Shawnee State Park
4404 State Route 125
Portsmouth, Ohio 45663-9003
Shawnee Resort & Conference Center
PO Box 189, Friendship, OH 45630-0189
| Park Office |
(740) 858-6652 |
| Golf Course |
(740) 858-6681 |
| Campground (seasonal) |
(740) 858-4561 |
| Resort Lodge |
(740) 858-6621 |
| Lodge Front Desk Fax |
(740) 858-4766 |
Located in the Appalachian foothills near the banks of the Ohio River, Shawnee
State Park is nestled in the 63,000-acre Shawnee State Forest.
Once the hunting grounds of the Shawnee Indians,
the region is one of the most picturesque in the
state, featuring erosion-carved valleys and wooded
hills. The rugged beauty of the area has earned it
the nickname "The Little Smokies."
Lodge
The resort lodge at Shawnee offers a breathtaking view of the surrounding hill
country. The lodge features fifty guest rooms, elegant dining room, meeting
rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, game room, sauna, jacuzzi, tennis, basketball
and shuffleboard courts.
Cottages
There are 25 family cottages at Shawnee. They sleep up to six, with two
bedrooms, bath with a shower, living room, double-wide rollaway bed, complete
kitchen, microwave, telephone, dining area, screened porch and charcoal grill.
Two premium cottages also offer Jacuzzis. Lodge facilities are available to
cottage guests.
Camping
The family campground at Shawnee has 107 sites suitable for tents or trailers.
The campground features electric hookups, waste disposal, heated shower houses,
flush toilets and laundry facilities. Pet camping is available throughout the
campground.A group camp is available by reservation
A 38-site horsemen's campground with latrines is available near Bear Lake on
state forest land.
Getaway Rental
One Rent-A-Camp unit is available and comes equipped with a picnic table, two
cots, lantern, propane stove and cooler.Two camper cabins are available.
Each camper cabin sleeps five people on two sets of bunk beds and one adult full
bed. The camper cabins are each outfitted with outdoor picnic table, campfire
ring, charcoal grill, porch light, porch swing and covered porch. The unit
contains inside electric service, lights, heater/AC unit, smoke/carbon
detectors, bed frames with mattresses, table with chairs, mini-refrigerator,
microwave and fire extinguisher. No linens or cooking supplies are provided. No
pets or smoking are permitted inside the cabin unit.
Water fountains, shower houses and a laundry facility are available nearby in
the campground area. It is recommended that you bring bed linens or sleeping
bags, pillows, towels, cooking utensils, dinnerware, cooler, containers for
water and a clock/radio.
Boating
Roosevelt and Turkey Creek lakes offer boating with electric motors only. Launch
ramps are provided for access to the lakes. Rowboats and canoes are available
for rental at Turkey Creek Lake. Boaters may spend a day on the Ohio River with
access from the park's marina facility.
Fishing
The well stocked lakes provide good catches of largemouth bass, catfish,
bluegill, crappie and trout. A trout derby is held annually at Turkey Creek
Lake. Fishing licenses may be obtained at the lodge.
Trails
The park and surrounding state forest invite hikers to discover the plant and
animal life of Shawnee's forested hills. The 60-mile Shawnee backpack trail
operated by the Division of Forestry takes hikers to some of the best wilderness
areas in Ohio. The forest also offers 75 miles of bridle trails. There are
several nature trails in the park, from one to two miles in length.
Swimming
Public beaches are situated on Roosevelt Lake and Turkey Creek Lake, which
offers vending machines.
Golfing
An 18-hole championship golf course and pro-shop are located near the marina on
the Ohio River, within a short drive of the main park area.
Picnicking
Picnic areas with tables and grills are located in many secluded and scenic
areas of the park. Two accessible picnic shelters are available at Lake
Rossevelt, and both may be reserved.
More To Do
Miniature golf, located at the camp store, is open to all park visitors.
Volleyball and basketball courts are also available, as well as horseshoe pits
and playground equipment. The camp store offers bike and boat rentals. The store
also has games and sporting equipment to loan to registered campers. Tennis
courts and shufflebaord can be found at the lodge. Vending machines are
available at Turkey Creek Beach.
Nature of the Area
Several hundred million years ago, a general upheaval of eastern North America
made changes in the terrain that are evident in Ohio today. South and east of
Ohio, the layers of bedrock folded and buckled, giving rise to the Appalachian
Mountains.
The forested hills of Shawnee are a part of the Appalachian Plateau. Here, the
bedrock layers were uplifted but no real distortion occurred; for this reason,
Shawnee never had true "mountains." In fact, all of Ohio's hill country is a
feature of stream erosion on this prehistoric raised plain and is often referred
to as the foothills of the Appalachians.
The hills of Shawnee have also been dubbed "Ohio's Little Smokies." Looking
toward the Ohio River, one can certainly see how the region acquired such a
nickname. From the highest points in the forest, ridge after ridge appears to
roll away toward the horizon in a gentle blue haze. This distinctive color comes
from moisture in the air which is generated by the thousands of acres of forest.
The hardwood forest is host to a variety of flora and fauna. Wildflowers are
abundant including several rare types of orchids such as the tiny whorled
pogonia and the showy orchis. Forest wildlife includes white-tailed deer, wild
turkey, raccoon, various songbirds and rare sightings of bobcat and black bear.
History of the Area
The 63,000 acres of Shawnee State Forest and Shawnee State Park encompass a
part of the former hunting grounds of the Shawnee Indians. Historians note that
the Shawnee name means "those who have silver," as the tribe conducted
considerable trade in this precious metal. A major Shawnee village, known as
Lower Town, was located near the confluence of the Ohio and Scioto rivers. The
Scioto River provided access to the heart of the Shawnee country in central and
southern Ohio.
The Ohio River was the gateway to frontier settlement in the Ohio region as well
as for Indiana and Illinois. This expansive waterway, the Spaylawitheepi in
Indian tongue, was the site of many confrontations between incoming pioneers and
the red man. The Shawnees monitored the influx of the white settlers from the
line of ridges that overlooked the mighty Ohio River.
During the 1700s, the Shawnee Indians were gradually displaced as the settlers
continued to build their cabins and clear land in this new and fertile country.
The face of the region changed a great deal in the years to come, but through
effective timber management practices by the state's Division of Forestry,
Shawnee State Forest has regained much of its original appearance. Similarly,
resource conservation programs coupled with wise land use practices at Shawnee
State Park have assured that this 1,168-acre recreational facility will continue
to maintain its natural beauty.
Lands were acquired for the park in 1922 and it was first operated as Theodore
Roosevelt State Game Preserve. In the 1930s, six Civilian Conservation Corps
camps were located in the area. It was at this time that many of the roads and
lakes of the area were constructed. In 1949, with the creation of the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources and the Division of Parks and Recreation, the
area became a state park and forest. The name was changed to Portsmouth State
Park in the early seventies but has since been changed back to Shawnee State
Park.
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