PAINT CREEK DAM SITE

Overview Paint Creek Dam Site Area, located on Paint Creek Lake, offers great opportunities for outdoor recreation in the Scioto area of southwestern Ohio. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, camping, picnicking and rock climbing. Recreation The campground is operated by the Ohio Department of State Parks and offers a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities, including mini and disc golf, a nature center and an amphitheater.

Other activities on land include picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hunting and rock climbing. A swimming beach, summer nature programs, three boat ramps, a marina and boat rentals can all be found around the lake. In winter months, sledding and cross-country skiing are available.

The Corps of Engineers downstream recreation area offers picnicking, a trail, a play area and rock climbing opportunities. Two access points to the stream provide kayaking and canoeing opportunities on the river. Paint Creek has long been a popular fishing stream, where white and black crappie, blue gill, smallmouth and spotted bass, rock bass, suckers, darters, channel catfish and saugeye are commonly found.

5-mile hiking trail meanders near Little Pond, and individual picnic sites with grills are scattered throughout the area and available on a first come, first served basis. Facilities Paint Creek Dam Site Area offers two accessible day-use picnic shelters that each accommodate up to 100 people. A visitor center is located on-site.

Little Pond Shelter (Shelter 1) sits next to Little Pond and contains 15-amp electric hookups. Corn hole courts are adjacent, but bean bags are not provided. A water fountain is available at the shelter; a fountain and playground are just across the parking lot from the shelter.

Overlook Shelter (Shelter 2) overlooks the lake and emergency spillway. There is an environmental restroom but it has no water or electric hookups.