This recreation area was perfect in so many ways. I was browsing for a spot to shoot the Milky Way close to home and I stumbled on this spot. Since very little exists online about this area, I has no idea what to expect. Here’s what I discovered.

The main reason I came here was for the night skies. The dark skies here boast a beautiful view of the Milky Way, the best in Ohio as a matter of fact.

I was also looking for a place to spend some refresh and relax time after a busy week. I had this entire area to myself (other than the hollering bullfrogs and singing birds). This has to be one of the remote areas in Ohio.

What I was most surprised by was the Lamping Trail. I’m used to trails at primitive recreation areas like this being a short, flat quarter mile, boring hike. This 3.5 mile (or the shorter 1.5 mile loop) trail follows a beautiful creek, has amazing views of the Lamping pond and has decent elevation gains. I felt like I was deep into the woods along the trail. All enough to entertain an avid hiker!

The area has a pavilion, 7 diverse campsites, 2 vault toilets and no running water, so make sure to come prepared with potable water. Also, make sure to check out the creepy family cemetery on top of a Native American burial mound located just off the southwest corner of the pond.