This fall, I developed a whole new appreciation for Alum Creek State Park and its natural beauty.
We’re lucky to live so close to a state park this awesome. Our development backs up to the state park on the Lewis Center Road side.
It’s one of the reasons we chose to live here; I love being surrounded by nature.
The state park is also why we often have deer, coyotes, skunks, raccoons and foxes in our neighborhood!
The good news is that anyone can visit the state park – you don’t have to live here to enjoy it. There are more than 4,600 acres of land in the park as well as a 3,300-acre reservoir known as Alum Creek Lake where you can swim, boat, kayak, fish and more.
The lake was constructed between 1970 – 1974 and, upon its completion, the state park was established in 1974. Prior to settlement by white Americans, the land that is now Alum Creek State Park was inhabited by the Lenape tribe who were displaced by arriving colonial settlers.
Visiting Alum Creek Lake, you’d never guess it was manmade. The reservoir looks so natural and has so many beautiful coves, nooks and crannies along the shoreline that look wild and nature-created.
So what are the best things to do at Alum Creek State Park? Since I’ve already written about our favorite things to do on the lake, here are my top favorite things to do on dry land.
- Beach day. Want to sit on a beach or stroll along a lakefront path? Head for Alum Creek State Park Beach. With 3,000 feet of shoreline, it’s the largest inland beach in Ohio’s state park system. Facilities include playgrounds, changing areas, outdoor showers, restrooms and sand volleyball courts. There’s even a cute Storybook Trail for the younger set. Swimming here is fun on hot days as the water is clear and there are tiny minnows to nibble gently at your toes. Just know we’re not talking about sugar-white sand like in Florida. The sand underfoot is more like brown dirt, but hey – it’s still a pretty cool beach by Ohio standards.
- Nature walk. Any time of day or year, there are gorgeous trails to be discovered all around Alum Creek State Park. It’s mostly flat terrain with just a few gentle hills and ravines, but it’s still beautiful. A few of our favorite places for a nature walk or hike include Alum Creek Dam (especially at sunrise!) which rightfully got its own post. We also love walking or biking along the many woodland trails; our favorite to date is the White Tail Run trail loop that starts and ends at the Alum Creek Visitors Center on Lewis Center Road. AllTrails has a great list of other hiking trails within the park; I have set a goal to hike them all by the end of 2024.
- Photography. It goes without saying that a sprawling state park has lots of great spots to take photos, but Alum Creek Lake lends itself especially well to this endeavor. We love finding new places within the state park to post up and take nature shots in all seasons. My latest favorite hidden gem of a photo spot is the Alum Creek State Park kayak launch area near the Alum Creek Sailing Association marina just off Lewis Center Rd. It faces directly east so you can get the most exquisite sunrise shots over the lake, as seen above. I also love taking photos from atop the Dam at sunrise. For sunset photos, I love these boat launch locations.
- Let the dogs out. Yes, Alum Creek State Park also has something for our four-footed family members: a dog park! Alum Creek dog park is divided into large and small dog sections, plus there’s a swimming beach for the dogs to enjoy. I will say that the small dog area has a few places where there are holes in the fence so watch your small dogs closely – our naughty Dani got out several times the last time we were there! The large dog area is big enough for dogs to really get their run on and have so much fun making friends and playing chase. The dog park is a really fantastic addition to the state park.
- Camping. Okay, time for some brutal honesty: even though the Alum Creek State Park campground is just minutes from our home, we have never gone camping there. But it’s a beautiful location with lakefront access, rentable cabins, basketball courts, volleyball, miniature golf, horseshoe pits, and playgrounds. And, there’s a little beach and boat ramp for the exclusive use of campers! This is definitely on my wish list for summer or fall 2024. It’s time to bust out our tent and bug spray. Don’t laugh – I’m doing it. I want s’mores, roasted weenies, the whole kit and caboodle. I haven’t camped in years and it’s time to get back to nature!
They thought of literally everything when they established Alum Creek State Park. There are separate mountain bike trails – and even equestrian trails and an equestrian campground for those who want to camp out and go for beautiful hikes with their horse friends. How fun does that sound?!
What are your favorite things to do at state parks – have I missed anything here? I’d love to hear your Alum Creek and other state park stories in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram.
