with inter-active displays,
a programming auditorium, research laboratory and viewing windows. A boardwalk
trail is adjacent to the nature center.
More To Do
The campground offers bike rental, a basketball court and horseshoe pits. The
camp office loans games and sporting equipment to registered campers. Bike
rental, basketball and volleyball courts are also available in day-use areas of
the park.
Nature of the Area
Maumee Bay State Park is a tribute to Lake Erie. This precious gift is one of
the largest bodies of fresh water in the world and it reflects the diverse
natural heritage of Ohio.
The history of Lake Erie began with the glacial period known as the Pleistocene.
Massive sheets of ice gouged and scoured the bedrock of Ohio. Testimony of the
ice's force is found throughout the lake area. Small scratches in the rock
surface known as glacial striations are common, while major grooves are rare but
awesome.
 The wetlands of
the Maumee Bay area offer a vivid array of natural wonders. Wetlands contain
more species of wildlife than any other habitat type, including: fox snake,
northern water snake, painted turtle, chorus frog, green frog, spotted
salamander, raccoon, muskrat, dragonfly, caddis fly, and water striders. Over
300 species of birds have been recorded with shorebirds such as snipe, great
blue heron, common gallinule and ring-billed gulls residing with waterfowl
including Canada geese, pintails, redheads, and ruddy ducks. Songbirds include
the red-winged blackbird, yellow warbler, killdeer and swamp sparrow. Spring
migration brings many others including the colorful warblers. The plant life is
diverse as well. Cattails, buttonbush, phragmites, bur-reed, cottonwood and
black willow are just a few examples of the marsh plants at the park.
In addition to marsh and swamp wetlands, several prairies add more diversity to
the landscape. Ring-necked pheasants densely populate the meadow areas of the
park.
The Lake Erie shoreline sets the stage for the comeback of the bald eagle in
Ohio. Nesting pairs have been reported recently in Ohio with the majority being
in the western basin of Lake Erie.
History of the Area
Thirteen thousand years ago, Lake Erie was much larger than it is today --
stretching from western New York to Fort Wayne, Indiana. As the lake receded to
its present size, a great flat plain was formed (120 miles long and 30-40 miles
wide). This area became known as the Great Black Swamp due to the color of the
soil and dark shade beneath the trees. The Indians settled only near the
well-drained lands beside the Maumee River and its tributaries.
For many years, the swamp was a tremendous barrier to western settlement. Most
settlers traveled by boat on Lake Erie to reach southern Michigan. Major cities
of the area circled the perimeter of the swamp; none lay within it except
Bowling Green. In 1859, a law was passed providing for a system of public
ditches to drain the land. By 1870, the swamp was still only half cleared.
Eventually, after a period of intense lumbering and draining, the swamp had
nearly vanished and the area became a major agricultural region.
Acquisition of park lands began in 1974 with matching funds from the Land and
Water Conservation Fund. Maumee Bay officially became a state park in 1975.
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