At some of Ohio's State park it's hard to be a human powered vessel when so many boats are zooming by. You are almost relegated to smaller coves as you try to escape the waves caused by power boats. Not at Lake Hope State Park as boaters are restricted to electric motors only. My wife is all about the well maintained mountain bike trails. We were both all about the small camping pads and many non electric sites. This meant that as tent campers we were not back to back with massive RVs. And our dog was all about all of it, especially since a state park means that he gets to hang out with his pack!  On the down side, there was only one water spigot, one near the check in, that was marked as potable. Perhaps the others throughout the campground are and are not marked. However, we chose to only get water from that spigot. The spigot that was closest to our campsite was way too close to the pit toilet for me to feel comfortable drinking without filtering/boiling.  While we didn't get the chance to actually take our boats off the car, thanks to thunderstorms, we did drive around and find some spots that would work perfectly as put ins. There's a space just off the main road that would work for those who are kayaking, canoeing, or SUPing. The drive to and from LHSP was beautiful, with the visual elevation changes. I loved that it was almost in the HHills area but lacked all the folks (and the restrictions on dogs)! Lake Hope State Park is a place that we will hands down visit again. Although, our first visit there was filled with thunderstorms- we managed to stay dry and camped anyway! read more

See all

Have you wanted to have a family day on the lake? Lake Hope has the paddle boats and paddle boards! Affordable, relaxed and fun family day! read more

Lake Hope State Park - One of our family days at Lake Hope - Campgrounds Near Me - Zaleski, Ohio

Oh I just love water, sunshine and doing anything outside. When I was a kid, my mommy had to drag me in at night. Even now over 45 yrs later, when it starts to get dark outside, street lights cut on and lightning bugs start to flash..(their butts light up you know??) I can still hear my mom's voice hollering for us to come in...man, love the memories of summertime. On this particular trip we stopped at Lake Hope State Park in McArthur outside of Nelsonville, Ohio...we cooked out by the lake and then took a nice hike around the perimeter...taking photos to remind us of the past I love flowers so YES YES there are pics of flowers...lol!!! What's a hike without flowers??? We had a great hike a great cookout of hot dogs on the grill and a beautiful lovely day of adventure in Zaleski State Forest. read more

See all

Lake Hope is a place I hold near and dear. It is my favorite Ohio State Park out of the dozens I have been to. I'm going to tell my story of why I love it so much and why you will love it too. My first visit was in December of 2014 with my boyfriend who is now my husband. It was our first trip together and neither of us had stayed in a state park cabin nor did very much camping. He told me to pick a park and we'll go. I chose Lake Hope because it had the cheapest prices at $85 a night for a wood-burning cabin sleeping 6. Most other state park cabins were over $100. Even though the reason I chose the park was petty, I am so glad that I did it because the park turned out to be one of my favorite spots I've ever traveled to. Getting there: I drove 3 1/2 hours and through tiny & winding Appalachian towns to find the most peaceful and secluded park in Ohio. The nearest town is about 13 miles away. We lucked out in early December with 40-50 degree weather and rain as opposed to snow. With the amount of curves, hills and bends you traverse to get here, unless you have a truck I can't for-see being able to make it here in the snow. The cabin: Black Oak 38 was so cozy and adorable. Full kitchen with utensils & cookware, a porch and very close to the lodge. The lodge: Beautiful commonplace with an amazing restaurant. Great service, local made-from-scratch food and decent prices. We got the white lizard pizza. You can sit out back on the deck for a view. Come here even if you don't stay at the park. The hikes: There are many hikes and they are all different and are all sorta challenging. This was perfect for us. My husband and I love to have a day of hiking and we had many options to chose from. Vinton furnace is a must-see. My second visit was in August of 2016 for my birthday. We had enjoyed Lake Hope in the fall so why not in the summer? We reserved the exact same cabin and it had been renovated. I didn't mind it before, but it was nicer now. We returned to the lodge and I got loaded potato skins with brisket. The food was just as on point as it was before! We enjoyed the 85 degree weather and secluded beach. We did the hikes that we had missed before, and they were just as good. I honestly can't decide which stay I liked best! I highly recommend Lake Hope as an option if you want the Hocking Hills area but you don't want the crowds of Hocking. Lake Hope is your park if you want peace, quiet, great hikes, great prices and your own little slice of Appalachia to soak up. This place has got to be overlooked and underrated. That's okay because I know it's a diamond in the rough! read more

