 © Lori McClure
VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
Facilities and Activities:
| General | Land, acres | 8420 | | | Water, acres | 2160 | | | Nearby Wildlife Area, acres | yes | | Day-Use | Fishing | yes | | | Hunting | yes | | | Hiking Trail, miles | 85 | | | Backpack Trail, miles | 46 | | | Picnicking | yes | | | Picnic Shelters, # | 5 | | | Swimming Beach, feet | 1200 | | | Mountain Bike Trails, miles | 5 | | | Bridle Trails, miles | 55 | | | Beach Concession | yes | | | Nature Programs | yes | | Boating | Boating Limits | -2 | | | Launch Ramps, # | 5 | | Camping | Electric Sites, # | 416 | | | Full Hookup Sites, # | 2 | | | Pets Permitted | yes | | | Flush Toilets | yes | | | Dumpstation | yes | | | Showers | yes | | | Rent-A-Camp Sites, # | 6 | | | Camper Cabins, # | 2 | | | Campground Beach | yes | | | Horsemen Campsites, # | 17 | | Winter | Sledding | yes | | | Cross-Country Skiing | yes | | | Ice Skating | yes | | | Ice Fishing | yes |
State Park Location Maps:
(click here to zoom and navigate local map)
(click here to zoom and navigate regional map)
View TOPO Maps!
State Park Photo Gallery:
volunteer positions open
State Park Event Calendar:
volunteer positions open
 © Lori McClure
VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
Nearby Parks:
Stonelick Lake State Park
Little Miami Scenic State Park
Kroger Hills State Reserve
LIttle Miami State Scenic River
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| State Park Overview: |
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One of Ohio's largest state parks, East Fork offers a
great diversity of recreational opportunities and natural
history only 25 miles from Cincinnati. The park's terrain
includes both rugged hills and open meadows, setting
the stage for a wonderful getaway. |
| Nature of the Area: |
| Clermont County's rolling hills and meandering river
valleys provide a colorful backdrop for spacious East
Fork State Park. Shaped by the forces of the Illinoian
and Wisconsinan glaciers, the East Fork region is
characterized by beautiful hill country scenery and is
noted for the occurrence of remnant prairie habitats.
Illinoian glacial deposits are not common in Ohio but
can be observed at East Fork and the surrounding area.
East Fork's diverse landscape includes dry-forested hills,
rocky cascades, abandoned farmlands, thickly grown
floodplains, marshy grasslands and swamp forests. This
diversity lends well to an abundance of plant and
animal life. Woodlands are composed of beech, sugar
maple, red and white oak, shagbark hickory, and wild
black cherry. The swamp forests contain silver maple,
American elm, sycamore, and black gum. The
meadows and remnant prairies contain big bluestem
grass and purple coneflower among others.
Animals of the area include eastern plains garter
snake, fence lizard, red fox, deer, raccoon, Canada
geese, song sparrow, eastern meadowlark, and the barn
swallow. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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Signage for getting to the park
I would like to recommend some signage for getting to East Fork Park. We were out for a drive, heading back to Cincinnati from Mt. Orab and wanted to make a stop at East Fork. We were on Rt. 125, but never did see signs directing us to the park.
Thanks,
Written by
1-Jun-2008
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| Camping: |
| East Fork has one of the largest camping areas in the state with 416 sites. The campground offers electrical hookups,
showers, drinking water, camper's beach, flush toilets and boat ramps. Pets are permitted in designated areas. A
17-site horsemen's camp is available as well. Six Rent-A-Camp units consisting of a tent, dining fly, cooler, cook
stove and other equipment can be rented during the summer months. Six Rent-A-RV units are also available. |
| Trails: |
| For the hiker and backpacker, the 12-mile Backpack Trail tranverses many scenic park areas. In addition, the 37-mile
Steven Newman Worldwalker Perimeter Trail circles the park and is available for hikers, backpackers, and horsemen.
Four primitive campsites are located along these trails. Permits for their use are available through the park office. For
those less adventuresome, shorter trails are easily accessible. A 5-mile mountain bike trail begins just west of the park
entrance on S.R. 125. |
| Picnicking: |
| Picnic areas with tables, grills and drinking water are located around the park. Two picnic shelters are available on a
first-come, first-served basis. |
| Boating: |
| Those who enjoy water sports will find East Fork Lake very accommodating. There are 2,160 acres of water and
unlimited horsepower boating with access available at five launch ramps. |
| Swimming: |
| A 1,200-foot swimming beach with a concession and picnic area provides the perfect setting for a fun family outing. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| The lake offers quality fishing with excellent catches of largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, and crappie. For
the sport fisherman, East Fork is stocked with the Hybrid Striper. Hunting is permitted in designated areas only. Valid
Ohio hunting and fishing licenses are required. |
| History of the Area: |
| The Little Miami River basin in which East Fork State Park is situated has been home to many generations of man,
dating back to nearly 3,000 years ago. Moundbuilders, the Adena and Hopewell Indians, occupied this area. The
mound near Elklick Road is thought to have been built by the Adena. The Erie Indians also lived here much later,
though by 1655 this nation was completely destroyed by the powerful Iroquois. The area was virtually uninhabited
through the remainder of the 17th century.
