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Guilford Lake State Park
c/o 6835 East Lake Road
Lisbon, OH 44432
(330) 222-1712
Park
Map
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| Activity |
Facilities |
Quantity |
Fees |
| Resource |
Land,
acres |
92 |
 |
|
Water,
acres |
396 |
|
|
Nearby
Wildlife Area, acres |
518 |
|
| Activities |
Fishing |
yes |
|
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Hiking
Trail, miles |
0.5 |
|
|
Picnicking |
yes |
|
|
Picnic
Shelters, # |
1 |
|
|
Swimming
Beach, feet |
900 |
|
|
Summer
Nature Programs |
yes |
|
|
Programs,
All Year |
yes |
|
| Boating |
Boat
Rental |
privately
owned |
|
|
Boating
Limits |
10
HP |
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Launch
Ramps, # |
3 |
|
| Winter
Rec |
Ice
Skating |
yes |
|
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Ice
Fishing |
yes |
|
| Camping |
Campsites,
# |
41 |
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Campsites
with Elec., # |
41 |
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Pets
Permitted |
yes |
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Showers |
yes |
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Flush
Toilets |
yes |
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Dumpstation |
yes |
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Guilford Lake State Park is a quiet fishing lake
located in northeastern Ohio on the west fork of the Little Beaver Creek.
The gentle rolling terrain of the area offers a serene escape for park
visitors year round.
Nature of the Area
Guilford Lake is situated in the glaciated plateau region of Ohio. This
portion of the Appalachian foothills was overridden by the glaciers that
invaded Ohio more than 12,000 years ago. Eventually, the glacial advances
were blocked by the harder and higher sandstone ridges of southeastern
Ohio. The bedrock materials of this area were formed 300 million years ago
from deposits laid down in streams and swamps.
Natural lakes are a feature of the glaciated landscape, although most in
Ohio are very small and have now aged into bogs or marshes. These bodies
of water were formed by huge chunks of ice which broke off from the
retreating glacier and melted in depressions forming kettle lakes. The
area surrounding Guilford Lake, before being impounded as a reservoir, was
extremely swampy indicating it may have been a remnant of a natural
glacial lake. The park attracts migrating waterfowl in the fall and spring
and also provides good habitat for a variety of songbirds such as the
red-winged blackbird, song sparrow and eastern meadowlark. Other wildlife
common to the area are red fox, raccoon, skunk and white-tailed deer.
History of the Area
The capture of the infamous Confederate general, John Hunt Morgan, near
the vicinity of Guilford Lake, ended his gallant raid through the state of
Ohio in 1863. Morgan and his 2,000 raiders crossed the entire width of the
state from west to east before his eventual capture.
Guilford Lake was constructed as a canal feeder reservoir for the Sandy
and Beaver Canal in 1834. An ambitious project undertaken by a private
company, the canal was to be 73-miles long and would require two tunnels,
thirty dams, ninety locks, three reservoirs and one 400-foot-long aqueduct
before it was completed. The park is named after E.H. Gill who was chief
engineer of the canal company for several years. He established a road
through swampy areas of the present park which became known as Gill's
Ford.
When the canal era came to a close, the adjacent landowners breached the
embankment in two places and proceeded to use the lake bottom for
farmland. In 1927, the land was purchased by the state with the intent of
rebuilding the reservoir. The new dam was completed in 1932 by the
Division of Conservation. The lake was eventually turned over to the ODNR
Division of Parks and Recreation for administration and development.
Guilford Lake and Ohio's other canal feeder lakes were the first areas to
be dedicated as Ohio state parks in 1949.
Camping
There is a camping area with 42 electric sites located in an old pine
plantation on the northeast corner of the lake, providing shady and sunny
areas. A play area, fishing dock, drinking water, showers, flush
toilets, picnic tables and fire-rings are provided.
Boating
Boats with motors up to ten horsepower are permitted on the lake.
Launching ramps and seasonal dock rentals are available. Boat rentals are
available from a privately-owned marina on the south side of the lake.
Trails
A half-mile hiking trail skirts the scenic lakeshore and provides
opportunities for exercise and wildlife observation.
Fishing
Good catches of bass, bluegill, crappie and channel catfish can be taken
at Guilford Lake. A valid Ohio fishing license is required.
Picnicking
Shaded picnic areas with tables and grills are located at various points
around the lake. A shelterhouse is available on a first-come, first-served
basis.
Swimming
A 600-foot public swimming beach is located on the northwest side of the
lake. Facilities include a bathhouse with changing booths and showers.
Area Attractions
Two public golf courses (9-hole and 18-hole) are located near the park.
Eight miles south of Lisbon on State Route 518, a Confederate monument
commemorates the surrender of General John Hunt Morgan to Union forces on
July 26, 1863.
Beaver Creek State Park is located southeast of Guilford Lake off State
Route 7. Canoeing, picnicking, camping and hiking opportunities are
available. Of interest is the restored Gaston's Mill and Pioneer Village.
Remnants of the Sandy and Beaver Canal can be viewed, including a restored
lock near the mill.
Zepernick Lake State Wildlife Area, east of the park on State Route 172,
offers public hunting and fishing. Yellow Creek State Forest, off State
Route 39, offers hunting and hiking opportunities.
The Professional Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, 23 miles west
of the park off I-77 at Exit 24. For more information of area attractions,
call the Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism at 1-800-Buckeye.
Directions
From Cleveland, Ohio:
Take 71 South or 77 South to 480 East
Take 480 East to 14 South to 45 South at Salem
Take 45 South to 9 South to 172 East
From Columbus, Ohio:
Take 71 North to 30 East to East Canton
Take 172 East
From Cincinnati, Ohio:
Take 71 North to Columbus. Stay on 71 until you reach I-270.
Take I-270 East to I-70 East.
Take I-70 East to 77 North to 22 West, to 7 North.
Follow 7 North to 11 North.
Take 11 North to 172 West
From Toledo, Ohio:
Take 480 East to 14 South to 45 South at Salem
Take 45 South to 9 South to 172 East
From Lisbon, Ohio:
Take 172 West to park
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