6 Fall Weekend Events in Ohio State Parks

Ohio’s 76 state parks bring respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, whether visitors are taking a short hike or committing to an all-morning kayaking adventure. The parks also act as a backdrop for a number of history- and heritage-focused events put on by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, including a showcase of the Muskingum River and an acknowledgement of a groundbreaking Black female naturalist.

Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Fall Festival | Sept. 11-13
Head to Grand Lake St. Marys State Park to shop for handmade goods such as crafts, pastries and clothing. Local food trucks and performers contribute to the fun. This year’s schedule also includes a touch-a-truck event for little ones, as well as puppet shows and a K9 demonstration with a local law enforcement officer.


Celebrating Over 180 Years on the Muskingum River | Sept. 18
The mighty Muskingum gets the spotlight during this event on the Valley Gem sternwheeler, beginning at Muskingum River Parkway State Park’s Lock 4 in Beverly. Start the morning with an island hike led by a naturalist before enjoying a boat ride. The Valley Gem will “lock through” up river at 1:30 p.m. and down river at 2:30 p.m. In between, guests can enjoy a history talk.

Grand Opening: Dr. E. Lucy Braun Lookout Trail | Sept. 20
Celebrate the work of E. Lucy Braun, Ph.D., a pioneering Black naturalist whose work first identified Shawnee State Forest as a mixed mesophytic forest. Head to the Mackletree Shelter House at Shawnee State Park in West Portsmouth to get started on this 2-mile loop trail named in her honor. During the hike, staffers will point out signs detailing the work of Civilian Conservation Corps Company 1545, a group of Black World War I veterans who built the state park’s Roosevelt Lake in 1934.


Indian Lake State Park Fall Festival | Sept. 25-27
Head to Lakeview’s Indian Lake State Park during this annual get-together featuring over 150 food, farmers market and arts and crafts vendors. Saturday and Sunday bring puppet shows and live music, including country, jazz and acoustic performers, at the festival’s entertainment tent. The event takes place in the “C” area of the park’s campground.


Ohio Heritage Days at Malabar Farm State Park | Sept. 26-27
Malabar Farm State in Lucas Park brings a blast from the past during Ohio Heritage Days. Start your visit by browsing primitive crafts and antiques, then hitch a ride on a horse-drawn wagon or take a look at the antique tractors. Don’t leave without taking a tour of the Big and Ceely Rose Houses. Saturday evening brings dancing in the park’s main barn.


Mosquito Lake State Park Campground Halloween Bash | Oct. 2-4
Kick off your spooky season with this event that promises pumpkin carving, campsite-decorating contests, free wagon rides and, of course, trick-or-treating. Visitors to this Cortland campground can also participate in naturalist activities, explore haunted trails and enter raffles. Bring your appetite to sample from on-site food trucks.

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