As the new state of Ohio began to be settled in the early 19th century, the East Fork region attracted settlers from the
east. Grist mills, sawmills, blacksmith shops, tanneries and stagecoach depots were among the early commercial
activities.
In 1869, two gold mines operated in the vicinity. One mine was located near Elklick and consisted of a flume for
washing gravel containing flakes of gold. The mine near Twin Bridges tunnelled underground to reach gold deposits
encased in bedrock.
Not far from the present park office, the "Old Bethel Church" on Elklick Road dates from 1867. It occupies the site of
a log church built about 1807 by Reverend John Collins. Some of the hand-hewn timbers secured with wooden pegs
and hand-forged nails used to construct the 1818 church are still present in the existing church.
More recently, the area has taken on a new appearance due to the creation of East Fork Reservoir in 1978. As part of
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control program, East Fork Lake and the surrounding region comprise one of
southwestern Ohio's largest recreational areas. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| B&Bs / Inns | | Christopher's Bed & Breakfast - Award winning for Best Design/D?r. Renovated late 1800s church near Newport Aquarium/downtown Cincinnati/riverfront restaurants. Spacious rooms; private bath, Jacuzzi, shower, stained-glass windows. | | The Wallace House Bed & Breakfast - Comfortably elegant lodging for business accomodations and romantic getaways. Minutes from Cincinnati & Newport Aquarium, The Wallace House Bed and Breakfast is located in historic Covington Kentucky. |
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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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| Related Links: |
| East Fork - Ohio has 73 state parks that offer a variety of outdoor experiences. | | Clermont County Directory - Enter Search Term: ODNR Facilities Clermont County. State Parks East Fork State Park Stonelick State Park. State Nature Preserves Crooked Run State Nature Preserve. Boating Areas Harsha... | | Buckeye Trail Events Calendar - Buckeye Trail - Events ... 7 - 8 Work Party: To be announced September 21 - 22 Work Party: East Fork State Park (Clermont County) - Maintenance - tentative Camp in family campground at East Fork State Park ... | | Section by Section Close Up - ... the trail winds 25 miles through East Fork State Park, the only portion entirely off-road. ... relocation of the Buckeye Trail through East Fork State Park is being done throughout the spring ... | | Discovery Guide: East Fork State Park; William H. Harsha Lake - Discovery Guide:East Fork State Park William H. Harsha Lake. Location: Approximately one hour east of Cincinnati. Directions: From Cincinnati, Interstate 75 and Interstate 275, take I-275 east... | | East Fork State Park - July 16 - RACE RESULTS. If there is a problem with your results please contact us at kurek@hfpracing.com. East Fork State Park - July 16. In the triathlon the swim was shortened to 600 yards due to... | | Other US Trails, OH, BTA Page 3 - Trail Projects: A Project Search Point for use by Trail Service Volunteers. Linked page-format topics are viewed best by Netscape. Set browser preferences to display pages without scrolling.... | | Batavia, Greater Cincinnati - GoCincinnati - Cincinnati neighborhood community profiles at Cincinnati's Real Estate site, GoCincinnat's HomeFinder. | | Humane Society/Animal Shelter: Clermont County Humane Society - Animal Shelter in Batavia, - Humane Society located in Batavia, Ohio, near Cincinnati, offering a variety of animals for adoption. A not-for-profit facility | | On The Wire - Places to Sail - Harsha Lake - Bethel, OH USA Wind Conditions: Good Water Conditions: Good Launch facilities: Good Beach conditions: Good Traffic conditions: Fair Safety: Fair Charges: Free About the place: 2160... | | OHCLERMO-L: History of mid-Clermont's Lake Harsha-East Fork State Park. - xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> OHCLERMO-L Archives. From: HERMON B FAGLEY Subject: History of mid-Clermont's Lake Harsha-East Fork State Park. Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2000... | | OHCLERMO-L: 2,OOO+acre Lake Harsha in 8000 a. East Fork State Park,sw Ohio. - xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> OHCLERMO-L Archives. From: HERMON B FAGLEY Subject: 2,OOO+acre Lake Harsha in 8000 a. East Fork State Park,sw Ohio. Date: Sat, 6 Jan... | | Southwestern Ohio (Dayton) Rare Bird Alert - Southwestern Ohio (Dayton) Rare Bird Alert. September 7, 1997. Compiled by Charlotte Mathena Yellow Warbler Photo by Jim Simpson. Highlights of this week's report include: Lesser Black-backed... | | Clermont Online Recreation - East Fork State Park. Stonelick State Park. Harsha Lake. Clermont County Park District. Little Miami River (2) Little Miami Scenic Trail. Cincinnati Nature Center. Expressway Park Softball... | | OCIN index page - Orienteering Cincinnati This page updated 21 June, 2002, 11:10 am. Schedule Next OCIN event (click the "schedule" link above for details): East Fork State Park, 9 am - 11 am, July 27. Results ... | | ALABAMA TRIATHLONS 2002 - OHIO TRIATHLONS 2002. Saturday, April 06, 2002 Toledo, Ohio: Ultra Athlete Indoor Triathlon. 15 min swim/15min bike (CompuTrainer) /15min run. Time: 7:00 am EST. Phone: (419) 885-2089. email: ... | | Statewide Ohio bird sightings in January 1999 - Statewide Ohio bird sightings in January 1999. | | Statewide Ohio bird sightings: November 1999 - Statewide Ohio bird sightings November 1999. | | GDRA Junior Rowing Calendar - Home. Adults. Juniors. Learn to Row. Facilities. Regatta. Newsletters. Forms & Rules. Links. 2002 Junior Rowing Calendar. SPRING. APRIL. 6,7. Quad-Scrimmage with Steel City RA (Pittsburgh),... | | www.ucbearcats.com - Schedule Results Statistics Roster Coaching Staff Media Center Bearcat History. Chevy Fan Poll. Do you favor the postseason awards ceremony for basketball held this year or the traditional... | | Local Mountain Biking - Where to ride - Spring Guide: Cincinnati.Com - Cincinnati.Com's Spring Guide 2001 | | Day Trips from the Higginsport Area - Higginsport Area Attractions Day Trips Higginsport provides a quiet and scenic spot for "home-baseing" your visit to Southern Brown County. In addition to the sights and sounds of the immediate... | | Ohio Triathlon and Multi-Sport CalendarTriFind.com - ... mile, Bike 13 miles, Run 3 miles Location: East Fork State Park Phone: 740-342-0853 (FAX: 740-743- ... miles, Bike 13 miles, Run 3 miles Location: East Fork State Park Phone: 740-342-0853 (FAX: 740-743- ... | | TriFind.com Races - THE OHIO TRIATHALATOR Triathlons Multi-Sport Events. Saturday, April 06, 2002 Toledo, Ohio: Ultra Athlete Indoor Triathlon. 15 min swim/15min bike (CompuTrainer) /15min run. Time: 7:00 am EST. ... | | NCTA: Explore the Trail- Ohio - ... good many miles to the west- northwest, at East Fork State Park. The trail follows an 8.6 mile ... segment. For a map and information, contact East Fork State Park, Box 119, Bethel OH. From East Fork, ... | | NCTA: Following the NCT - ... good many miles to the west- northwest, at East Fork State Park. The trail follows an 8.6 mile ... segment. For a map and information, contact East Fork State Park, Box 119, Bethel OH. From East Fork, ... |
| Area Attractions: |
| Overlooking the Ohio River, the town of Point Pleasant is birthplace of President Ulysses S. Grant. The one-room
cottage where the 18th President of the United States was born is located at U.S. 52 and S.R. 232 just south of East
Fork.
Stonelick State Park is located to the north of East Fork at S.R. 727 and 133. Camping, fishing, hiking and swimming
are just a few of the activities available at Stonelick.
