Facilities and Activities:
| General | Land, acres | 591 | | | Water, acres | 13500 | | Day-Use | Fishing | yes | | | Hunting | yes | | | Picnicking | yes | | | Picnic Shelters, # | 7 | | | Swimming Beach, feet | yes | | | Nature Center | yes | | | Nature Programs | yes | | Boating | Boat Rental | yes | | | Boating Limits | -2 | | | Seasonal Dock Rental | 111 | | | Launch Ramps, # | 8 | | | Fuel For Sale | yes | | Camping | Primative, # | 38 | | | Electric Sites, # | 166 | | | Pets Permitted | yes | | | Flush Toilets | yes | | | Dumpstation | yes | | | Showers | yes | | | Camp Commissary | yes | | | Rent-A-Camp Sites, # | 2 | | | Camper Cabins, # | 5 | | | Group Camp, capacity | 100 | | | Campground Beach | yes | | | Rent-A-Teepee, # | 2 | | Winter | Cross-Country Skiing | yes | | | Snowmobiling | yes | | | Ice Fishing | yes |
State Park Location Maps:
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State Park Photo Gallery:
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State Park Link:
Grand Lake State Park
Nearby Parks:
Harbor Point State Park
Lake Loramie State Park
Fort Amanda State Park
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| State Park Contact Information: |
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Grand Lake State Park
834 Edgewater Drive
St. Marys, Ohio 45885
Phone: 419-394-3611
Reservations: 866-644-6727
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Area Accommodations
Area Places to Eat
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| Adopt-A-Park Contacts: |
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Photography: add your photos
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| State Park Reservations: |
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Reservations: 
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| State Park Overview: |
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Originally constructed as a feeder reservoir for the
Miami-Erie Canal, Grand Lake St. Marys was for many
years recognized as the largest man-made reservoir in the
world. This large lake is the gateway to swimming, boating,
camping and fishing in one of Ohio's oldest state parks
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| Nature of the Area: |
| Although hard to imagine, at one time the Grand Lake St.
Marys region was part of a vast forest wilderness that
stretched from the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania to
the prairies of Illinois. Today, in place of this forest are
fields of corn, soybeans and wheat.
In addition to forests, pre-settlement Ohio contained large
prairies and wetlands. The land which now lies beneath St.
Marys reservoir was once a vast wet prairie. Today, the park
contains varying habitats including woodlands, wetlands,
and prairies in addition to the surrounding croplands.
Grand Lake St. Marys lies along one of the country?s major
migration routes. Water birds using the lake as a resting
stop include Canada geese, ducks, grebes, swans, egrets,
loons, herons, cormorants and ospreys. Many ducks, geese
and heron also nest here. Bald eagles, magnificent birds
long absent from the area, have again nested on the
southwest corner of the lake at the wildlife refuge. Other
animals of the park include fox squirrel, mink, raccoon,
beaver, coyote, white-tailed deer and many others.
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| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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Great Campground
Awesome Campground. Kids love to ride their bikes there. Very freindly vip, and bathrooms are kept very clean. We camp here several times a camping season. Swimming is not so good very dirty lake.
(name not given)
31-May-2009
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| Camping: |
| The campground contains 216 sites of which 135 are equipped with electricity. Facilities include flush toilets, laundry,
showers and a dump station. Pets are permitted. The campground also offers a ?camper?s only? swimming beach, boat
launch and boat docks/tie-ups. Tow Rent-A-Camps and tow Rent-A-Tepees with camping gear may be rented
May-October. Two spacious Cedar Cabins with all the amenities of a fully-equipped RV are also available for daily or
weekly rental. A seasonal naturalist holds scheduled programs, including movies, Thursday through Saturday night.
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| Picnicking: |
| Picnic areas with tables and grills are located in scenic areas around the lake. Some picnic shelters are on a reservation
basis. Contact the park office for details.
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| Swimming: |
| The park offers four public swimming beaches as well as other swimming areas provided for boaters. Lifeguard coverage
is limited to weekends and holidays. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing is great year-round and anglers will enjoy excellent catches of crappie, bass and bluegill in the spring as well as
record catches of yellow perch in the winter. Bait vending machines are available at the park. Hunting is permitted in
designated areas. There are 90 seasonal duck blinds available by a lottery administered by ODNR Division of Wildlife. A
valid Ohio hunting and waterfowl stamp is required.
