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| 2,606 acres of uninterrupted hardwood forest sprawl over the many hills and coves of Strouds Run State Park • The rugged terrain and scenic lake provide visitors a unique wilderness escape in southeastern Ohio |
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Camping
- 78 non-electric sites
- Latrines, waste drains, picnic tables and fire rings are provided
- 10 sites are available for campers with pets
- Group camp area is available for organized groups on a reservation basis
- Call 740-594-2628 for more information
- Download the Campground Map
Boating
- Boats with a 10-hp limit are permitted on 161-acre Dow Lake
- Launch ramp and 12 tie-up stakes
- For boat rental information, call 740-594-2628
Fishing
 Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish are taken from the lake. - Valid Ohio fishing license is required
Trails
- 6 hiking trails
- Beaver Pond Trail • 1 Mile • Moderate
- Broken Rock Trail • 2 Miles • Moderate
- Chestnut Trail
- Lakeview Trail • 7 Miles • Moderate
- IVista Point Trail
- White Pine Trail
- 15 Mountain bike trails, that also allow hiking, wind through the state park and adjacent City of Athens' Sells Park
- Athens Trail • 3.5 miles
- Basswood Connector • 0.3 miles
- Cucumbertree Trail • 0.4 miles
- Finger Rock Trail • 1.2 miles
- Hickory Trail • 2.9 miles
- Pawpaw Connector • 0.3 miles
- Redbud Connector • 0.2 miles
- Rockhouse Trail • 2.7 miles
- Scatter Ridge Connector • 0.9 miles
- Sourwood Connector • 0.2 miles
- Sundown Trail • 6.6 miles
- Thunderbunny Trail • 2.9 miles
- Trace Trail • 1.2 miles
- White Ash Trail • 0.6 miles
- White Ash Connector • 0.2 miles
- Download the bike trail map (courtesy of Athens Bicycle)
- 10 bridle trails that also allow hiking
- Amoretto Trail
- Boogie Trail
- Cliff Trail
- Creek Trail
- Haley Trail
- Hank Trail
- Hermit Hut Trail
- Indian Mound Trail
- Lake Hill Trail
- Pete Smith Trail
Swimming
- 900-foot sand beach on the east side of the lake is open during the summer months from sunrise to sunset
- Change booths, drinking water and restrooms are available
- Scuba diving with proper equipment is permitted
- Diving alone and within the beach area is prohibited
- Swimming is permitted during daylight hours only
- Swim at your own risk & be sure to keep an eye on the kids
- Pets are NOT permitted on swimming beaches
- Check for water quality advisories
Picnicking 
- 3 Picnic areas
- Picnic tables and cooking grates are located at the north end of the lake and south of the dam
- Most picnic areas have restrooms available, no restrooms are available south of the dam
- 3 shelterhouses, located at the north end of the lake, are available for reservation online or by calling 866-644-6727
- Bobcat Shelter House
- Located near the boat launch ramp
- 20' x 24' open shelter with paved floor
- Electric outlet with 20 amp service
- 9 picnic tables
- Group charcoal grill
- Full sun
- Near lake (3'), water supply (15'), beach (250'), vault restrooms (300')
- Bulldog Shelter House
- 1st shelter as you come into the park off County Road 20
- 40' x 40' open shelter with paved floor
- No electric outlet
- 12 picnic tables
- Group charcoal grill
- Afternoon sun
- 30 parking spaces
- Near lake (3'), water supply (30'), Romtek latrine (20'), beach (1.5 miles)
- Lakeview Shelter House
- Past the beach parking lot on the peninsula
- 20' x 40' open shelter with paved floor
- No electric outlet
- Group charcoal grill
- Full sun
- 100 parking spaces
- Near lake (5'), water supply (30'), vault restrooms (20'), beach (350')
Hunting
- Hunting is permitted in designated areas
- Wild turkey, gray squirrel and white-tailed deer are abundant
- Valid Ohio hunting license is required
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- Sledding
- Cross country skiing
More To Do
- Basketball court and playground equipment
- Boat rentals are available at the beach, along with a volleyball court
Area Attractions
- The nearby town of Athens is the home of Ohio University. Tours of the university campus can be arranged by contacting the admissions office • The Anthony G. Trisolini Gallery, located on campus, houses fine art exhibits in an early Athens mansion
- Lake Hope,Hocking Hills and Burr Oak state parks are within a short driving distance offering camping, lodge, cabins, fishing and swimming
- Marie J. Desonier State Nature Preserve is located near Coolville. This preserve is heavily forested and contains a large variety of ferns, wildflowers and songbirds
- Portions of Wayne National Forest are scattered through the county offering hiking, hunting and other forest related recreation
- For additional information on local attractions, visit
Nature of the Area
Strouds Run State Park is located in the scenic forested hills of Athens County, in the midst of the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau. Although untouched by the vast ice sheets that moved across portions of the state over 12,000 years ago, the effects of the glaciers can be seen today in the deep ravines and high hills of Strouds Run. Stream valleys served as outlets for torrents of glacial meltwaters. The erosion power of these waters began carving valleys and hillsides into the familiar topography Ohioans know today. Large deposits of glacial outwash, primarily sand and gravel, were deposited along these streams and strongly affected the type of biological communities present today at the park.
Sandstone, the principal bedrock outcropping in the region, is very resistant to erosion and forms the uplands and steep sides of the valleys. Twisting roads and forest trails pass through these deep ravines and lead to dense stands of beech, hickory, oak, maple and tuliptree. Seasonal displays are offered by flowering dogwood, redbud and spring wildflowers--with fall presenting a pageant of colorful foliage. These woods are home to white-tailed deer, fox, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, wild turkey and a variety of songbirds. Woodthrush, white-breasted nuthatch, scarlet tanager, pileated woodpecker and the rufous-sided towhee inhabit the forest canopy. These rugged hills and woodlands are truly reminiscent of the wilderness that characterized the Ohio country in the days of early settlers.
History of the Area
Several mounds and ancient fortifications were found in this area by early settlers telling us that the Adena Indians once lived here. In more recent history, this was home to the powerful Shawnee Nation until the Treaty of Greenville forced them to abandon their lands in southern Ohio.
The first settlers arrived in the Athens County region in 1796. Two townships of land in the area had been apportioned by the Ohio Company in 1795 for the benefit of a university. Settlers were encouraged to settle on these college lands so as to make them attractive, productive and to form a fund for the institution.
This venture led to the founding of the town of Athens and Ohio University, the first college in the Northwest Territory. Settlers came by way of flatboats from Marietta down the Ohio and up the Hocking River to an attractive bluff where the town of Athens is now located.
With the discovery of rich coal fields in the area, Athens County soon developed into one of the leading coal producers in the state. The Hocking Canal and railroads provided easy means for shipping coal to distant markets. Clay tile, brick and salt were other industries that brought prosperity to the area.
The park derives its name from the Strouds family who settled in the area in the early 1800s. The land was purchased by the state for forest conservation purposes from 1948 to 1953. The dam creating Dow Lake was completed in 1960. The lake bears the name of C.L. Dow of Ohio University who was instrumental in initiating the project.
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