East Fork's close proximity to the city of Cincinnati makes it easy to combine the best of the outdoor life with the
many activities available in the "Queen City." Major sporting events, fine dining, shopping, many cultural events
and festivities invite the park's visitors to spend a day in this bustling urban area. For more information, contact the
Clermont County Convention and Visitors Bureau at (513) 753-7211. |
| Area Campgrounds | | East Fork State Park
3294 Elklick Rd
Bethel, OH
(513) 734-4323
| Stonelick Lake State Park
2895 Lake Dr
Pleasant Plain, OH
(513) 625-7544
| Nuts N Boats Campground Ltd
2558 Sprague Rd
Bethel, OH
(513) 734-7737
| L & K Lake
1418 Oakleaf Rd
Sardinia, OH
(937) 446-2881
| Lake Cozy-Dale
10621 Cozaddale Murdock St
Goshen, OH
(513) 722-1692
| Woodland RV-Mobile Home Park
7631 Daly Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 931-8845
| Hidden Valley Storage
9797 Reading Rd # Aa
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 733-5330
| Lake Terrace Park
8223 Stahley Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 741-7676
| Hamilton County Park District
10245 Winton Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 521-7275
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| | Area Fishing Related Businesses | | Adrien Fly Fishing Outfitters
7829 Cooper Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 794-1100
| Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
300 Cincinnati Mills Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 826-5200
| Cincinnati Wholesale Bait Co
3901 Spring Grove Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 542-1300
| Fehrmann's Live Bait & Tackle Shop
3901 Spring Grove Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 542-1300
| Folz Fishg Lake
7312 Bridgetown Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 941-4765
| Queen City Tackle
2971 Saddleback Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 232-5355
| Weezel Bait Co
2971 Saddleback Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 232-5355
| Boars Head Bait & Carry Out
2818 Old State Route 32
Batavia, OH
(513) 724-1211
| Lake Gloria Golf Fishing
10511 Pippin Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 825-9900
| Lake Chetac Fishing Lake
8616 Lake Chetac Dr
Cincinnati, OH
Unverified listing
| Lakefront Enterprises
2296 State Route 134
Sardinia, OH
(937) 446-3162
| Walsh Live Bait & Tackle
8048 Tricounty Hwy
Sardinia, OH
(937) 446-3148
| Midwest-Cedar Fish Farm
6444 Smith Rd
Loveland, OH
(513) 575-0124
| Catman Blues Fishing Lake
1911 Lindale Nicholsville Rd
Amelia, OH
(513) 797-1018
| Sherry's Fishing Lake
2155 Slade Rd
Batavia, OH
(513) 797-5300
| Feesberg Shooting Range
1406 Rose Hill Rd
Hamersville, OH
(937) 379-1333
| Horseshoe Lake
5687 State Route 133
Batavia, OH
(513) 625-1209
| Dwelly's Gun Supply
1406 Rose Hill Rd
Hamersville, OH
(937) 379-1333
| Starling Lake
1075 Starling Rd
Bethel, OH
(937) 379-1347
| Cozy-Dale Campgrnds
10621 Cozaddale Murdock St
Goshen, OH
(513) 722-1692
| Cedar Fishg Lake
6444 Smith Rd
Goshen, OH
(513) 575-0124
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| | Area Resorts and Lodging | | Red River Gorgeous
4303 Kirby Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 245-0025
| St John's Lodge
817 Windham Ave
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 559-9052
| Mountain View Chalets
7044 Royalgreen Dr
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 231-7100
| Quality Inn Evendale
1717 Glendale Milford Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 771-5252
| Kingsgate Marriott Conf Hotel
151 Goodman St
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 487-3800
| Cinti Ski Club Voice Message
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 768-3245
| Hyatt Hotels & Resorts: Hyatt Regency Cincinnati
151 West 5th Street
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 579-1234
| Marriott Hotels Resorts Suites
6189 Mulhauser Rd
Cincinnati, OH
(513) 874-7335
| Tan Resort
126 W Plane St
Bethel, OH
(513) 734-0100
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| Directions: |
| From Cleveland, Ohio: I-71 South to I-275 East at Cincinnati. I-275 East East to Exit #63 ( State Route 32), East- Batavia (Campground) or Exit #65, Beechmont Avenue East- Amelia ( Day Use) Come East 11 miles and follow signs.From Columbus, Ohio: I-71 South to I-275 East at Cincinnati. I-275 East to Exit 63 (State Route 32), East- Batavia (Campground) or Exit #65, Beechmont Avenue East- Amelia (Day Use), come East 11 miles and follow the signs.From Cincinnati, Ohio: From Downtown: take I-471 South into Kentucky to I-275 East. I-275 East to Exit #65, Beechmont Avenue East - Amelia ( Day Use) or Exit #63From Toledo, Ohio: I-75 South to I-275 East at Cincinnati. I-275 East to Exit #63 ( State Route 32), East- Batavia (Campground) or Exit #65, Beechmont Avenue East- Amelia ( Day Use) Come East 11 miles and follow signs.From Lexington, KY: I-75 North, to I-275 East (Near Erlanger, KY) to Exit #65, S.R. 125 - Beechmont Avenue East- Amelia ( Day Use) or Exit 63, S.R. 32 - East Batavai (campground). Come East 11 miles and follow signs. |
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