See all

After days of rain, my boyfriend and I needed some outdoorsing and chose Lake Hope and the Hope Furnace trail on a whim. This particular trail hugs the crescent shaped lake and its tributaries so parts were washed out but passble if not all the more fun. Swampy floodplains full of croaking frogs, herons and beautiful pink lilies made up for the buzzing insects. But honestly, wearing repellent and/or a hat is recommended as the flies seemed to be out for our heads. Unlike sections of Hocking Hills and Mohican, the Hope Furnace Trail was not near roads meaning we were able to enjoy the peaceful quite. I personally loved the water fall and mature trees including an area of pine that smelled pretty great. Notes: * Paths and markers are clear, but reception is nil to spotty so consider downloading the map at home. * Latrines and water fountains are located at both the shelter and Hope Funace where you can park. * I never understand people who do not wear boots with ankle support or stable tennis shoes. Even on these marked trails there are knoby roots, rocks, etc. Overall a wonderful place to explore. read more

Lake Hope State Park - View of Lake Hope from Hope Furnace Ttail - Campgrounds Near Me - Zaleski, Ohio

We wanted to take a boat ride, called the day ahead to reserve a boat, but they said we wouldn't need reservations on a Monday, they have plenty of boats. We got there and there were no boats. It took us a lot of time and effort to get to the boat rental place, walk down all the stairs (hard to do with handicap people) and expected to have a beautiful day on the water. We're hoping dinner at the lodge goes better. read more

Lake Hope has a wonderful location that puts it in proximity to the lovely Hocking Hills area, as well as Athens, Ohio. With campgrounds and cabins, it makes a nice alternative to the more crowded Hocking Hills State Park for a place to stay. The brand new lodge, to replace the one lost to fire, is also progressing along and will soon be another nice addition to the park. There are a lot of options of things to do within the park itself, including a number of hiking and biking trails, a very nice nature center, the beautiful lake of the park's name, which allows for swimming, boating, and fishing. During the spring and summer months, hundreds of hummingbirds take to nesting in the area, and the park offers the opportunity to attend a program to hand feed the birds. It's a wonderful sight. For history lovers, stop at the visitor's center and request a brochure for the scenic driving tour of the area. This tour takes you to the Hope Furnace, past some pioneer cemeteries, the old Hope School House built in the 1800s, an old fire tower, an ancient burial mound, and includes the Moonville Tunnel of ghostlore for some spooky fun. You can easily get over to Hocking Hills to hike the areas over there, and over to Athens. This is a pretty area with a lot to do. read more

Had a horrible experience in one of their cabins. Within the first half hour of our trip we experienced: 1). Mouse droppings on kitchen counters. 2). Live bug in our bed we discovered while during a check of our bed. 3). Live (huge!) spider in bathroom window sill. 4). Live roach in shower stall. 5). Live mouse scurrying across the cabin floor. In addition, we requested a refund, and have received no response. Sadly, after a great experience at their dining lodge a month or so ago, we decided to rent a cabin here, as well. Needless to say, it was a nightmare. We left the premises after experiencing point #5 listed above, never to return. Do not visit here! read more

