State parks host more overnight visitors in '09

I love the state parks. My family and I camp 10 -12 times per year in them. Indian Lake is a great one and so is Delaware. One that many people don't know about is AW Marion in Circleville. It has electric but that's about it. What it does have is a nice 5 mile loop around Hargus lake. It's pretty rustic. It has no camp store or anything, but it's a nice change from the bigger parks and it's only $21 per night. It makes for a cheap weekend that everyone can enjoy.

We camp at the Mt. Gad State Park at least twice a summer. Their in park volunteers are always doing something.

They have country breakfast for the whole park on several weekends.
They have the "Taste of the Country" in July.
August they host a "Peddler in the Park".
They have an "Apple Butter Festival" in October that all the campers are invited to take part in stirring the apple butter overnight. They do a ham and bean dinner that Saturday night.
They do a lot for such a small park and all they ask for all the food events is donations.

Julie wrote:

We camp at the Mt. Gad State Park at least twice a summer. Their in park volunteers are always doing something.
They have country breakfast for the whole park on several weekends.
They have the "Taste of the Country" in July.
August they host a "Peddler in the Park".
They have an "Apple Butter Festival" in October that all the campers are invited to take part in stirring the apple butter overnight. They do a ham and bean dinner that Saturday night.
They do a lot for such a small park and all they ask for all the food events is donations.

Wow. I guess AW Marion does suck.

These public lands, state forests, parks, wildlife areas, nature preserves, etc are our heritage. Legislators are trying to sell it to oil and gas drillers, coal companies and close the rest. I wouldn't be surprised if state officials have to close some parks because they can't afford utilities and staff. Then the legislators will scream and point partisan fingers.

More overnight visitors? They're also called "homeless people."

Growing up in Ohio, I loved going to the state parks and metro parks. About ten years ago I moved to California where you have to pay to enjoy state parks (nominal fee). I hope that Ohio state parks remain free of charge after all the budget woes. When I took my wife to visit Ohio for the first time, I took her to Hocking Hills, which has always been my favorite and she really enjoyed it. Ohio state parks (and metro) are wonderful places.

Our parks are great, they need a constitute base to support them!! BUT, they shoot themselves in the foot by allowing certain expensive practices to continue. They would have more money to operate on if DNR would stop the Parks people from driving our state owned vehicles home!! Some managers drive them home every night!

Julie wrote:

We camp at the Mt. Gad State Park at least twice a summer. Their in park volunteers are always doing something.
They have country breakfast for the whole park on several weekends.
They have the "Taste of the Country" in July.
August they host a "Peddler in the Park".
They have an "Apple Butter Festival" in October that all the campers are invited to take part in stirring the apple butter overnight. They do a ham and bean dinner that Saturday night.
They do a lot for such a small park and all they ask for all the food events is donations.

That should be "Mt. Gilead" State Park.