We reserved one of the full hookup sites online and stayed at the end of September 2025. The online reservation site has all the details on lot size, electricity info, distance to showers, etc. However, it's limited in showing different dates, which is frustrating. Anyway, the check-in time is 3pm and check-out is 1pm. We paid fifty-three dollars per night for two adults and one dog, with a six fifty reservation charge. Check-in was easy, and the attendant was helpful; you just drive up to the office, check-in and go on your way. The layout is similar to a subdivision with cul-de-sacs and each spot having its own little yard, making it feel somewhat like camping in the woods. Our neighbors were quiet and most vehicles drove slowly. Everyone we met was pleasant and friendly. The camp itself was clean and easy to hook up. Bathrooms and showers were clean and there was plenty of toilet paper. Large trash bins were available along with gray water stations. The only thing I'd suggest is for the site identifiers to be repainted, as several had faded over time. We visited the beach, but didn't go swimming, given the temperature. The pond is catch and release and seemed maintained and not stagnant. The budget limitations need to be considered before passing judgment. We used bug spray every day and that seemed to help keep the bugs away. The site we booked had a level surface and plenty of room to back in. The water and electrical were easily accessible and worked fine. A lot of campers used an inline water filter. The water quality report is on the park website for anyone interested. The grass was well trodden, making a camp rug a must-have. There was also a fire pit with a grill attached, but we didn't use it to cook. Also, at the time, there wasn't a burn ban. Overall it was an enjoyable experience and we'll definitely return. It was fun to walk down the aisles and see all the setups and decorations and note future camp site options. How many campers are long-timers, it's hard to tell. But we were pleased and our dog loved exploring on our walks. read more

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I came here for a beach day with a local women's group and was surprised by how welcoming the space was. There's plenty of parking anf a pavilion with restrooms. There were a few different food trucks lined up as well. I'll likely bring swim shoes next time because I didn't enjoy feeling the bottom of the creek, but I had a fun time floating around and lounging on the shore. read more

Nice spots but our outdoor chairs were taken!!! Loop G The signs and spaces were NOT legible unless you were were walking read more

Filthy restrooms and tight tent space compared to some other parks. I stayed here over the weekend and had a mixed experience. If you are tent camping, watch out for the site layout. At least for my specific spot, there was bare-minimum grass space for two tents. I could barely squeeze my 13x9 tent onto the grass without being forced onto the paved camper pad. It felt like the loop was designed strictly for RVs, unlike parks like Mohican which offer much better space for tents. The biggest issue, however, was the state of the restrooms. From Friday to Sunday, they were absolutely filthy and neglected. A urinal was out of order, and the toilets were actively flooded with waste and water covering the floors the entire weekend. While the showers looked okay, the main bathroom facilities were so unusable that I had to rely on my own portable toilet. Leaving flooded toilets untouched all weekend is a major health and sanitation issue.The park management needs to step up their cleaning routine. read more

Love going to this state park for the hikes. The trails are maintianed well. They do get treacherous after a heavy rain, so be aware. The south loop is mostly in the shade and offers up great opportunities for long hikes and great trail runs. read more

Came to the park on my trip to Columbus for a game convention. Registering online and checking in was rather easy and I applaud that service level. Camping itself was set up well with a nice site that was easy and clean. I found my way to the shower houses across the trip as well, which were also clean and useful. I was at the convention so I don't have much to say about the daytime activity but for a nice space to lay your head this was a great place to go. read more

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! read more

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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!

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

Alum Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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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. read more

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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! read more

Alum Creek State Park - Storybook Trail - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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A beach? In Ohio? Yes, we have a few. Not enough waves to surf, but this has a big sandy beach. Clean, with a shallow slope and assorted amenities. A couple of playgrounds on this side, plenty of parking, bathrooms, etc. Baby K wanted to play in the sand and water, and we visited the playgrounds too. Pretty much had to drag her away. Probably a bit hectic on weekends, but we came on a warm Friday and there were just a few people around. read more

It's alright. Nothing spectacular, kinda bare. Didn't help that we visited on a super cold day wanting to do a bit of walking/hiking. The park was deserted, I guess to be expected on the kind of day we visited. There's lots of parking, so that's nice! It just didnt' seem like there was much going on at this park. Some benches.... maybe some bathrooms and a small play set thing. I just wish there was a bit more to it as it's a good location and on the water. read more

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!! read more

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Nice lake for fishing and just relaxing with the family . They have picnic tables so you can spend the day on the lake . They have boats and lots of people kayak and swim . We enjoyed the nice cool Breeze and my hubby fished . No success that day but the family has a great time ! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Alum Creek State Park - First beach I've ever been to with no waves. - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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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. read more

