 Pike
Lake State Park
1847 Pike Lake Road
Bainbridge, Ohio 45612-9640
(740) 493-2212
1-866-644-6727 for cottage
and camping reservations
| Recreation |
Facilities |
Quantity |
| Resource |
Land, acres |
587 |
|
|
Water, acres |
13 |
|
|
Nearby State Forest, acres |
12,000 |
| Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Hunting |
state forest |
|
|
Hiking Trail, miles |
6 |
|
|
Bridle Trails |
state forest |
|
|
Backpack Trail, miles |
3 |
|
|
Picnic Shelter |
1 |
|
|
Swimming Beach, feet |
155 |
|
|
Beach Concession |
yes |
|
|
Nature Center |
yes |
|
|
Summer Nature Programs |
yes |
| Boating |
Boat Rental/Commissary |
yes |
|
|
Boating Limits |
EMO |
| Winter |
Sledding |
yes |
|
|
Ice Skating |
yes |
|
|
Ice Fishing |
yes |
| Facilities |
Family Cottages |
12 |
|
|
Standard Cottages |
12 |
|
|
Group Lodge |
yes |
| Camping |
Non-Electric
Campsites |
0 |
|
|
Campsites with
Elec. |
80 |
|
|
Pets Permitted |
yes |
|
|
Dumpstation |
yes |
|
|
Group Camp,
capacity |
60 |
Pike Lake State Park is located in the midst of the scenic wooded hills of
southern Ohio. The small lake and surrounding state forest contribute to the
park's rustic charm.
Camping
The campground at Pike Lake features 80 sites with electricity. Latrines, dump
station, tables, fire rings and camp commissary are provided. Campers with pets
are permitted on designated sites. A group camp that can accommodate sixty
people is available by reservation.
Cottages
The park features 12 standard cottages and 12 family cottages. Family cottages
sleep six people, are heated and air-conditioned for year-round use, have two
bedrooms, bath with shower, living room with hide-a-bed and gas log fireplace,
kitchen/dining area and screened porch.Standard cottages are air-conditioned
and available during the summer months only. Each standard cottage sleeps up to
four people and has a kitchen/dining area, bath and living/sleeping area.
Dishes, kitchen utensils and linens are furnished in both types of cottages.
A group lodge offers kitchen facilities, two baths, and sleeping accommodations
for 16 people.
Fishing and Hunting
The small 13-acre lake in the park offers good catches of largemouth bass,
channel catfish, bullheads, bluegill and crappie. Hunting is permitted in the
adjacent state forest. A valid Ohio fishing and/or hunting license is required.
Swimming
A beautiful sand beach is provided for swimmers. Changing areas, showers and
vending machines contribute to the appeal of this swimming area.
Boating
Non-powered watercraft and boats with electric motors only (up to 4-1/2
horsepower) are permitted on the lake. Rowboats, canoes and pedal boats are
available for rent.
Picnicking
Several picnic areas are located in scenic locations around the park. Grills and
tables are provided. A reservable picnic shelter accommodates 50.
More to Do
The campground offers basketball and horseshoe courts, in addition to
playground equipment for youngsters. The park office loans games and sporting
equipment to campers. Additional playgrounds, basketball courts, horseshoes and
disc golf are available in day-use areas of the park.
Trails
Six miles of hiking trails provide strenuous and/or casual walks to scenic
locations. The adjacent state forest has several miles of bridle trails. Horses
are not provided by the park or forest.
Nature of the Area
The Pike Lake region is located in the unglaciated portion of the Appalachian
plateau in Ohio. As the Appalachian Mountains were uplifted, this plateau was
created west of the new mountain range. The plateau marks the boundary between
the hilly eastern section of Ohio and the flatter western portions. Just thirty
miles west of Pike Lake, the terrain changes dramatically from forested hills to
rolling farmland.
The landscape of Pike Lake is characterized by dense forests of oak, hickory,
tulip, ash and other hardwoods. Several outcroppings of the sandstone bedrock
have been exposed in the park.
The dense forest and remote location of Pike Lake create excellent habitat for
Ohio's forest game animals. White-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, gray squirrel,
rabbit and the elusive wild turkey are abundant. Other mammals in the park
include skunk, opossum, raccoon and red fox. Reptiles include the box turtle,
black snake, five-lined skink and the endangered timber rattlesnake.
The forest is known for its variety of ferns, mosses, lichens and fungi. The
wildflowers are diverse, creating spectacular displays--spring through autumn.
History of the Area
Pike County is located in an area that has many earthworks constructed by
Ohio's prehistoric people. These "first citizens" of Ohio lived in the Scioto
River Valley and its tributaries, appearing here sometime around 800 B.C. The
Moundbuilders eventually gave rise to the woodland Indian cultures--the first
white settlers encountered. One tribe, the Shawnee, made this area their home
and hunting grounds. They were fiercely protective of their land.
Nearby Chillicothe, the first capital of Ohio, spurred early settlement in the
area. Some of the early, historic buildings still stand. Just south of the park
is "Eagers Inn" built in 1797. The inn was constructed on a trace that ran from
Limestone, Kentucky to Chillicothe. Limestone (now called Maysville) was an
important crossing on the Ohio River. Many settlers from Kentucky followed this
passage on their way to the frontier.
During the Civil War, only one advance was ever made by the Confederate Army
into Ohio. General John H. Morgan crossed the Ohio River into Indiana, then rode
with his cavalry into Ohio north of Cincinnati. "Morgan's Raiders" traversed the
southern portion of the state, passing near present-day Pike Lake State Park.
Eventually, he and many of his men were captured in southwestern Columbiana
County near Salineville. Less than five months later, General John Morgan and
six of his men escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary and returned to the
Confederacy.
Also during this historic period, the family who farmed this valley found a
wounded soldier collapsed in their field. The unconscious union soldier never
revived. His name, unit or hometown were never known. Today, a solitary
headstone below the dam at the base of a large oak tree marks the grave of this
casualty from a tragic war.
The present park first began to take shape during the Civilian Conservation
Corps (CCC) days of the 1930s. One of the Ohio camps was established near the
future site of Pike Lake at Morgantown. Corpsmembers dug the lake by hand, built
two or three fire towers in the area, constructed the roads to make them
accessible and planted hundreds of pine trees. Pike Lake was originally a state
forest park, but with the formation of the Division of Parks and Recreation in
1949, it became an official state park that year.
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