Ohio's Destination-Worthy Woodland And Wildflower Wonderland Has Serene Camping Spots

It should come as no surprise that Ohio is home to some beautiful and secluded lake state parks, such as Adams Lake State Park, which boasts scenic interactive trails. There are many opportunities within driving distance of the state's capital city of Columbus to escape into nature either for a daytrip or an activity-filled weekend in the woods. 

About an hour and 15 minutes southeast of Columbus is one such park, named Lake Hope State Park. The park spans 2,983 acres and is home to an abandoned iron furnace, picturesque hiking trails, and the horseshoe-shaped Lake Hope. Guests can camp in luxury along the pristine lake and admire the hardwood forest's wildlife.

Lake Hope State Park is located entirely within Big Sandy Run's 28,614-acre forest: Zaleski State Forest. Notably, the park is located about 18 miles east of Ohio's Hocking Hills State Park famous for its towering trees and waterfalls. Naturally, the two share several features. Lake Hope State Park also has a forest with trees that have been standing since long before Ohio became a state. It also has a small waterfall in the park named Yosemite Falls. In the past, the area around Lake Hope was widely known for its iron ore. Thus, the Hope Furnace was built in the mid-1850s. Ohio used to be one of the country's best iron-producers. This changed in the 1870s when iron ore was discovered farther west. After that, the Hope Furnace was abandoned and currently exists only as a photogenic landmark.

While there are several trails in the park that connect to Zaleski State Forest trails, Lake Hope itself has about 10 miles of hiking trails. There are even more mountain bike trails than hiking trails, so feel free to go on a cycling adventure on the paths. Make sure to collect a Lake Hope Trail Map to see which trails are categorized as bike trails and which ones are hiking trails. The Hope Furnace Trail is about 3 miles heading out, so prepare to walk about 6 miles to reach the furnace and head back to the lake. From the furnace, you can take the Yosemite Falls trail, which is another 6 miles to get there and back. Yosemite Falls is very small, but it's still worth taking a quick photo. For a bigger waterfall near the state capital, check out the Dundee Falls between Akron and Columbus.

As you hike through the woods, make sure to take in the scenic surroundings. In the spring and summer, there will be tons of wildflowers painting the forest floor. Expect to find bluebells, blue-eyed mary, bloodroot, and wild geraniums. If you're really lucky, you may even see one of the state park's rare orchids: the yellow lady's slipper. This flower is one of four colors of lady's slipper orchids. The yellow flower petals curl themselves so they look like tiny yellow slippers. In mid-October, the trees start changing colors and transform the landscape. The dense second-growth forests are made up of mostly oak trees and hickory trees. When the furnace was still in use, a lot of the trees were cleared away. Since then, the land has recovered and the trees have grown back.

In the middle of the park is the 120-acre Lake Hope. The lake has a fishing pier where visitors can fish for bass, bluegill, and catfish. In the summer, the beach area opens for swimming. It is the perfect spot to cool off after a long hike in the rolling hills. You can also kayak and paddle on the lake to get a closer look at some of the local wildlife.

Around the lake, there are several cabins and lodges the guests can rent out for the weekend. Lake Hope State Park has the widest variety of cabins in the whole state, so it's well worth checking out. On the central peninsula, there is the huge Laurel Lodge, which can host up to 24 people. Around the lake and on the peninsula are various types of cabins. Visitors can rent out the Wildlife cabins, the Iron Furnace cabins, or the Forest cabins. The Wildlife cabins can comfortably sleep up to five people, while the other two types can accommodate up to eight people. All of the cabins have heat, air conditioning, cable TV, furnished rooms, and a fully-prepped kitchen.

Camping enthusiasts can enjoy primitive camping and luxurious RV glamping at Lake Hope State Park Campground. The majority of these campsites are non-electric. However, there are 46 sites with full electric hookups. Guests who stay at the campground have access to heated shower houses, public toilets, waste disposal facilities, and laundry facilities.