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    Alum Creek State Park

    4.2 (57 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours
    Updated 2 months ago

    Alum Creek State Park Photos

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    Raccoon at camp site
    Amanda M.

    This is a great park with a lot to do around the lake. We stayed at the campground for 3 nights. The spots have lots of trees making most of them private. There is a pond for fishing, playgrounds, nature center, swim beach, Putt putt course, and other game areas. The park also has events planned on the weekend. We enjoyed a naturalist led hike to discover animals in the pond, archery and music. The lake is big to get to the other areas of the park you need a car. A few minute drive down the road is the marina and beach area. We visited the beach area on a holiday weekend and there were food trucks selling hot dog and ice cream. Two large play grounds, nature trails and a visitor center are all within the park. Worth a visit!

    John B.

    Great place to go for the summer. You can boat BBQ jet ski play volleyball they have 2 playgrounds showers clean bathrooms

    Beach area
    Lisa K.

    We love the beach early in the year. They keep the beach and playground very clean. The sand is more of a rock consistency, but makes it fun for sand castles. The kids absolutely love it. The two playgrounds offer a nice balance of fine and gross motor play.

    Storybook Trail
    Marissa C.

    They've added some wonderful new amenities to Alum Creek. In addition to the large spacious beach with plentiful parking, there is a really nice playground, and a storybook trail not far from the beach, which featured the story "Where Butterflies Grow" by Joanne Ryder on our visit. It was a nice little trail, partially in shade, and the book was perfect for a nature trail. The other exciting recent addition is the brand new marina. The building was very nice, located just steps away from the docks. It contains a small store with fishing and water sport/activity gear, a little cafe area with pizzas, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream, and an informational desk attended by friendly staff. Around the outside are restrooms and showers and a really nice covered patio with plentiful seating. It's wonderful to see the great investments made to the park!

    Valerie W.

    It's been years, since my arrival to Ohio back in the early 2000's, since I explored Alum Creek, and even back then, I knew I was only seeing a tiny bit of what is truly a HUGE, beautiful spot, "hidden away" just north of the city. We picked a great fall day for a return visit. We're now proud owners of a "fixer-upper" camper, and have been spending the past few months exploring nearby state parks for camping/boating options. The camping here (at least in mid October) is MUCH less cramped/stuffed together feeling than some other parks in the region, and the woodsy sites really (sort of) give you a bit of a feeling of "getting away from it all." Plenty of hiking trails, a large beach, and plenty of scenic nooks and crannies means Alum Creek will definitely be at the top of our list, once we get "old Bessie" back in working shape!! Our two dogs will also appreciate the AWESOME dog park... Great addition!! We didn't stay long, but loved what we saw, and definitely plan to return. Something for EVERYONE here, especially during "off" season!!

    A more typical campsite in terms of available tent space. That grass patch is right by the road.
    Debbie V.

    Made the drive from the Dayton area as this campground has rave reviews on other sites. IMHO how much you'll like it depends on what you want from a camping experience. If you're in an RV, you're golden no matter which site you pick. We did notice the premium "lake view" sites did not all actually have a real lake view, but they all are about equal in room for an RV and bathrooms, water, etc are all about evenly spaced. We, however, came with tents (3 small ones) and we LUCKED. OUT. I had reserved online and picked our site for its bathroom and lake proximity. The nearest bathroom was actually closed, which was a slight disappointment, but we hit the jackpot with space. Most campsites here actually don't have a lot of grassy space for tents. A few would have you dangerously close to the fire ring or right next to the road. Many sites have limited or no grassy area past the parking space. We lucked out as ours was quite roomy! Campsites are close together, more RV park style, so you're very close to neighbors. Tons of trees let you still feel pretty secluded. Bathroom buildings have showers too and are clean. There was a very loud train that came by during the night, and for some inexplicable reason, the garbage company came through at FOUR. THIRTY. AM. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to what sounds like a crane dropping boulders onto a metal sheet. Maybe don't come on a Wednesday night. All in all we had a good time. It's not 100% what I personally am looking for in a campground, but it's definitely not bad.

    First beach I've ever been to with no waves.
    Doug S.

