Posted in Park visit

State Park Cabins Reopen – A Stay at Lake Hope State Park

A couple of weeks ago we spent several days at a cabin at Lake Hope. Lake Hope is one of our favorite parks in Ohio. One of the reasons is the great hiking at Lake Hope, the adjacent Zaleski State forest, and many nearby parks and preserves. The other reason is the wonderful Lake Hope Dining Lodge which specializes in slow-cooked barbecued meat and wood-fired pizza. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, some changes were in effect. Hiking trails are open at both Lake Hope and Read more ➜
Posted in Hiking

The Annual Fall Hike at Lake Hope

On October 17th Bob and I attended our first Annual Fall Hike at Lake Hope. The staff at Lake Hope State Park, along with Friends of Lake Hope, organized the hike. Participants were subdivided into smaller groups that left the picnic area in a staggered fashion between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The hike from the picnic shelter to Hope Furnace was three miles and followed the Hope Furnace Trail. At the conclusion of the hike near Hope Furnace, participants had the opportunity of enjoying a communal meal Read more ➜
Posted in Birds, Park visit

Hand-feeding Hummingbirds at Lake Hope

The Nature Center at Lake Hope State Park is well-known as the place to go if you want to try hand-feeding hummingbirds. This seasonal activity typically begins in July. This year park officials will continue to host the hand-feeding sessions on Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 3 PM until Labor Day. This was the first time Bob and I had tried hand-feeding hummingbirds, and we both loved it. It is fascinating to watch hummingbirds perform their aerial acrobatics, but it was even more amazing to Read more ➜
Posted in Park visit

Lake Hope Dining Lodge

The dining lodge is one of the attractions of Lake Hope State Park. Originally built in 1950, the lodge burned to the ground in 2006. We visited Lake Hope State Parke several times after the lodge was destroyed, and it was a long drive to find a meal. Happily the lodge was rebuilt last year, and it has resumed serving those visiting and camping in the park as well as the local people of Vinton County. People can hire portions of the lodge for gatherings of all sorts, including conferences, weddings, Read more ➜
Posted in Hiking, Park review, Southeastern Ohio

Lake Hope State Park

Lake Hope State is a great place to get away from the crowds and enjoy peace and quiet is a scenic natural setting. Lake Hope is located in Vinton County just southeast of the Hocking Hills. In the 19th century it was a major iron producing and processing region at the heart of the American industrial revolution. Today many of the towns centered around the mines and iron furnaces are gone. It is a sparsely populated region of Ohio with an economy based on agriculture, forestry, and tourism. The Read more ➜