Facilities and Activities:
| General | Land, acres | 3617 | | | Water, acres | 1277 | | | Nearby Wildlife Area, acres | 3710 | | Day-Use | Fishing | yes | | | Hunting | yes | | | Hiking Trail, miles | 7 | | | Picnicking | yes | | | Swimming Beach, feet | 1700 | | | Mountain Bike Trails, miles | 1.2 | | | Bridle Trails, miles | 14 | | | Beach Concession | yes | | | Nature Center | yes | | | Nature Programs | yes | | Boating | Boat Rental | yes | | | Boating Limits | -2 | | | Seasonal Dock Rental | 152 | | | Launch Ramps, # | 2 | | | Fuel For Sale | yes | | Camping | Electric Sites, # | 232 | | | Pets Permitted | yes | | | Flush Toilets | yes | | | Dumpstation | yes | | | Showers | yes | | | Rent-A-Camp Sites, # | 5 | | | Group Camp, capacity | 60 | | | Horsemen Campsites, # | 3 | | Winter | Cross-Country Skiing | yes | | | Snowmobiling | yes | | | Ice Skating | yes | | | Ice Fishing | yes | | Accommodations | Lodge Rooms, # | 110 | | | Family Cottages, # | 25 | | | Game Room | yes | | | Indoor Swimming Pool | yes | | | Tennis | yes | | | Outdoor Swimming Pool | yes | | | Golf Course | yes | | | Restaurant | yes |
State Park Location Maps:
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State Park Photo Gallery:
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State Park Event Calendar:
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Nearby Parks:
Chugach National Forest
Quail Creek State Park
Santa Rosa Lake State Park
Goose Creek State Park
John Mountain National Recreation Trail
Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area
Deer Mountain National Recreation Trail
Barkcamp State Park
Buckeye Lake State Park
Beaver Creek State Park
Caesar Creek State Park
Lake Milton State Park
Delaware State Park
Harrison Lake State Park
Marblehead Lighthouse State Park
Mary Jane Thurston State Park
Mohican State Park
Mosquito Lake State Park
Pike Lake State Park
Salt Fork State Park
Scioto Trail State Park
Tar Hollow State Park
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| State Park Overview: |
 | Located in the heart of Ohio's agricultural country, Deer Creek State Park is central Ohio's vacation showplace. A collage of meadows and woodlands surround the scenic reservoir. This resort park features a modern lodge, cottages, campground, golf course, swimming beach and boating for outdoor enthusiasts. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| Deer Creek State Park lies on the eastern edge of the great till plains of Ohio. These plains receive their name from the glacial debris, or till, which is a mixture of sand, silt and gravel that was deposited by the glaciers. As glaciers advanced across the northern two-thirds of Ohio, most hills and valleys were covered and filled in by the till, leaving this part of Ohio relatively flat.
Today, these rich plains in the park's region support corn, soybeans and wheat. The first settlers to the area did not find these open fields. Except for a few small prairie openings, the region was covered by dense woodlands. A regrowth of the original woodlands can be found scattered along the ridge tops and creek bottoms of the park.
Wildflowers abound in the fields and woodlands of the till plains. In spring, common flowers are Dutchman's breeches, rue anemone, trillium, spring beauty and bloodroot. Summer months produce thimbleweed, wild lettuce, jewelweed and daisy fleabane. In autumn, the most abundant flowers are aster, goldenrod and chicory, whose roots were used by settlers to make a coffee-like beverage.
The best known animals of the Deer Creek area include amphibians such as the chorus frog, spring peeper and American toad. Reptiles include box and painted turtles, black rat snake and eastern garter snake. Numerous mammals inhabit the park. Most of them are small and include the red fox, raccoon, opossum, woodchuck, skunk, rabbit, deer mouse and white-tailed deer. Deer Creek is known for its population of ring-necked pheasant. Other birds of the area include eastern meadowlark, song sparrow, cowbird, eastern bluebird, barn swallow and woodcock. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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very good fishi;ng and nice picnic area
Very clean, and employees are helpful. nice picnic area and good fishing
Written by Terri
13-May-2008
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| Camping: |
| The campground at Deer Creek has 232 sites. All have electricity. The campground features showers, flush toilets and a dump station. Pets are permitted on designated sites. Four Rent-A-Camp units consisting of a tent, dining fly, cooler, cook stove and other equipment can be rented during the summer months by reservation. A group camp is also available by reservation. A horsemen's camp provides primitive overnight facilities for riders and a primitive group camp offers an area for groups. |
| Trails: |
| Seven miles of hiking trails take the visitor through meadows and scattered woodlands. Fourteen miles of bridle trails can accommodate riders with their own horses. A fitness trail near the lodge offers an opportunity for exercise in a wooded setting. |
| Picnicking: |
| Several picnic areas are situated in scenic locations around the park. |
| Boating: |
| Unlimited horsepower boating is permitted on the 1,277-acre Deer Creek reservoir. Two launch ramps provide access to the lake. A fully equipped marina offers fuel, boat rental and seasonal dock rentals. |
| Swimming: |
| A spacious 1,700-foot swimming beach graces the shores of Deer Creek State Park. A concession area and changing booths are special features at the beach. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| The lake at Deer Creek is famous for its early spring saugeye fishing below the dam. Excellent catches of catfish, largemouth bass and crappie also entice the angler.
The lake provides excellent waterfowl hunting. Twelve hunting blinds are issued each season on a lottery basis. Hunting is permitted in the state wildlife area adjacent to the park for pheasant, rabbit, squirrel and deer. |
| History of the Area: |
| On a long ridge that once overlooked Deer Creek and its valley, researchers have discovered evidence of a camp of an ancient Indian tribe. The nomads who camped here around 2,000 B.C. were hunters and gatherers and used this camp periodically throughout the year. Since agriculture was not practiced by the nomads, they moved on after they depleted the plant or animal food supplies in a locale. Burial sites near the camp indicate it was inhabited over a period of time.
In more recent years, a cottage owned by Harry M. Daugherty, the attorney general under President Warren G. Harding, overlooked the valley. The rustic one and one-half story cottage was built in 1918. The President was said to have visited this cottage which now bears his name.
The completion of the dam in 1968 created the lake with the park officially opening in 1974. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Local Visitor Information Web Sites |
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| Related Links: |
| Area Attractions: |
| East of Deer Creek near Circleville is A.W. Marion State Park which offers fishing, camping and picnicking. Stage's Pond, a state nature preserve, is located five miles north of Circleville. This 178-acre glacial, kettle lake is a waterfowl refuge and a prime observation area for birdlife. Deer Creek Wildlife Area which is adjacent to the park is operated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife and managed for upland game. In nearby Chillicothe, visitors can witness the living drama of Tecumseh at the Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre. |
| Directions: |
| Use Mapquest and the address provided below to create a custom set of directions from your location to the Park:
20635 Waterloo Road, Mt. Sterling, OH 43143 |
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| Area Activities |
| Tourism | | Hocking Hills Internet Guide - hockinghills.com - Offical Guide to Southeastern Ohio's Scenic Wonderland, the Hocking Hills. The 9 State Parks and State Forests. How to get there, things to do, interesting local merchants, what to see, places to stay. Reserve your cabin or campsite online! |
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