Looking for a new adventure this fall?

Does treasure hunting sound exciting?  Try geocaching!  This high-tech recreation activity blends the appeal of high-tech gadgetry with the old-fashioned fun of hide and seek. Caches are hidden in lots of our state parks.  Check out www.geocaching.com to find out how to get started, and get coordinates of a cache near you.  Don’t have a GPS unit?  Put one on your holiday wish list, and you’ll have a compelling reason to get out and play all year long.

Disc golf is another four-season activity that’s fun for everybody, and easy to learn.  There are new disc golf courses at John Bryan and Van Buren, along with the great courses at Buck Creek, Delaware, East Harbor, Findley, Forked Run, Great Seal, Hueston Woods, Independence Dam, Pike Lake, and Rocky Fork.

Archers can practice their sport at the new archery ranges at Geneva and Sycamore state parks.  Several parks also offer ranges as well as archery trails with 3-D targets, including Barkcamp, Beaver Creek, Caesar Creek, Hocking Hills, Hueston Woods, Paint Creek, Punderson, Salt Fork and Shawnee.

Don’t forget the pups!  New dog parks at Grand Lake St. Marys, Mosquito Lake and Portage Lakes offer fenced play areas and water access for frolicking canines.   Alum Creek and Lake Alma also offer dog parks.  Pets are welcome to stay at designated campsites in every state park campground, in select state park cottages, and in select guest rooms in the Geneva Lodge.

Help keep our parks greener

Trash cans are unsightly in a natural setting, and they can disrupt woodland ecosystems by encouraging wildlife to become dependent on trash as a food source, not to mention attracting pests, like bees and wasps.  To help keep our natural landscapes green and healthy, trash cans and dumpsters have been removed from select day-use areas at a number of parks.  Park visitors are asked to minimize waste and “carry in carry out” in these areas.  Next time you plan a day trip to a state park outing, come prepared by packing food and beverages in reusable and recyclable containers, and bring a trash bag with you.

Give them want they really want!

An Ohio State Parks gift card is the ideal present for anyone who likes to relax and have fun.  Gift cards come in any denomination, and can be redeemed for overnight stays in our luxurious state park resort lodges, comfortable cottages, and convenient campgrounds.  They can also be redeemed for outdoor fun, like rounds of golf and boat rentals at select facilities. You can purchase your Ohio State Parks gift card with a credit card at any park office or by calling 614- 265-6513 during regular business hours.  You can also download and mail in the gift card order form along with a check for the amount of purchase.

Consider becoming a greener reader

If you are currently a subscriber to Ohio State Parks and you like the idea of saving the paper, ink, and energy it takes to get your copy delivered to your door, consider becoming an on-line greener reader.  A downloadable PDF of the current issue of Ohio State Parks is posted to our website, so you can read it on screen at your convenience, or print it from your home computer.  Articles from previous issues are included in the on-line archive.

If you would like to opt out of your subscription, please visit www.ohiostateparks.org and click on the “opt out” link on our home page.  Be sure to include your name and complete mailing address in the message.  We’ll e-mail you when the next issue is posted to the website.

You can also clip out your mailing address from the back cover of your copy of the magazine, and mail it to us: Ohio State Parks, Magazine Opt Out, 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. C-3, Columbus, OH 43229.  If you jot a note with your e-mail address, we’ll notify you via e-mail when the current issue is ready to view on-line.