    Had the great ideal of taking a half day off from work and going to the park beach for the first time. Never really had the urge until I saw a segment in the local news. I think everyone else had the same idea as me. We pulled in and it seemed busy. Tons of parking though. The beach is so long that we were still able to find a very open space. I'm not sure how it will be in the weekends though. It was very relaxing and the water was warm. You almost feel like you're not in central Ohio. I do miss the sound of crashing waves though. You get waves even on beaches on The Great Lakes. No waves at all here; even with the boats far off in the lake. I was pleasantly surprised and feel this is a great way to spend a hot day. It's also free.

    Drew B.

    We hiked the 6.6 mile rocks and roots South trail it it was great! It followed the banks of the lake but is poorly marked in some places so we got off trail a bit and added 2 extra miles.... Great scenery, narrow trail, tons of roots (obviously) but worth it!

    Beach
    Steve A.

    Alum Creek State Park is the best beach around Columbus. It doesn't have much competition of course. The beach and water is surprisingly clean and not like what people always say. It has several other things around. There's some good hiking trails. I remember one time we went and it was pretty dirty all around. It may not have always been kept up good. This idea of the place kept me away a long time. A lot of people who visited since then have noted it's not as bad. That made me want to check it out and see for myself. It's not the best looking beach and water but it's far from icky. The restrooms are modernized with actual plumbing. If you need to go to a beach around Columbus go to Alum Creek State Park. It's not as nice as the ocean but it's still a good beach for splashing or sunbathing. The park also has features like hiking trails.

    Sites
    George C.

    Very large state park with a ton of RV sites. They even have cabins in with the RV sites for groups that do not have campers. The office was open after 5:00 pm, and we're very friendly and helpful. I got a great site for an overnight. There were sounds of boats, cars and trains, but it was still very nice. Pads are fairly level and are easy in and out, with loops at the end of each row in order to turn around. Will go back when I have more time to explore more of the park.

    Nijole T.

    A beach? In Ohio? When we saw the signs we had to stop. Now if they had palm trees my life here would really be complete... No such luck, moving on... It's beautiful, not too crowded, the view is breathtaking and I love the lazy boy swings. Clean sand, no rocks, nice playground, really perfect, free and pretty what more could you want?

    Romantic sunset engagement photo

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    I have family that lives nearby and we visit the park every time we're in town. It's a great park!

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    3 years ago

    Great people, great guests, great campground! Water and dump stations are convenient!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Alum Creek State Park

    Can you rent kayaks or canoes at Alum Creek SP to take out on the lake there?

    When does the beach open and close?

    Sunrise to sunset

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    Review Highlights - Alum Creek State Park

    It was very clean and looked like a great place to camp.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Hogback Ridge Preserve - Ravine area

    Hogback Ridge Preserve

    4.9(11 reviews)
    6.0 mi

    One of my favorite trails in the area, I hadn't been there in awhile but so glad to have went…read moretoday. Great trail system with plenty of mixed terrain and It's beautiful no matter what season that you go. There are horse trails also in the Preserve.

    A small but absolutely lovely preserve. Quite a bit of it is wooded, making it an especially nice…read morechoice for a hot, sunny day. The trail system is small within the park, and includes two approximately 1/2 mile trails, the Woodland Ridge Trail that stays in the forest, and the Pinegrove Trail, which takes you through more woods and some meadow-like sections. It also offers a wildlife blind to view a blind, with birds, turtles, and more wildlife to see. You can easily combine the two trails by crossing the bridge located over the ravine, which is an extremely popular location for pictures. Near the parking area is a nature center, which has a lovely garden out front. The staff is extremely friendly and will chat and provide information. On our most recent visit, we got a heads-up about a pair of active ospreys viewable from the Alum Creek Osprey Overlook just up the road, which can be hiked/biked from Hogback Ridge if you want to extend your hike/jog/ride. This is normally a very quiet preserve, but we found a big cycling event going on during our most recent visit that seemed to be running out of the park. We still found parking and everyone was very friendly - a couple of the cyclists made sure we knew about the ospreys. Great place to visit!

    Photos
    Hogback Ridge Preserve
    Hogback Ridge Preserve - This is the entrance to Alum Creek State Park from Hogback. A little off trail.

