By:
Submission
C.J. Brown Reservoir is located in west-central Ohio, two miles northeast of Springfield; thirty-five miles northeast of Dayton, and forty-five miles west of Columbus.
The Buck Creek valley was once a patchwork of wetland fens, prairie meadows, oak savannas, and open oak woodlands. Today, the 2,120 acre C.J. Brown Reservoir is surrounded by varied habitats, from brushy old fields, to restored prairie, to forest. C.J. Brown was designated an Ohio Important Bird Area in 2002.
There are many recreational opportunities to enjoy at the lake including fishing, hiking, biking, wildlife watching, and picnicking. At nearby Buck Creek State Park, visitors also enjoy swimming, boating, and camping.
C.J. Brown Reservoir offers three reservable picnic shelters, with grills, picnic tables, electric service, and water fountains. The Visitor Center has exhibits on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and history of the Dam and lake, along with the natural resources and recreation in the area. Restrooms for the Meadow View shelter are located at the Visitor Center.
At adjacent Buck Creek State Park, there is a campground, rental cottages, a marina, swimming beach, and trails. Springfield, Ohio, is just a few miles away, and has several museums that are worth visiting, including the Heritage Center and the Frank Lloyd Wright Westcott House.
From I-70 westbound, Exit at US 40 and go west to Bird Rd. Turn right (north) on Bird Rd. then left on Old Columbus Rd. Following the signs for the CJ Brown Visitor Center, turn right onto Croft Rd., then right onto Overlook Drive into the park.
From I-70 Eastbound exit at SR 4, follow 4 north through Springfield to Croft Rd. Turn right on Croft and left onto Overlook Dr.
Beautiful place to go on a nice day but beware of bugs depending on time of year. It's extremely buggy
Nice place to spend in the evening and even whole day for group of families. Just an hour drive from Columbus. Don’t forget to plan to visit the beach within few miles on the other side of the reservoir. I didn’t get chance to rent boat or jet ski, may be you can plan that as well.
Very nice area with picnic tables and plenty of place to fish. Handicap parking. Nice restrooms 🚻
The hiking trails are from easy to moderate in effort. Between walking up to the lookout by the spillway, to the Buckhorn Trail, and finishing up walking to the visitor center and back, we managed 10 miles.
Beautiful place to hike and enjoy the outdoors. Many outdoor activities available. I wish they did not close/lock the restrooms so early. The park is open til "dusk"..( when the sun sets/ dark). Restrooms need to be available til then as well. Nature. Wildlife. Bird watching. Exercise. Hiking. Boating. Fishing. Playgrounds. Camping. And many other activities available.
