The relaxing landscape and calming atmosphere around Kiser Lake State Park in west-central Ohio will make you feel like you fell into a fairy tale. Surrounded by over 500 acres of mesmerizing forest enriched by wetlands, it simply makes you forget about the stresses of everyday life and allows you to surrender to the sounds of wildlife while enjoying the beautiful views. Fresh air, the clean and clear water of Kiser Lake reflecting the sun rays, the songs of birds, and a choir of frogs as a good night lullaby are the main notes of this peaceful oasis. If it weren't for the ice age, Kiser Lake State Park would not look the way it does today. Glaciers helped shape the region into a wet meadow habitat filled with unique flora and fauna, including pitcher plant, tamarack, turkey, and deer. Tecumseh, the great Shawnee warrior, and Simon Kenton, the legendary frontiersman, are the notable names from the past of the Kiser Lake region, and modern history mentions John W. Kiser and his family as contributors to the looks of this state park today. Kiser Lake State Park is one of the rare places where you can have your peace and quiet, while at the same time delighting in activities such as swimming, scuba diving, boating, or fishing. Other forms of amusement include taking long walks through the woods, playing volleyball with friends, or even riding on horseback. Whatever the time of the year that you visit the park, hot summer, or snowing winter, Kiser Lake provides a large variety of outdoor activities. All this makes it a perfect setting for your next camping trip. With 76 RV and trailer friendly sites, you and yours can stay in comfort year-round at this scenic park.
Located in west-central Ohio, just over 30 miles from Dayton and an hour from the state capital, Columbus, Kiser Lake State Park is easily accessible for vehicles of any shape and size. The park entrance is located off of OH-235, just four miles from St. Paris. Kiser Lake State Park is easily approachable from all directions; however, it is beneficial to know that access to the campsites is not through the park entrance.
Whatever direction you come from, if you find Possom Hollow Road and head toward the marina, you should be able to locate the campground quickly. All campers should check-in at the marina, which is about a mile and a half north of the campsites.
If you're planning to visit during the winter months, it's a good idea to check the local weather forecast and road conditions before heading out, as snow and ice may make it difficult to maneuver big rigs in and around the park. Parking is available on the western and on the eastern side of the lake. You may find a parking space for your motorhome anywhere around the Memorial Shelter, Lakeview Shelter, Scenic Shelter, or all the way from Main Campground to the marina.
Kiser Lake State Park features 76 pet-friendly campsites available for tents and RVs year-round. Two sites are ADA accessible, and eight sites are walk-in only. When bringing a pet, there are certain rules you should keep in mind – all pets must be on a leash no longer than six feet and must be attended to at all times.
All campsites are situated on the Main Campground, where drinking water, restrooms, and a dump station are provided. There are 10 tent-only campsites, 20 electric campsites, and 56 non-electric campsites. Limitations for RV length on campsites that provide electric hookups go up to 55 feet. RV length restriction on the campsites that provide no electricity is 35 feet.
Each campsite has a picnic table and a fire ring. There are volleyball courts and a playground within the campground, along with hiking trails nearby. Reservations are possible only from April to October, while during the winter season, all campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
During the off-season, typically from October to April, the campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you're looking to ditch the RV for a night or two, Kiser Lake State Park offers two camper cabins available for rent during the summer months. The cabins are equipped with a bunk bed and futon, along with a charcoal grill and fire ring outside. A maximum of four guests can be accommodated in the cabins, and pets are not allowed. Reservations are required and can be made up to six months in advance.
If you're camping with a large group, Kiser Lake State Park offers three group campsites able to accommodate up to 100 people. The sites are partially shaded and are equipped with fire rings and picnic tables, and pit toilets can be found nearby. The group sites are also located near a fishing pier, picnic shelter, and a playground. Reservations are required for the group campsites and can be made up to six months in advance.
If you couldn't snag a spot to park the campervan at Kiser Lake State Park, there are several other state parks located nearby. Indian Lake State Park sits around 30 minutes to the north and offers full hookups for 43 of its campsites, and over 300 electric sites are also available. If you're lucky, you may even find a lakeside site at this year-round campground. If you're headed the opposite direction, Buck Creek State Park is just over a half an hour to the southeast and is equipped with over 100 sites that are a combination of electric and non-electric.
During warmer days in the off-season, picnicking is at its finest since you can witness the turning colors of the leaves in the late fall and budding blossoms in the early spring. There are several picnic areas with tables and grills, and picnic shelters can be found around the park, offering different scenic views of the 396-acre Kiser Lake. You can also enjoy a picnic after a relaxing day of fishing by finding a picnic table near one of the fishing piers. If you prefer to hang around the Airstream, each campsite is equipped with its own private table.
Hunting is a great off-season activity for you to participate in here at the park, so don't forget to pack your hunting license and hunting gear with you in your conversion van. You can hunt for deer, wild turkey, squirrel, and more. Be sure that you take all safety precautions seriously and check the season dates and bag limits for the animal that you wish to hunt, as these things can vary from animal to animal.
During the summertime, visitors have the opportunity to swim and scuba dive on a 300-foot swimming beach. Seasons change, but still, campers do not stop arriving as Kiser Lake allows guests to enjoy a variety of wintertime activities on the lake and around it. Once a healthy layer of ice covers the lake, ice skating on its frozen surface is a favorite winter pass time at the park. Anglers are welcome to try their luck and skills in ice fishing, and under proper conditions, kids can have fun sledding while adults may try iceboating or cross-country skiing.
If you're looking to spend the day outside of the Class A, Kiser Lake State Park provides endless entertainment for families and groups in the form of volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and basketball courts. Head to the beach to shoot some hoops on the basketball court, or hang out near the campground and enjoy a game of volleyball. If you're camping with the kids, a playground is also located in the campground. If you're looking to toss some horseshoes, head to the Nature Center near the campground.
After you've had your fair share of relaxation, leave the pop-up back at camp, and feed your curiosity by exploring the surroundings. Several hiking trails provide different sights and levels of difficulty, though each of them is quite short. A pair of sneakers is enough to wander smooth trails like Possum Hollow, Pine Tree, or Rabbit Run Trail (the first two mentioned lead through the hunting zone). Naturalists will find the Nature Preserve Boardwalk a bit more interesting since it goes through the Kiser Lake Wetlands State Nature Preserve, where you can enjoy birdwatching while stumbling across wildflowers. The North Bay Trail is the longest and parallels the north bank. One moment you're passing between trees, and before you know it, you'll have a direct view of the lake.
Once you park the Sprinter, you can quickly lose track of time while doing what relaxes you the most – fishing. The tranquility of the lake provides extraordinary fishing opportunities with great catches of largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, and wiper. You can choose to cast out from one of the fishing piers (there are five of them on the lake), off the bank, or from the center of the lake via watercraft.
What adds to the magnificently serene experience at Kiser Lake is that boats with motors are not allowed here. Therefore, sailing and paddling are very popular amongst guests. If you have your own equipment, you can pack it up on your rig. If not, a large variety of boats, canoes, and kayaks can also be rented at the park’s marina. The marina is located near the campground and is open seasonally.
The cool waters of Kiser Lake offer relief from the hot summer sun along with great recreational opportunities for the whole family. A 300-foot swimming beach is located between the campground and the marina and can be used from Memorial Day through Labor Day. No lifeguards are present at the beach, so an adult should always accompany children. If you feel like trying something new, scuba diving is also allowed anywhere on Kiser Lake, except for the swimming beach.