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| 741-acre Punderson State Park with its 150-acre natural lake, resort manor house, family cottages, golf course and scenic campground, provides many recreational opportunities for visitors • Punderson is also Ohio's premier winter sports park • Sledding, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are all at their best |
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Lodge 
- Manor house has 31 guest rooms
- Dining room, meeting rooms and outdoor and indoor swimming pools
 Cottages 
- 26 cottages sleep six persons each
- Each has 2 bedrooms, bath with a shower, living room, complete kitchen, dining area and screened porch
- Pets are permitted in select cottages, call 800-282-7275 for details
Camping 
- The campground is situated on the site of a former Indian village
- 177 electric sites
- 5 full service sites (electric, water & sewer)
- 12 non-electric sites
- Showerhouses, flush toilets, and dump station
- Pets are permitted in designated areas
- Nature center
- Camp office loans sporting equipment and games to registered campers
- See pictures of the campground, courtesy of the Friends of Punderson
Golf Course
- Championship-rated, 18-hole public golf course challenges even the expert golfer
- Reservations are always advisable and required for weekend play
- The pro shop stocks all necessary merchandise and has a snack bar
- See the course layout
Boating
- Electric motors only are permitted on Punderson Lake
- 1 launch ramp provides access to the lake
- Boat rentals are available at the marina concession
- Check for water quality advisories
Trails
- 7 hiking trails
- Beach Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
- Whitetail Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
- ErieTrail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate
- Huron Trail • 1.3 Miles • Moderate
- IroquoisTrail • 3/4 Mile • Moderate
- Mohawk Trail • 1.1 Miles • Moderate
- Mushers Trail • 1.2 Miles • Moderate
- 1 multi-use trail
- Cayuga Trail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate
Fishing
- Anglers enjoy catches of bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow and golden trout and catfish
- Punderson Lake as well as two smaller lakes are open to fishing
- A valid Ohio fishing license is required
Picnicking
- 7 picnic facilities with tables, grills and drinking
 water are located in scenic areas of the park
- A picinic shelter is available for reservation by calling the park.
Swimming
Disc Golf
- 9 holes built by the Friends of Punderson State Park
- Located near the Musher's Trail • See the course layout
- Bring your own equipment, rental equipment is NOT available
- Equipment can be purchased from the Friends Group on Saturdays at the Nature Center in the campground
- No fee is charged to play
- Help support the disc course by becoming a sponsor
- See what other parks have disc golf courses
Chalet
- The winter sports chalet is a unique heated facility that is available for daily rental spring through fall
Hunting
- Hunting is not permitted in the park
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- Lighted sled hill
- 3 Snowmobile trails offer access to the park for those with snowmobiles
- Beach Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
- ErieTrail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate
- IroquoisTrail • 3/4 Mile • Moderate
- 2 Cross country ski trails are available as weather permits
- Huron Trail • 1.3 Miles • Moderate
- Mohawk Trail • 1.1 Miles • Moderate
- Dog sleds are permitted on Mushers Trail • 1.2 Miles • Moderate
More To Do
- Volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes and shuffleboard at the lodge
- A tennis court is located at the chalet
- Playgrounds, volleyball and basketball courts are located in various day-use areas
- An archery range and practice area is located near the sledhill • Please bring your own equipment • Broadhead arrows are prohibited
Area Attractions
- The rural charm of Geauga County is highlighted at the Geauga County Historical Museum in Burton. Near the museum is Century Village, a reconstruction of an 1800s village typical of those scattered throughout the Western Reserve region of northeastern Ohio
- Nelson-Kennedy Ledges and Tinker's Creek state parks are nearby. Both offer fine day-use facilities, including picnic areas and hiking trails for the visitor
- A different sort of adventure awaits those who visit Geauga Lake Family Amusement Park located southwest of Punderson State Park in the village of Aurora on State Route 43
- For additional information on area attractions:
Nature of the Area
Punderson State Park is located in the glaciated plateau region of Ohio • During the Ice Age, this area was buried under glacial ice • The last glacier to enter Ohio's boundaries, the Wisconsinan, receded about 12,000 years ago • Punderson Lake, one of Ohio's few natural lakes, owes its origin to this massive ice sheet • It is a kettle lake which was formed when a large block of ice broke off the glacier creating a depression which filled with meltwater • Punderson is the largest and deepest kettle lake in Ohio
The aquatic environment of the lake combined with the surrounding woodlands give Punderson a diverse array of natural wonders • The lake is home to a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl including great blue herons, Canada geese and wood ducks • Ohio's largest rodent, the beaver, can also be spotted around the lake • Great horned owls, white-tailed deer, opossum and raccoons can be found within the park boundaries
In the park, the vegetation is as diverse as the animal population • Wild geranium, buttercup, blue-eyed grass and pennywort are just a few of the wildflowers that inhabit the area
History of the Area
Both the park and the lake take their names from Lemuel Punderson, a young enterprising land agent who became Newbury Township's first permanent settler in 1808 • Punderson constructed a small dam on the south side of the "big pond," as he called it, and used the outflowing water as the power source for a grist mill • The Punderson family developed a small estate on the edge of the sparkling blue lake, and their home became a popular gathering place for family and friends
The area surrounding Punderson Lake developed into a quiet resort providing a get-away from the bustling Cleveland setting • Summer cottages and even a small hotel were built on the hills surrounding the lake • In 1929, construction began on the English-tudor manor house, but the facility was not completed until 1948 • That year, the ODNR Division of Wildlife purchased the land and lake for hunting and fishing • In 1951, the area was transferred to the Division of Parks and Recreation for development as a state park • The manor house was completely remodeled and opened to the public on November 15, 1956 • A structural renovation was completed in 1982
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