ODNR Ohio State Parks
 
Wolf Run State Park
 
 
Wolf Run State Park

Location Address:

16170 Wolf Run Road
Caldwell, Ohio 43724-9503

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Mailing Address: Salt Fork State Park
14755 Cadiz Road
Lore City, OH  43755-9602
Park Office:
Salt Fork Park Office:
Reservations for camping
and getaway rentals:
740-732-5035
740-439-3521
866-644-6727
Reserve online   Reserve campsites online   Reserve getaway rentals online
Park Map | Campground Map
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Winter Camping -- The campground is open year-round, however limited facilities are available during the winter months • Go to the Winter Camping page to see what facilities are available this winter   (posted 11/20/12)
Firewood Alert!   Help stop the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer
 
Scenic View of Wolf Run Lake
The rugged hills of southeastern Ohio provide the setting for Wolf Run State Park • 1,046 acres of scenic woodlands and cool, clean waters of the park offer visitors a quiet retreat in this remote area of the state

Camping   Reserve campsites online

  • 71 electric sites
  • 67 non-electric sites 
  • Showers, laundry facilities and dump station  are available
  • Picnic tables, fire rings and vault latrines are provided
  • Basketball hoop, in addition to playground equipment for youngsters
  • Camp office loans games and sporting equipment to registered campers
  • Walk-in group area with fire rings is available for use by organized youth groups on a reservation basis • Accommodates up to 150 people
  • Campsite at Wolf Run20-site primitive fly-in camping area is located on the north side of the lake
    • The area is within walking distance of the 4,700-foot runway at the Noble County Airport

Getaway Rentals   Reserve getaway rentals online

  • 1 Conestoga Camper Cabin
  • Available April through November
  • Camper Cabin at Wolf RunSleeps up to 4 people
  • Single room with 1 double bed and 2 twin beds
  • Amenities include ceiling light with fan, electric heater, refridgerator, and microwave
  • Front porch with swing, picnic table and fire ring
  • Smoking and pets are not permitted
  • Linens, dishware, & cookware is not provided
  • Daily housekeeping is not available

Boating

  • Boats with motors of up to 10 horsepower are permitted on Wolf Run Lake.
  • A launching ramp and tie-ups are available on the south side of the lake, easily accessible from State Route 215
  • Ohio boating laws and information

Fishing

  • 220-acre Wolf Run Lake is well known for large catches of bass, bluegill, crappie, trout and catfish
  • Check out the lake map
  • Valid Ohio fishing license is required

Trails

  • 3.5-mile section of the Buckeye Trail passes along the west side of the lake
  • 1/2 mile loop trail begins at the nature center providing opportunities for nature study and wildlife observation
  • 1.5-mile Lakeview Trail skirts the lake, providing a pleasant walk from the campground to the beach

Swimming

  • 200-foot public swimming beach is located on the south side of the lake
  • Restrooms and changing booths are available
  • Scuba diving is also permitted in the lake, except within the beach area.
  • Proper equipment and marking of the diving area are required.
  • Diving alone 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

  • Picnic areas are located in scenic areas of the park
  • A shelter house may be reserved online or by calling (866)-644-6727

Hunting

  • Hunting is permitted in special areas only
  • Hunting map can be obtained at the park office
  • Valid Ohio hunting license is required

Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)

  • Sledding
  • Cross country skiing

Area Attractions

  • A memorial to the U.S.S. Shenandoah, a navy dirigible which crashed in the area in 1925, is located off State Route 821
  • Salt Fork State Park to the north via I-77 offers a lodge, cabins, golf course, camping, boating, fishing, hiking and picnicking
  • Blue Rock State Park to the west offers camping, fishing, hiking and picnicking
  • Seneca Lake of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is also north via I-77 on State Route 313 • Facilities for camping, boating, fishing and picnicking are available
  • Guernsey County Historical Society Museum in Cambridge is open Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Memorial Day through October • The Cambridge City Park features an original covered bridge and has picnicking and other recreational opportunities
  • Ohio Power Company lands lie west of the park and offer hunting, fishing and camping opportunities for those with a permit
  • For additional information on local attractions, visit

Nature of the Area

Wolf Run State Park is nestled in the heart of the unglaciated Appalachian Plateau of southeastern Ohio • The hills in the park region remained untouched by the glacial advances that passed over much of the state more than 12,000 years ago • Nevertheless, meltwaters from the vast sheets of ice helped to permanently alter the topography of the area • Stream flow was greatly increased, hastening the cutting of valleys and creating the rugged terrain so prevalent today • The predominant bedrock in the Wolf Run region is sandstone deposited during the Pennsylvanian period, with alternating layers of coal

The Wolf Run area has been dramatically changed since the settlement of man • The original forests soon fell to the ax and were replaced with farms and villages • Fortunately, much of the forest has regrown and now covers 70% of the region • This second growth forest is mixed mesophytic, meaning that dominance is shared by a large number of tree species • White and red oak, tuliptree, sugar maple, beech, wild black cherry and white ash are frequent members of this forest type • Mixed mesophytic forests are renowned for their plant diversity including ferns, clubmosses, mosses, algae, fungi and lichens • These forests are in some ways the most ecologically exciting in the state • Deer, gray squirrels, raccoons, skunks, weasels, bats, black rat snakes, box turtles, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and great horned owls are among the many animals that make this area their home

History of the Area

Wolf Run State Park is located near the town of Caldwell in Noble County, the last of the 88 counties formed within Ohio • In 1795, the Treaty of Greenville was signed ending the Indian threat in this part of Ohio paving the way for settlement • The first settlers to the area were New Englanders travelling by way of Marietta, Ohio up the valley of Duck Creek from the Ohio River into what is now Noble County

Agriculture, livestock and profitable industries born of the many mineral resources of the area provided a living for the settlers • Coal, iron ore, building stone, petroleum and salt were plentiful • Oil was accidently discovered near Caldwell in 1814 when Robert McKee began drilling a well to obtain brine • At the depth of 475 feet, a crevice was struck containing oil • At first considered a nuisance, the true value of the oil was eventually realized and derricks soon lined the valley of Duck Creek • Oil prices declined drastically during the Civil War bringing an end to major drilling efforts in the area

Land acquisition for the park began in 1963 • Construction of the dam and spillway for the lake was complete in 1966 as part of the West Fork Duck Creek Watershed Project • The 1,338-acre facility including the 220-acre lake was officially dedicated as a state park in 1968 • The park received its name from the Wolf family, the first to settle in the area

 
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