Alum Creek State Park - Beach - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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! read more

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When I found out that there was a beach near me, I was very excited. However, when I arrived there it was a different story. It could have been when we went, but it was just dirty. Food and wrappers all over the sand. It has potential if it was only clean. But I have to go back and check it out again. It has picnic areas, play ground for the kids and water activities, but I would not recommend swimming or tanning hear. read more

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? read more

Alum Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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. read more

Alum Creek State Park - Sites - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

This is our boating go to place. I really wish they would open a restaurant or a bar or a dining area for those boaters. They would make a million from us boaters who had a day on the water. Clean restrooms, nice people and always plenty of room to play in the water. Easy boat ramp and rarely any litter around the park. There is a playground and usually an ice cream truck at the beach. Oh yea... great beach!! read more

Such a beautiful beach!! Always well kept & clean, and people are very friendly! Love the food trucks (& ice cream) on the weekends too! This is my favorite spot for some romantic beach sunset engagement photos! The beach side is gorgeous, but love the dam side also for some greenery & that EPIC view of the water! (Photos by Julia Dobos Photography) read more

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It's nice for picnicking and water activities, but if you're going for swimming or tanning I wouldn't recommend. The "sand" is actually just dirt... and the water is murky and muddy looking. read more

The camping spots in area B have newer pads. Almost every campsite has privacy and plenty of shade. People do no obey speed limits. Stay away from B10 unless you want to watch people empty their sewers. Play ground is nice but needs to be cleaned. Lots of camping spots to choose from. read more

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The campground is so peaceful. The restrooms and shower houses were always so clean throughout the stay. Office hours were a little confusing but if they have been short staffed like most of the US they maybe the issue there. Overall I recommend staying and will be back soon!! read more

I am a fan of this park as a campground as it is clean, nicely set up, and a good distance away from the city but won't break the bank in gas costs driving to and from. I have been here about 8 times in the last year and never had a bad time! It is quite hard to get into during notable outdoor holidays (ie Memorial Day, 4th of July, etc), but other than that, bookings are fairly easy to come by. I would suggest requesting a water spot as they are really nice but those are a bit more tricky to book. I wasn't impressed with the beach area as it was very dirty and quite dismal looking. It could provide a quick fix if you have a craving for sand and water but keep your expectations in check or otherwise risk disappointment. read more

Alum Creek State Park - Parks Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Great trail for trail running. Maintained by the Rocks & Roots trail runners group. The group holds many of their trail running races here. Trail runs near the water and one can see great views!! read more

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I had time after a week of meeting before my flight left to visit this beautiful lake! Lots of wildlife. It was very clean and looked like a great place to camp. I wish I had more time! read more

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

Despite it being our third summer in Columbus, neither my girlfriend nor I had made it up to Alum Creek State Park. We both love to swim and soak in the rays, but we've always driven out to Lake Hudson, and paid the $8 entry fee, or found a few other underwhelming lakes further out from the city. This weekend, we finally gave the beach at ACSP a try, and we enjoyed ourselves so much on the Saturday that we went back on Sunday. First of all, this is without a doubt the biggest beach in the area, and is separated into zones. The water in the swimming area is fairly shallow, and I'd venture to guess it was around 80 degrees on both mid-July mornings. There were quite a few people there on Saturday (we arrived around 11:30 AM), but still felt like we had ample room to both lounge and swim without much interruption. On Sunday, we arrived around 9:00, and the beach was nearly empty save for a large gaggle of Canada geese and an equally large flock of seagulls. Both groups of birds seemed used to having people in close proximity, so they weren't particularly territorial. Slightly more problematic were the flies, however. No matter what we did, we constantly had half a dozen flies or more on or around us (they even followed us into the water), and those suckers bit. That's nature, however, and while it detracted a bit from the enjoyment of sun and water, our overall takeaway is that we're grateful to have a closer place to enjoy tanning and swimming than we'd thought. We'll probably be back this weekend! read more

**This review is about the beach** After hearing story upon story about state park beach nightmares of algae blooms, garbage, and dead floating fish... I was very skeptical that a nice swimming hole existed in our glorious state of parks and lakes. Boy am I so glad I listened to a friend and stopped by the beach at Alum creek during our two week heat wave. The beach is not bad at all. It looks like the rangers must sift, or rake the sand every few days to keep it from getting clumpy, and grimey with garbage from all the litter bugs. (Shame on you!) While the water is not crystal clear, it's not as scary as some of the horror stories I've heard from Deer Creek, and that can be expected from all stagnant water bodies. (lakes, reservoirs, ponds) Let me just put it this way, this is a nice, FREE solution to all of your swimming requirements if you are not so lucky to own your own pool, or own a pool pass, but at least with this beach, it is quite sprawled out, so you won't have to worry about being packed in like sardines. Beware though, the bathrooms are scary, but it beats using an outhouse! read more

