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Clinton County consist of 7 parks and they are as follows: Caesar Creek State Park, Cowan Lake State Park, Culberson (Dean A) State Nature Preserve, J.W. Williams Jr. Memorial Park, Ole Supper K Fishing Lakes & Ponds, and Windmill Lake II, Inc.
Caesar Creek State Park
is 4,700-acres and was inaugurated in 1978. In the period from 300 B.C. to 600 A.D. the wooded lands of the park were home to several early Ohio Indian cultures. This park offers 43 miles of hiking trails, 31 miles of trails for horsemen, a 2,830-acre Lake, and a 1, 300 foot beach. The park area sits astride the crest of the Cincinnati Arch, a convex tilting of bedrock layers caused by an ancient upheaval. Younger rocks lie both east and west of this crest where some of the oldest rocks in Ohio are exposed. The forests of the area are comprised of over 65 species of plants. A northern flood plain forest is found in the valley, while mixed associations of oak-hickory and beech-maple woodlands clothe the ridges and hillsides. Red-tail hawk, white-tail deer, raccoon, red fox and box turtle make the park their home. Activities include Camping, Boating, Trails, Fishing and Hunting, Picnicking, and Swimming.
Cowan Lake State Park
was dedicated in 1968 and was named after John Cowan the area's first surveyor. Today, this 1,075 acre park has a beach of 1000 feet, 27 family housekeeping cottages, 254 campsites, 4 mile hiking trails, and 1 mile of biking trails. Other activities include Picnicking, Swimming, Miniature Golf, Boating, and Sledding & Cross-Country Skiing in the winter. Cowan Lake lies near the Cincinnati Arch, an uplifting of bedrock that occurred during the Appalachian Mountains' building process. A fine stand of beech-maple forest can be found around the lake at Cowan. These woodlands contain beautiful wildflowers including bloodroot, wild ginger, spring beauties and trillium. The woods, fields and lake provide habitat for a variety of animals. Ring-neck pheasant, ducks, geese and herons are found here. Songbirds such as eastern bluebirds, catbirds, house wrens and many others inhabit the fields and bushy areas of the park. Mammals include white-tailed deer, raccoon, opossum, woodchuck, skunk and others.
Culberson (Dean A) State Nature Preserve was named after Dean A. Culberson in 1978 when Mrs. Myra Culberson donated the first 40-acre parcel in honor of her late husband. Its 238 acres is one of the few examples of the "white swamp forest" which once covered the uplands of southwestern OhioThe forest grows on poorly drained, "white clay" soil which formed on the glacial materials deposited during the Illinoian glacial period. The swamp forest is dominated by red maple and pin oak with substantial stands of shagbark hickory, shellbark hickory, swamp white oak, American elm and sweetgum. The northern shrub, winterberry, grows here near its southern limit, while the sweetgum, a southern species, is near its northern limit. Summer wildflowers include purple fringeless orchid and cardinal flower. The state-listed northern fox grape also occurs here.
Contact information:
Caesar Creek State Park,
8570 State Route 73 East,
Waynesville, OH.
Phone: (513) 897-3055.
Cowan Lake State Park,
1750 Osborn Rd.
Wilmington, OH. 45177.
Phone: (937) 382-1096.
Culberson (Dean A) State Nature Preserve,
Phone: (937) 382-1096.
Location: 1 mile southwest of Cowan Lake State Park. From SR 350, proceed south 1 mile on SR 730 to the preserve entrance.
Ole Supper K Fishing Lakes & Ponds,
14106 S. US 68,
Midland, OH. 45148.
Phone: (937) 783-9522.
Windmill Lake II, Inc.
8368 Strout Rd.
Clarksville, OH.45113.
Phone: (937) 289-3272.
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