This place should be called Swamp Hope. I would debate the appropriateness of "Hope" as well as "Lake," but there are applications of it along the lines of, 'Hope I never see so many bugs in one place again.' Or, 'Hope that next time I approach a 'lake,' a swim doesn't seem like a noxious slime bath.' Or, 'Hope I don't see giant mosquitoes or wasps flying out of the toilet.' Or, saddest of all, "Hope there's something to see here." I assume that this place exists because of its proximity to Hocking Hills. (That is the only reason we camped there.) I love Hocking Hills, but nothing that I love about Hocking Hills is here. There is no rock, no gorgeous views, no old growth, no camping in wilderness. The only upsides were that there are also no ATV trails, and not very many people were there. read more

I went here over a February weekend with my sons, son's GF and two dogs. We rented a dog-friendly cabin for two nights. The lady at check in was really friendly and gave me good directions to the cabin area. The first thing that struck me when we entered the cabin was that it smelled like a hotel room. That's a good thing! That told me that it was cleaned thoroughly, and it was. I expected it to smell like dog, being a pet-friendly cabin, but it did not in the slightest. In fact, my dachshund, who is not fixed and pees on anything that smells of other dogs, didn't raise his leg once in the cabin. If it passes his sniff test, it will pass yours! Other than that, it's a pretty basic cabin. The screened-in porch off the back had a nice view of the woods, and a picnic table. The beds were comfortable and clean, everything worked, decent shower (which was very welcome after a day of hiking!), full-size fridge, oven, stove, etc. One thing to keep in mind: the kitchen is pretty minimally stocked. There was no whisk, and only a couple of small frying pans, making pancake production a little difficult. I used the two fry pans at once, so I was able to make two at a time, which worked, and I stirred the batter with a pasta fork. Dish soap (Dawn) was provided, which was nice. The grill was charcoal, so bring stuff for that if you're gonna grill. A grill brush would have been a good idea, too. I should have brought one. For the park itself, there are many miles of hiking trails within the park that are all really well-planned and well-marked, with a variety of lengths. It being southern Ohio, all the trails are pretty hilly, so be prepared. They can get muddy, too. We hiked part of the nearby Zaleski backpack trail, which is also hilly, but very scenic, and also features marked points of interest. Total length of that trails is about 21 miles, but there are several options for shorter loops, especially if you use the abandoned railroad bed or some of the old, unmarked roads. If you do that, make sure you have a map and compass and know how to use them. Cell reception is pretty much nil, except on the ridgetops. GPS would work, too, but during the summer the leaf canopy is pretty thick and can limit your satellite connectivity. read more

We reserved a 40' electric site for our 35' long toy hauler (site 155). The pad on the site was 24' long and there were drop-offs in all directions. Many of the sites near us were very short and very close together. Sites were nice and wooded, but I'd avoid this park if you have a longer rig. read more

We went camping here over the weekend and had a great time. I'm sure weather and time of year impacts the reviews of this park, but late May/early June we had very little problems with bugs and the weather was pretty nice. The facilities are decent and the lake offers options for swimming, boating and fishing if you're into that. The park has an extensive network of bike/hike trails and they're all well traveled and maintained. I spent some time mountain biking and found plenty of challenging trails to take on. If you're looking for a low-key location for some camping I would recommend it. The lack of ATV's and crowds is a plus too. read more

We camped for two nights a few wknds ago (mid October) while we explored the mountain biking trail system. Despite a little rain, the campsite was fairly dry and drained water just fine. If it looks like the reservations are light and you can get there early enough, scope out your site before you register. We reserved online and wish we could have found a "flatter" site. The shower house and restrooms were clean enough for a camping excursion. The Red Oak Tr was not well maintained and proved to be a little treacherous with some moss covered bridges as we accessed the trails for our first day. The Yosemite Falls Trail seemed like it would be a nice trail, however downed trees blocked the path on several occasions. On our second day we entered the trails by the Water Tower and started on Copperhead Trail. We rode Copperhead to Bobcat, Bobcat to Wildcat down to the Grouse Point trail head, and then Copperhead all the way back. The trails were well marked, well maintained, and drained amazingly well given the on and off rain we had received the day before. I believe we ran into 10 other bikers that day who were all out enjoying the weather and were happy to offer suggestions about their home trails. Having grown tired of the crowds at Hocking Hills, this was a great park to visit and enjoy with probably a quarter of the people. For mountain biking I would certainly endorse it, it offered a nice mix of climbs and descents along with obstacles that offered some degree of difficulty, but nothing that couldn't be walked around if you were riding with less skilled bikers. read more

