One of Ohio’s most popular outdoor recreation areas is a mere two mile drive, run or ride from my driveway. Alum Creek State Park is popular with boaters, campers and fishermen and most everyone else who enjoys life beyond cable TV. The vast 3387 acre reservoir is surrounded by trails and rimmed on one side by a 3000 foot beach. Mountain bike, bridle and running trails all get heavy use.
Alum Creek State Park Map and Visitor Information
My favorites? “The Steps” are a quick but intense work-out on the days I have to squeeze “fitness” into a thirty minute 
window. The adjacent “below dam” park area also gets bonus points for the playground monkey bars that facilitate an equally expedient upper body routine of pull-ups and chin-ups. Our lab Lily enjoys the dog park off of Hollenback Rd on the other side of the reservoir (and we enjoy her enjoyment of the lake and the social frenzy that is a “dog park”). There’s a seven-mile multi-use trail on the southeast side (east of the boat launching area) that winds through woods and meadows and affords tantalizing peeks of the lake’s shoreline -perfect for an afternoon run. And, you can’t beat the grassy walk along Alum Creek Lake’s southern perimeter…
I don’t like to run it; “the Steps” or multi-use trail are much better for cardio activity, in my opinion. The southern trail is flat, and the vista is one of those endless wonderful panoramas that instills awe in the casual viewer but is less inspiring to a runner looking at a basically still screen for minutes in a row. But, it’s a great walking/talking route… I’ve walked it with both my daughter and my niece on separate evenings this past week. Lily tagged along both times, of course.
It always makes for a lovely evening. You can launch rocks to forever off the top of the dam, watch darting swallows, spot fish and great herons in the water, and listen as all the “little things” come up for air and conversation as you walk…
Alum Creek State Park Map and Visitor Information
Alum Creek State Park
Something “outdoors” for everyone!
3387 acre reservoir surrounded by wooded park land.
Mountain bike, bridle and multi-purpose trails, marina with boat rentals, dog park (with swim area), camping, fishing, hunting, swimming…
“Yes” for pets
Park Phone: 740-548-4631
Address: 3615 S. Old State Rd
Delaware Ohio 43015
Directions: See Park website or individual map links for detailed directions
Next Trip: Mammoth Cave National Park, KY and “Time Travel” with Facebook…