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| History of the Area: |
| The area in and around Grand lake St. Marys State Park
played an important part in the development of the Northwest territory. The St. Marys River served as a vital link
between the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. Because of this heavy water traffic, the renegades Simon and James Girty
established a trading post, which eventually evolved into the town of St. Marys. General ?Mad? Anthony Wayne passed
through the area during the War of 1812, and some of his men returned here to make their homes.
In 1837, work commenced on a reservoir for the Miami-Erie canal to maintain the canal?s five-foot water depth. Workers
using hand tools were paid 35 cents a day and a jigger of whiskey to keep malaria away. At its completion in 1845,
13,500-acre Grand Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world. The lake was connected to the canal by a
three-mile feeder.
The canal prospered until the coming of the railroads in the 1870s. The area experienced another boom in the late
1890s when oil was discovered. For a time the lake was dotted with oil derricks. Today a pile of rocks near the center of
the lake marks the spot of the last producing well.
Grand Lake St. Marys and other canal feeder lakes in the state were the first areas to be dedicated as Ohio state parks in
1949. |
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| Area Accommodations |
| Business Meetings | |  | Quality Inn Suites - Columbia City, IN
We provide easy access to area attractions and businesses. Only minutes from the Fort Wayne International Airport, Chain O' Lakes State Park and the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Children of all ages will enjoy having fun at nearby Paige's Crossing family entertainment park. Free wireless high-speed Internet.
Web Site: http://www.choicehotels.com/hotel/in294 |
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| | Hotels/Motels | | | Quality Inn Suites - Columbia City, IN
We provide easy access to area attractions and businesses. Only minutes from the Fort Wayne International Airport, Chain O' Lakes State Park and the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Children of all ages will enjoy having fun at nearby Paige's Crossing family entertainment park. Free wireless high-speed Internet.
Web Site: http://www.choicehotels.com/hotel/in294 |
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| Area Places to Eat |
| Bakery | |  | Sweet Mornings Donut Shop - Liberty, IN
We offer the following donuts and muffins made fresh daily in our shop: Glazed donuts,Twists,Plain and Chocolate Cake ,Apple Fritters,Honey Buns,Blueberry,Sour Creme,Donut Holes,Bars,Yeast rings,Tiger Tails,Filled Donuts,Berry Blast Muffin,Sin-A-Muffin.
Web Site: http://www.sweetmorningsdonutshop.com/ |
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...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, etc read more.... |
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| Related Links: |
| RV.net - Open Roads Forum - Note: You must be the author of this message to edit it... Your UserName: Your Password: Message: Just thought I would share my families experince with this. Normally we have no problems with... | | sober camping - Open Roads Forum - Open Roads ForumFamily Campingsober camping. Displaying 31 - 33 of 33. ( Page 4 of 4 ) 1 2 3 4. Author. Topic: sober camping. slemaster26 New Member Geneva, Indiana USA. Date Posted: May 11,... | | Statewide Ohio bird sightings October 2000 - Statewide Ohio bird sightings in October 2000. | | Grand Lake Ohio Attractions - ... Buckeye Trail, begins at Lake Loramie and passes within a mile and a half of Grand Lake State Park. The Miami-Erie Trail terminates at Delphos, approximately 22 miles north of St. Marys. State ... |
| Area Attractions: |
| Lake Loramie State Park, southeast of Grand Lake St. Marys, offers fishing, boating, swimming and camping. The
Miami-Erie Trail, a 47-mile portion of the statewide Buckeye Trail, begins at Lake Loramie and passes within a mile
and a half of Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. The Miami-Erie Trail terminates at Delphos, approximately 22 miles
north of St. Marys.
St. Marys Fish Hatchery, located on the lake's eastern shore is operated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The hatchery
raises saugeye, walleye, channel catfish and bass for distribution in the public fishing waters of the state.
The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum is located in Wapakoneta, Armstrong's boyhood home. |
| Area Campgrounds | | | | Area Fishing Related Businesses | | Brands Lake Fishing Club
909 County Road 25A
Wapakoneta, OH
(419) 738-6612
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| | Area Resorts and Lodging | | Hide-A-Way Hills Club Inc
Route 1
Bremen, OH
(614) 837-3866
| Hide-A-Way Hills: Lodge
Bremen, OH
(740) 569-4136
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