This park is not as far off the beaten path as Delaware State park, so you are still able to hear some local traffic, but since it's pretty far out of town there isn't much traffic that goes by the park at any given time. The camp sites have electric and a fire ring. There are several things that we like about this park. The sites are mostly shady, if not in full shade, which is great. Also the bath houses are not overrun with bugs, and they are nice and clean. There are places to get water, and trash receptacles that are very close so you don't have to walk very far. This was a very good experience and we plan on going back again. read more

Finally I have found a beach I won't mind walking around on in nothing but my bathing suit. No, seriously. If you have any insecurities about your body or any discomfort about being seen in so little clothes, this place is the cure. There are all kinds of individuals here - from super model skinny to momma of 9 - and they are all out having fun and not giving a rat's patooty what they look like. That's super refreshing. It's a little hard to navigate as a first timer and the signs aren't all that great or visible, but once you get where you're going, you're happy you found it. read more

The camping here was great! It's not that far from the city, making it convenient for a much needed weekend getaway! If you're tent camping, like us, some of the lots are not ideal. They didn't all seem to have the space for a tent and canopy. I suppose you could set it up in the driveway where other people put their RVs, but bring a broom to sweep away all the debris first. Anyway we had enough space, but there wasn't really any grass on our lot. That's the downside of booking online, I guess. The bath houses, shower houses, and water spigots are well-spaced, so any lot would be good in terms of not having to walk very far for those things. The shower house also has bathrooms so it's a one-stop deal! Even though the campsites are all very close, there are enough trees that you feel secluded. We did hear a few trains, but it wasn't enough to wake us up. I would definitely return here. read more

We like Alum Creek as a walking destination and when I was a kid, blissfully unaware of real life, I liked to go to this beach. Now that we've been semi-regular walkers there I can't hold my tongue about this "clean" sand people keep commenting on. Do you see all the birds there? I'm talking gaggles of gulls, geese and smaller birds... all crapping in the same sand. "I don't see bird poop!" you may be tempted to say. Wanna know why? Several times we've watched the tractor that comes through that turns over the sand and pulverizes the poo into the sand. Yep...you're rolling around on and building big ol' sand poo castles! I refuse to walk there without shoes on and especially don't pick up the sand. (It's kind of a joke to even call it sand) I'm not trying to ruin people's experience and I know they can't exactly skim the beach with a giant pool skimmer to remove it but this is what happens there on the beach portion of the park. As far as the other areas of the park, we love the below the dam rec area and the dog park is pretty nice as well if you've got a pooch. read more

Awesome place to camp . Clean neat no loud partying at night . Lots of fun for grandkids . Fish , Boating , Swimming. Houseboat rentals are very decent priced if you shop around . read more

I love Alum Creek. Having moved here from California, I am used to doing lots of outdoor activities year round. When I moved to Columbus, I couldn't help but think I would have to give up my weekly mountain bike rides. That was until I discovered Alum Creek. A lot of people complain about Alum Creek because they only experience the over-crowded beach and busy parts of the lake covered in boaters under the influence. If you don't want the Lake Havasu experience, get off the beaten path, man! My husband and I take our mountain bikes and/or kayaks up to Alum Creek about every other weekend. Both the intermediate and advanced bike trails are awesome, and we usually don't encounter many other people while on the trail. The beginner trail is cool too because it has a mini stunt park, but we've only ridden that one once. If you're going to hit the water in a hand-powered craft, you MUST get out of the main part of the lake. We drop in off the parking lot of one of the mtb trails and immediately head away from the center of the lake. There is a tunnel that only hand-powered crafts can get through, and on the other side, it feels like you are exploring never-before-seen waters. It's really great to have an opportunity like that only a few miles drive from our house. So hate it if you want. But if you do, clearly you are just not cool enough to have forged your own trails. read more

I decided on a whim that I was going to go swimming, and this was the closest state park with a swimming area. Despite the weather and al the people being there, i still had no issues finding a nice close spot (possibly because it was later in the day). I was not crowded next to someone on the beach, and there was plenty of room to swim without getting into other people's space. There were a couple annoyances though. The signage directing you to the swimming beach is not great, they could add a couple more signs for assistance. The one that really bothered me though was that the shower house and restroom by the beach were nasty. Some stupid cow after changing her kid did not throw the diaper away, and the toilets were a real pain. And there is no convenient place to set your stuff down while you change into your suit. Maybe address those two issues, and it will be fine. read more