Expanding over 1,100 aces in northeastern Ohio, Mohican State Park lies in a setting nothing short of stunning. Right outside of Loudonville, Ohio, this modernized park seamlessly meshes the modern world with mother nature, offering campers the best of both worlds through state-of-the-art facilities as well as a campground that blends in with the natural region.
Visitors can explore all sorts of terrain through hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and even tubing. Mohican State Park is well-known for a unique inner tubing experience you can't find anywhere else. The whole family can enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities from fishing and hunting to swimming and snowmobiling.
Additionally, campers will find that parking the RV is rather easy in the park's campground. You can find pull-through and full-hookup sites. The perks and amenities extend even further with an Olympic-sized swimming pool and splash pad for guests, as well as a playground, volleyball court, and camp store. Visitors will want to make sure that they reserve their campsites in advance as the park is known to fill up quickly.
Visitors will enjoy the lush, forested scenery while driving to Mohican State Park. The roads on the way to the park are all paved and easy to navigate, with signage along the way. Bicycling is allowed in the park as well, with plenty of opportunities to explore on foot.
Once visitors enter Mohican State Park's main campground, they can simply follow the road to their site and then either back in or pull through. Pull-through sites are marked for odd-numbered sites. Once situated, visitors won't have to travel too far to get to popular trailheads or to the Clear Fork of the Mohican River. Some campers may even get a site along the river itself.
Mohican State Park's main campground is composed of 100 electric-only sites, 51 full hookup sites, and another 35 primitive, non-electric sites. All 186 camping spots are woven throughout several loops, and visitors will find availability for back-in as well as pull-through sites. Many of the sites are equipped to take on rather sizable rigs. The sites are well graveled and are easy to navigate, though it may be a little bumpy. Each site is equipped with a fire ring, and there are showers, toilets, a dump station, and a campground store available for visitors.
All overnight campers staying within the grounds are welcome to use the Olympic-sized swimming pool and splash pad, as well as the playground and courts. The campground store offers rentals for games and sporting equipment, including gem mining, which a fun activity for the kids. Each campsite can accommodate up to two pets.
Trailheads are found all along the campground borders, except for the side that sits right along the river. If visitors are lucky and plan ahead, they may be able to reserve one of the more sought after campgrounds near the trailheads. While reservations are not required they are highly encouraged, as it may prove difficult to try to walk-in this campground during the peak season from May to October.
Only minutes from the Mohican State Forest and rustic Amish Country is the Butler / Mohican KOA. Visitors can venture out from the comforts of their campsite to explore the peaceful, natural attractions around the area. Weekend fun at Butler/Mohican KOA ranges from hayrides and family movies to themed arts and crafts. On-site amenities include a heated swimming pool, lots of recreational games and courts, a general store, mini-golf course, and a game room. Wi-Fi is available, and pull-through sites can accommodate rigs up to 100 feet.
Mohican State Park is located in a region of Ohio commonly known as the "Canoe Capital" of the state. The Mohican River is quite scenic and popular among paddlers. The 27 miles of flowing water provides a spectacular view of the forested valleys that make up the state park, as well as other portions of various reserves and state forests. Visitors who don't own their own equipment can rent canoes and kayaks just minutes outside of the park.
Angling enthusiasts are free to cast their lines here, as long as a valid state fishing license is acquired. In fact, the waters are quite plentiful. Common catches include large-mouth bass, crappies, bluegills, and sometimes even brown trout. Mohican River is one of only three Ohio rivers that are stocked with brown trout. The park provides fishermen great opportunities and ample space to get away from the crowds and drop a line.
Staying fit during a vacation can be tricky, especially if visitors are looking for activities that are a little more low-impact. All overnight visitors are allowed to use the outdoor swimming pool and splash pad. These amenities are located in the campground near the lodge and are a wonderful means to cool down during a sweltering summer day. The Olympic-sized pool is quite spacious, clean, and welcoming.
Tubing is a popular river activity in Mohican State Park. When the weather is right, there are many people who spend a relaxing time floating on the calm river waters. Overnight guests, as well as day-use visitors, can simply plop their own inner tubes into the river and enjoy a leisurely ride. Some guests even choose to become a little more inventive with their floating devices. Though the camp store has some tubes for sale, it's recommended that visitors bring their own.
Certain sites are marked as available for same-day reservations. Since this campground tends to get quite busy during the peak season, it may be wise to just reserve a spot ahead of time unless visitors plan on going during the off-season, from November to April. If visitors are planning a visit any time between May and October, they will want to make reservations rather than try to snag one of the few first-come, first-served campsites.
If visitors desire, Mohican State Park also offers cabins and rooms inside the lodge. The lodge is a hotel, with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. Large groups up to 425 can reserve banquet rooms in the lodge for meetings and parties. The cabins are available for rent from May through October and include access to the park's pools and other amenities.
Mohican State Park features six picnic areas in various spots throughout the park. Visitors will find tables, drinking water, and bathrooms available at each of the picnic areas. Only certain areas permit the use of grills and fire, so visitors should be sure to use these spots if they need to heat anything up. The campground store offers a few picnic supplies, but it's recommended that visitors come prepared with their own food to the park.
There are many hiking trails within Mohican State Park, with varying levels of difficulty. Several of the park's trails are also multi-use, so visitors who enjoy mountain biking or horseback riding can also use these trails. Some popular hikes include the Pleasant Hill Trail, an easy trek that follows the lake shoreline for three-quarters of a mile, the Lyons Fall Trail, a moderate to difficult hike that follows Clear Fork Gorge for two miles and offers two waterfall views, and the Hemlock Gorge Trail, a difficult, two-mile trail that leads to a scenic covered bridge.
Mohican State Park is also a popular location for mountain biking. Many of the park's trails are multi-use, so mountain bikers should be aware of other visitors who may be walking on the trails. The Mohican Bike Trail is a single track, 25-mile loop that passes through the park as well as the neighboring state forest. With hard, long climbs and smooth rolling descents, the Mohican Bike Trail has been voted as a top mountain biking trail in Ohio and is very popular among local mountain bikers.
During wintertime, visitors can enjoy some of Mohican State Park's other attractions. Many visitors come here to enjoy the land with the crunch of snow over top. With perfect winter weather conditions and ample accumulations of snow, park guests can enjoy snowmobiling on the designated trail. This trail runs through not only the park, but also in the adjacent state forest.
Mohican State Park also hosts several nature programs throughout the year. The programs are subject to change, but typically follow a set schedule that is made available online as well as on park bulletins. There lots of guided hikes and informational, interpretive programs to choose from. Many also include different skill and age levels. Visitors should come prepared with some extra clothes because some of the off-season programs tend to get a bit messy.
At Mohican State Park, many of the trails are open to equestrian enthusiasts. Horseback riding is a popular means to get around in the park, and several bridle trails take visitors throughout the park and the adjacent Mohican-Memorial State Forest. Since many of the trails are multi-use, horseback riders should be careful and courteous of hikers and mountain bikers that also enjoy these scenic trails. The bridle trails are also open to snowmobiles during the winter.
