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Salt Fork State Park
14755 Cadiz Road,
Lore City, Ohio 43755
Salt Fork Resort & Conference Center
PO Box 7, Cambridge, OH 43725-0007
| Park Office |
(740) 439-3521 |
| Golf Course |
(740) 432-7185 |
| Campground (seasonal) |
(740) 432-1508 |
| Lodge Front Desk |
(740) 439-2751 |
| Lodge Front Desk Fax |
(740) 432-6615 |
The landscape of rural Guernsey County appears as a patchwork of forested hills,
open meadows and misty valleys threaded by numerous streams.
At the heart of this region is Salt Fork State Park, encompassing the
woodlands and fields flanking Salt Fork Reservoir.
As Ohio's largest state park, Salt Fork boasts recreational facilities to
suit nearly every taste.
Camping
The modern campground has 192 sites with electricity. Each site has a 50-amp
electric hookup. Twenty full-service campsites offer sewer and water hookups as
well. Other features include heated shower houses, flush toilets, dump station,
a separate beach, boat launching and docking facilities for campers. Eighteen
sites are wheelchair accessible. In addition, a group camp and horsemen's camp
are available. Pet camping is permitted on designated sites.
Golfing
The 18-hole golf course includes a golf shop, snack bar, driving range and
putting green. Tee times are recommended, and a pavilion is available by
reservation for outings. Call (740) 432-7185 for tee times and reservations.
Fishing and Hunting
Sizable populations of largemouth bass, crappies, bluegills, walleyes and
muskellunge are present. Fishing is particularly good in the many embayment
areas, and along the artificial reef on the north branch of the lake. Hunting is
permitted on designated areas. Check-in with park or wildlife officers for
delineation of these areas. Cottontail rabbit, gray and fox squirrels, deer,
grouse, quail, woodchuck, raccoon, mink, muskrat, beaver, wild turkey and
waterfowl are abundant. An ODNR Division of Wildlife office is located near the
main park entrance.
Swimming
The 2,500-foot beach is one of the largest inland beaches in Ohio. The modern
bathhouse provides showers, lockers, toilets and a snack bar.
Picnicking
There are several picnic areas with tables and grills in scenic locations around
the lake. A shelter house is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A
wheelchair accessible picnic area with hard surfaced paths and accessible
latrines, parking and tables is located off Park Road 1.
 Lodge
Salt Fork Lodge, scenically overlooking the lake, has 148 guest rooms. Lodge
features include a dining room, coffee shop, snack bar, gift shop, lounge and
lobby areas, indoor game area and meeting rooms accommodating up to 450 people.
In addition, guests can enjoy indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna, the
tennis, volleyball, basketball, and shuffleboard courts, 400-foot swimming
beach, as well as boat launching and docking facilities.
 Cottages
Thirty-seven two-bedroom vacation cottages in hillside and lakeside locations
offer fully furnished living and dining areas, kitchen equipped with cooking and
eating utensils, bath with shower, and screened porch. Seventeen chalet cottages
also feature gas log fireplaces and hot tubs. All cottages are available
year-round.
Boating
Boats with unlimited horsepower are permitted on the lake. Combined speed/ski
zones are marked by buoys. There are numerous boat launching ramps on the lake.
Boaters may camp on their boats in no-wake zones within fifty yards of shore.
Swimming from boats is permitted in designated areas only.
Marinas
The two marinas include 469 rental docks, comfort stations, gasoline fuel
stations, parking facilities, concession areas and a variety of rental boats.
More To Do
A miniature golf course is offered at the beach, near the park's nature center.
Basketball courts are located at the beach and near the park office. Playgrounds
are offered in the campground and at the beach.
 Nature of the
Area
Before settlement, Ohio lay in the heart of a vast forest wilderness stretching
from the Appalachian Mountains to the Great Plains. None of the world's hardwood
forests surpassed this one in variety and size of trees. Ohio's forest was a
magnificent sight and an enormous challenge for settlers determined to clear and
till the land. Towering oaks, hickories, beeches, maples, walnuts, ashes and
chestnuts, some over 150 feet tall, rose from the rich fertile soil below. By
1900, most of Ohio's original forest was decimated. In its place stood wheat,
corn, oats, hay and thriving cities.
Through conservation efforts over the past few decades, a magnificent regrowth
has occurred. Today, nearly 30 percent of the state is once again supporting a
thriving forest. This is most evident in the rugged, unglaciated hill region of
southeastern Ohio including Salt Fork State Park. Salt Fork contains a blend of
rich woodlands and rolling meadows. The park contains diverse populations of
plant and animal life. White-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, red fox,
gray squirrels and barred owls are well established within Salt Fork. Songbirds
such as the scarlet tanager, cardinal, goldfinch, Kentucky warbler and others
provide delight for birdwatchers.
Spectacular wildflowers such as wild geranium, large-flowered trillium, violets,
asters and goldenrod line the forest floor and meadows. In spring, the melody of
wood frogs, chorus frogs and spring peepers echo through the park.
History of the Area
Salt Fork is said to have derived its name from a salt well used by Native
Americans which was located near the southeastern corner of the park.
Historically, this part of southeastern Ohio was one of the first areas of the
state to be settled by the pioneers emigrating westward from the crowded eastern
seaboard. Some of these settlers may have followed Zane's Trace into the Ohio
wilderness -- a route that led a few families into the Guernsey County area.
From Zanesville east to the Ohio River, the Trace became part of the National
Road, a major east-west transportation route constructed in 1811. Today, the old
National Road is known as U.S. Route 40 and passes near Salt Fork State Park.
 One of the
early residents of Guernsey County, David B. Kennedy, constructed a beautiful
stone house overlooking Sugar Tree Fork in 1837. Built from locally-quarried
stone cut into 3' x 1' x 1' blocks, the Kennedy Stone House is a sturdy reminder
of bygone days. Because of its unique and enduring construction, the house is
listed in the National Register of Historic places and can be visited throughout
the year.
While the southeastern U.S. was the most important staging area for many
Civil War battles, southeastern Ohio saw a few skirmishes, too. Morgan's
Raiders, a small group of Confederate soldiers, made excursions into the Salt
Fork area under constant pursuit from Union Troops led by General Shakelford.
As the 19th Century progressed, industry continued to develop in Ohio, and many
of the southeastern Ohio counties came into prominence as coal-producing areas.
Responding to the demand for this important fuel source, Guernsey County became
one of Ohio's leading coal producers. Abundant reserves of clay allowed the
development of a thriving pottery industry in the county as well. The present
impoundment at Salt Fork dates back to 1956 when planning for the lake was
begun. The reservoir was originally slated to become a water source for the city
of Cambridge, but the potential for the area to become a major recreation area
in the state was so great that, in 1960, land acquisition was begun to create a
state park. The earthen dam was completed in 1967, and construction of
recreational facilities began in mid 1968. The spacious Salt Fork Lodge was
opened in May 1972.
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