Lake Park recreational complex is the home of the Erie/Ohio canal boat tours run seasonally. Tickets are available inside a gift shop near the dock or at the visitor's center of Historic Roscoe Village. The gift shop offers traditional souvenirs of your canal ride and some snacks and drinks as well as popcorn.
Canal boat tours run for 40 minutes on the hour starting a 1:00 with the last tour departing at 4:00. Instead of mules, two workhorses named "Bill" and "Rock" will pull the long ropes that will guide you on your 2 1/2 mile round trip tour along the canal. The horses are in a shaded resting area between tours and you can walk over there and pet them.
The Erie/Ohio canal was built in the 1800s modeled after the famous Erie canal in western NY. This canal began in Cleveland and traveled as far south to Portsmouth, Ohio, right on the shore of the Ohio river. The canal itself doesn't exist anymore in its entirety but the tour gives you an opportunity to experience what it was like to ride a canal boat and see how long it would take to travel the route.
We got in the "Monticello III"-the name of our boat and had a seat on one of the wooden benches. It felt so different to move slowly as we watched the draft horses pull us along the canal. In some spots the canal was narrow and in other spots it widened out. Our guide told us all about the history of the canal and the boats and answered any questions we had. Passengers normally slept where we sat and the boats were used to haul cargo. The canal itself in the day had to go through many locks run by a lock keeper to allow for the ascent or descent of the water lines. The water depth is only 4 feet.
It was neat watching us "turn around" to the other side and the caretaker unhitched the horses from one side and hitched them to the other. On our way back we were able to stand out on the deck and watch them pull us as well as look as the stillness of the canal covered in spots with moss. It was cool and restful and made for quite a comfortable trip.
Once back they turned the boat around for the next group and let us off. Your prepaid ticket does not lock you into any particular boat launch but you need to be at the dock at least 10 minutes ahead of your scheduled departure. The boats will run in many cases but be advised that they may not run in inclement weather. The canal is a must do highlight if you plan to visit historic Roscoe village. It is well worth the money and a fun family activity.
A pathway connects this launch with Roscoe village or if you prefer it is an easy drive back and forth and plenty of parking is available. read more