My wife and I love camping at Lake Hope in the fall. As tent campers, we love the peaceful quietness you find here unlike busy, packed state parks like Hocking Hills. The walk-in tent sites are on some steep slopes but we usually always find a flat spot nestled under the beautiful sugar maples and oaks. We love to hike and lake Hope offers miles of great hiking trails. Often times, we'll bring our kayaks and kayak lake Hope without noisy speed boats to annoy you. Restrooms are your average, older vault latrines. The nature center is fantastic and the staff at this park have always been friendly. There's so much to do, make sure to visit the haunted Moonville Tunnel as it is definitely a creepy place. Lake Hope also sits conveniently located not far from Hocking Hills, Nelsonville and Athens. Lots of great recreational opportunities like the HockHocking Adena Bikeway from Nelsonville to Athens, the Hocking Canopy Tours, great restaurants in Athens and more. If you don't want the crowded, loud chaos of overpopulated campgrounds, then this place is much quieter and peaceful! read more

An amazing place to go for sure. The cabins are very reasonably priced and most of them have been redone. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've stayed here but I am like a kid every time I get to go back and count down the days. If you like to hunt there is a ton of places in the area that are public. read more

We drove from out of state and stayed a week in cabins 40 & 41 with our family. Pros: ice cold a/c, centralized location to lodge and beach and trails, hot showers. Cons: no cell service, ants everywhere, very limited kitchenware. Bring your own towels, linens and pillows because theirs are terrible and smelled of urine. If you have small children definitely select your cabin wisely (not 39-41) as there are many that are close to the road and people drive WAY too fast. Also the cabins back up to dangerous cliffs - overall probably not the best selection for little ones. While we would consider a return trip, we would definitely bring everything of our own and definitely NOT visit again in the summer - who comes to OH in the summer anyway?! read more

Lake Hope State Park - Campgrounds Near Me - Zaleski, Ohio

We stayed at one of the primitive camp sites with no electric, a fire pit and a picnic table. The campground has a good mix of camp sites that are close together and secluded sites. I liked being able to choose our own campsite. Firewood is $5 and by Saturday evening they had nearly run out of firewood, so get there early. I'd go back to this campground and recommend it. read more

We had heard good things- but this place was beautiful and so relaxing. There is lots to do, with camping, hiking, fishing, boating, a nature center, and shooting range in Zaleski State Park if that is your kind of thing. We rented canoes for $10/hour and paddled around beautiful Lake Hope. Camped at Lake Hope Campground for $18 a night (primitive campsite). The bathrooms are not great- but we survived (no running water in bathroom, not flush toilets). We walked part of the Peninsula Trail (loop trail, 2.8 miles) that goes around the lake- I highly recommend this one. I cannot wait to come back for more exploring! read more

Lake Hope State Park - Lake Hope, Peninsula Trail - Campgrounds Near Me - Zaleski, Ohio

See all

The mtb trail network is good with the exception of Little Sandy trail. You won't be dissapointed. Could barely tell I wasn't in the suburbs with how palatial the Cabins are. read more

Love Lake Hope State Park! We stay in the cabins every time. Very clean and we are able to bring our two small dogs. Lots to do at the park and in the surrounding areas! read more

This is a beautiful park, just outside of Athens, Ohio, with lots of well-maintained trails. I've hiked here twice and enjoyed the beauty of the lake and would love to come back to kayak on the lake. We chose an easy trail that was perfect for our kids ages 4 - 18. Our black lab had a blast fetching sticks in the lake. read more