 Rocky Fork State
Park
9800 North Shore Drive
Hillsboro, Ohio 45133
(937) 393-4284
1-866-644-6727 for camping reservations
| Recreation |
Facilities |
Quantity |
| Resource |
Land, acres |
1384 |
|
|
Water, acres |
2080 |
| Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
|
Hunting |
yes |
|
|
Hiking Trail, miles |
2 |
|
|
Mountain Bike Trail, miles |
2 |
|
|
Picnicking |
yes |
|
|
Activity Center Rental |
yes |
|
|
Restaurant |
yes |
|
|
Swimming Beach, feet |
800 |
|
|
Beach Concession |
yes |
|
|
Summer Nature Center |
yes |
| Boating |
Boat Rental |
yes |
|
|
Boating Limits |
UNL |
|
|
Fuel For Sale |
yes |
|
|
Seasonal Dock Rental |
650 |
|
|
Launch Ramps |
5 |
| Winter |
Sledding |
yes |
|
|
Ice Fishing |
yes |
|
Camping |
Full Service Campsites |
20 |
| |
Campsites with
Elec. |
130 |
|
|
Premium Non-Elec.
Campsites |
40 |
|
|
Non-Elec.
Campsites |
60 |
|
|
Pets Permitted |
yes |
|
|
Showers |
yes |
|
|
Flush Toilets |
yes |
|
|
Camp Commissary |
yes |
|
|
Dump Station |
yes |
| Rentals |
Restaurant |
yes |
|
|
Recreation Barn |
yes |
|
|
Activity Center |
yes |
Rocky Fork State Park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Unlimited
horsepower boating allows for excellent skiing on the lake which also provides
catches of bass, muskellunge and walleye for skilled fishermen.
A scenic gorge, dolomite caves and natural wetlands add to the popularity of
this recreation area.
Camping
There are 230 campsites suitable for trailers and tents at the northwest corner
of the lake. The campground is equipped with showers, flush toilets, laundry
facilities, dump station, camp store and campers' beach.
Electric hookups are available at 130 sites, with an additional 20 sites
offering full-service hookups. There are also 40 premium lakeside non-electric
campsites along with 40 more non-electric sites in the heart of the campground.
Pet camping is permitted on designated sites in both the electric and
non-electric areas. A launch ramp and tie-ups are provided for campers with
boats.
A separate group camp may be reserved by contacting the park office. The
recreation barn also may be rented. It contains meeting space, restrooms,
showers and a modified kitchen.
Boating
Motors of unlimited horsepower are permitted at Rocky Fork. Sixteen boat
launching ramps are located around the lake. Rental docks are available for
frequent summer visitors. A designated area is available for boat camping.
Marinas
Three marinas are located around the lake. One marina provides fuel; all three
have launch ramps, docking space and parking. The East Shore Marina includes a
modern restaurant while a snack bar is provided at North Beach. North Beach also
offers boat rentals.
Swimming
Two large public beaches with changing booths and bathhouses are located on the
north and south sides of the lake. A boat/swim area is available for boaters.
Fishing and Hunting
Anglers will enjoy excellent catches of bass, bluegill, crappie and muskellunge
at Rocky Fork. A wheelchair accessible fishing pier is located on the southeast
side of the lake. Hunting is permitted in designated areas. A valid Ohio hunting
and/or fishing license is required.
Trails
A 1.5 mile hiking trail takes visitors through cool woodlands, scenic gorges and
moist wetlands. A short trail near the campground takes nature lovers to an
observation stateion where excellent birdwatching can be pursued. A two-mile
mountain bike trail is also popular with park visitors.
Picnicking
Picnic areas are located on the north and east shores in wooded areas
overlooking the lake.
More To Do
Volleyball and playground equipment can be found at both the campground and
day-use areas of the park. The campground also boasts a miniature golf course,
tetherball, a basketball court and horsehoe pits. The camp office loans games
and sporting equipment to registered campers. All park visitors are invited to
enjoy the nature center near the campground.
Nature of the Area
Rocky Fork State Park nestled in Highland County derives its name from the
stream flowing through the park. This stream, winding over dolomite limestone,
has eroded spectacular gorges and caves which we can enjoy today.
Present-day Rocky Fork Creek flows through an ancient valley. Blocked by glacial
ice more than 12,000 years ago, the stream reversed direction and rapidly cut
the 75-foot gorge seen today. Caves in the region formed as rainwater, trickling
through the limestone, dissolved the bedrock. Dolomite limestone is particularly
vulnerable to this type of weathering. Sullivantia, extremely rare in Ohio,
blooms in the gorge. The small white flowers can be seen from the moist cliff
face in mid-summer. Other wildflowers include wild geranium, jewelweed, yarrow
and Queen Anne's lace.
Rocky Fork provides habitat for numerous waterfowl, songbirds, raccoons, skunk,
red fox and white-tailed deer. The wetlands in the park are home to the green
frog, bullfrog, opossum and muskrat.
History of the Area
Rocky Fork State Park is an area steeped in the rich Indian history of Ohio. The
land provided abundant game and a ready transportation system in the nearby
creeks and rivers. These same streams provided access to the Rocky Fork area for
the first settlers.
Plentiful water attracted a number of millwrights to the Highland County region.
During the 1800s and the early 1900s, at least six different mill sites were
established along Rocky Fork's banks. These mills not only ground flour, but
also cut lumber, carded wool and even wove blankets. Water-powered industry was
instrumental in the early development of the locale.
In 1897, surveyors for a proposed railroad came to the countryside that would
one day be the park. Local people had high hopes that the new "Black Diamond"
rail line would bring prosperity to the area. The addition of rail
transportation would enable the local mills to ship flour and other mill
industry goods all over the country. There was to be a depot built in Rainsboro
with a stockyard and telegraph office. Meetings were held by railroad officials
to secure a right-of-way from nearby landowners. A town was planned near
McCoppin's (at that time Costello's) Mill. Unfortunately, the "Black Diamond"
never got past the planning stages, and the new town of Lodore never came to be.
The eastern part of Highland County has been a resort location for many years.
The "Seven Caves" and nearby Rocky Fork gorge attracted visitors even in the mid
1800s. At the turn of the century, Colonel Walter H. Hutchins, a regular visitor
to the area from Cincinnati, first dreamed of building a dam near McCoppin's
Mill. He was the lake's biggest promoter and saw construction begin in 1949.
Rocky Fork became a state park in 1950 and the first water spilled over the
dam in April 1953. Since that summer, thousands of people have visited Rocky
Fork State Park. The lake has become a favorite of fishermen and water sports
enthusiasts.
|
