Discover Nature With Your Ford: 3 Great State Parks Near Heath, OH

1. Buckeye Lake State Park

Head to 2905 Leibs Island Road in Millersport to spend time in Ohio’s oldest state park. Buckeye Lake State Park is a popular day-use destination with endless recreational opportunities. The 3,100-acre Buckeye Lake has four miles of shoreline with two swimming beaches, Fairfield Beach and Crystal Beach.

The lake is a great paddling and boating spot, and anglers regularly hook largemouth bass, bluegill, perch, crappie, and catfish. The park has over four miles of multi-purpose trails and a scenic paved path with spectacular views along the lake. In the winter months, people come to the park to ice skate, ice fish, ice boat, and cross-country ski.  

2. Dillon State Park

The 2,285-acre Dillon State Park is just 22 miles down the road in Nashport at 5265 Dillan Hills Drive. It’s a beautiful park with wooded hills and picturesque valleys to explore on foot, in the saddle, or on a mountain bike. Three mountain bike trails are ranked as some of the best in the state. The large 1,560-acre lake has a marina and offers boat, canoe, and kayak rentals.

The lake has many quiet coves and inlets where you can wet your hook to catch largemouth and hybrid striped bass, bluegill, saugeye, catfish, and crappie. The park also boasts a 1,360-foot swimming beach, the challenging 61-par 18-hole Woodchuck Ridge Disc Golf Course, and an archery range. If you want to stay over, the campground has full-hookup and primitive campsites, or if you prefer your creature comforts, stay in a cozy cabin.

3. Alum Creek State Park

A bit further afield, at 3305 South Old State Road in Delaware, 42 miles away, the 3,387 Alum Creek Reservoir in the Alum Creek State Park is the ultimate spot to boat, paddle, and ski. The reservoir has a 3,000-foot swimming beach, the longest inland beach in the state, and four boat ramps. There are miles of multi-purpose nature trails that cut through beech and maple forests and an 18-hole disc golf course.

If you visit the park in winter, recreational activities include ice skating, sledding, cross-country skiing, ice boating, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. The park has a four-acre fenced-off dog park with lake access where your four-legged friends can stretch their legs, swim, and play. The scenic campground overlooks the lake and has tent and RV campsites with water and electricity and cabins if you prefer sleeping under a roof.

Discover the beauty of nature and enjoy plenty of great outdoor recreational activities in these amazing parks. Why don’t you drive to Coughlin Ford of Heath today before going on an outdoor excursion and test drive the new Ford EcoSport?

Image via Ohio DNR.

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