    This is the entrance to Alum Creek State Park from Hogback. A little off trail.

    Hogback Ridge Preserve

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    Deer Haven Preserve

    Deer Haven Preserve

    4.7(3 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    Deer Haven shares an entrance with neighboring Havener Park. If you pass the first parking lot,…read morewhich is the lot for Havener, and head to the right, you'll find the lot for Deer Haven near its great visitor center. Around the exterior of the building is a native plant pollinator garden near bird feeders and an insect hotel. There are also box turtles behind the building during warm weather. Another wonderful new feature in this area is the Deer Haven Aviary, which showcases a variety of birds of prey that cannot be returned to the wild. Signage indicates that the birds will rotate out in conjunction with Ohio Nature Education (ONE). On our visit, we were able to view turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and red-shouldered hawks. A great aspect of Deer Haven is that it is a great way to view a variety of habitats close together: wetland, meadow, pond, and forest are connected through the three trails, Tree Swallow Trail, Bent Tree Ridge Trail & Creek Crossing, and Grass Trail. Both the Tree Swallow and Grass Trails also connect to Havener Park trails, so you can extend your explorations. There is currently a neat science exhibit available in the park. We found a fascinating one in the wetland area, in which a mini wetland is available in a case to be examined by a magnifying glass, with an identification key for different critters available. There is also a magnifying glass stand so that you can place things you find, like rocks or plants, inside of the post to examine. Fun place to visit!

    This Delaware Park opened in 2008. It has a Visitor Center(vc) that can also be rented. The vc…read morehas a nature library, bathrooms with changing tables, and a kitchenette. The drive back to the vc is not that impressive and a little disappointing but don't be fooled! This park has 97 acres that is filled with 3 trails, a Bird sacturary, natural play area and much more. the Bent Tree Ridge Trail has a wildlife blind that overlooks the pond that allows you to view ducks, and other water fowl. The vc has a really nice nature library that is filled with books, toys for children. There are large water tanks with turtles, frogs, snakes etc. The main room is filled with stuffed wild life animals. The animals are all labeled and there is lots of info about these animals to read about. Bring your binoculars, or grab a loaner pair and look out the windows and see all the birds at the feeders. If you cant figure out what bird you are looking at there are birding books to help with identification.

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    Deer Haven Preserve
    Deer Haven Preserve
    Deer Haven Preserve

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    Hampton Hills Metro Parks

    Hampton Hills Metro Parks

    4.0(2 reviews)
    13.7 mi

    Beautiful park. Outstanding hiking. We LOVE it here. The trails are wonderful. Loved that the…read moretrail follows the stream, and that you have to walk across them - FUN! We hiked once on a day right after it rained, so it was a bit slippery in parts, but we made it through without any trouble. Very peaceful.

    Look out hikers, this tiny little park is not for those of us who are introverts & enjoy peace &…read morequiet. It is always packed whenever I go here! Yet if you actually enjoy being surrounded by strangers and walking narrow paths, tripping over roots & getting your feet wet as you cross streams without bridges then you have found your paradise. This is one of my least favorite parks to visit as it only offers one of two paths. And since the longer trail loops into the shorter route it's practically just one trail only. Although I must say that the other hikers & the track students that were enjoying their exercise were 10xs more considerate and polite than any other park I've visited. Yet I strongly suggest being prepared to carry smelly poop bags the entire time since there is only a trash can at the start of your adventure...this is also NOT handicap friendly nor a wide trail if you have a dog that doesn't like strangers or others canines. The majority of the trail is shaded but you'll quickly work up a sweat as there are a number of very narrow & steep stairways if you choose to take the long way. However, it is highly recommended not to visit if it's raining because the trails are all mud and there is nothing to stop you from slipping off the edge. This is also not a wise choice for small children because there is no play ground equipment & again, the roots & lack of bridges. Thankfully the stream was very low & my dogs & I could jump over what little water was around us- but when the stream is full you'd have to wade through the cold water. You also can't picnic here but you can reach "The top of the World"; their is literally a sign in the field you'll come across that states this, lol.

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    Hampton Hills Metro Parks
    Hampton Hills Metro Parks

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    Alum Creek State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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