Image via Wikipedia

COLUMBUS, OH – Boat owners wishing to rent public boat docks at several popular Ohio State Park lakes have until Wednesday, August 31 to enter lottery drawings used to select renters for available docks. Application forms are now available through the individual park offices.

Lottery drawings will be held in September for boat docks at Alum Creek, Buck Creek, Buckeye Lake, Cleveland Lakefront, Deer Creek, Delaware, Lake Milton, Middle Bass Island, Paint Creek, Rocky Fork and West Branch state parks.

Completed forms may be submitted in person to the respective parks by Wednesday, August 31, or sent by certified mail/return receipt.  Only one application per boat is permitted, and must be submitted by the boat owner.  Lottery applicants must be able to show current proof of boat ownership or lease at the time of entry, and may be required to show a photo ID.  Boats titled to dealerships are not eligible.

The drawings are held on or before the third Saturday in September.  Applicants need not be present to win, and the winning lottery applicants will be notified by the park.  Persons selected by the lottery are entitled to renewal privileges for up to five years.  Renewals may be completed in person or on-line on the Ohio State Parks website, www.ohiostateparks.org.

Contact the individual park offices for specific details on allowable boat sizes, dock amenities, and dock rental fees, as well as other application procedures.

In addition to the parks conducting the September lotteries, several state parks have seasonal docks available for rent on a first-come first-served basis.  They include A.W. Marion and Buckeye Lake in central Ohio; East Harbor, Grand Lake St. Marys, Indian Lake, Kiser Lake, Lake Loramie, and Mary Jane Thurston in northwest Ohio; Geneva, Guilford Lake, Mosquito Lake, Punderson, and West Branch in northeast Ohio; Burr Oak, Dillon, Salt Fork, and Shawnee in southeast Ohio; and Caesar Creek, Cowan Lake, and Hueston Woods in southwest Ohio

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.gov

Related articles

• Ohio Duck Blind Lottery August 20th, 2011 (steelvalleyoutdoors.info)
• Lottery for 9 Special Deer Hunts in Ohio (steelvalleyoutdoors.info)

Ohio State Park Boat Lottery Deadline Aug. 31st ©, .

A few years ago, “Surf the North Shore” shirts were a popular area fad. I Always thought they were ironic. I mean, who would surf in Ohio?

Well Actually, This Guy:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Or, If Lake Erie is a challenge, try windsurfing of Barber Point at Moraine State Park- It’s so popular there, its featured on their web site.

100 Days of Summer: June 5- Go Windsurfing ©, .

Why Feature two posts the first week for Kayaking? Well, because right now I’m getting a ton of hits on the kayaking page from Google. People seem to be discovering the advantages of paddle sports in our region.

And why not? We’ve got whitewater at McConnells Mill and on the Yough, Fishing and scenic rivers on Ohio’s Water trails, Lake and Pond paddling, and sea kayaking on Lake Erie. We’ve got it all.

And in the fact that Kayaking and Canoeing are relatively easy to learn, pretty cheap, and provide a great return on your investment, and you can see why more and more people are discovering the hobby.

And it’s incredibly easy to get started. Grab a boat and head to lake Newport of Glacier in Mill Creek for some easy paddling and to get your feet wet, so to speak.

100 Days of Summer: June 3- Kayak Mill Creek Park ©, .

Canoe City Metropark,  has been the put-in to the Mahoning River since 1920.  18 Acres in Leavittsburg, It’s a small picnic area. Bring your fishing poles too: It’s a great fishing spot.

Trumbull Canoe Trails Paddle Club is sponsors events at this park, so check out their website for upcoming dates.

100 Days of Summer: June 1- Canoe the Mahoning River ©, .

Within 25 Miles

• Mill Creek Park- 0 miles Youngstown OH
• Yellow Creek Park- 5 miles Struthers OH
• Mill Creek Bikeway- 5 miles Canfield OH
• Lake Milton State Park-13 miles Lake Milton, OH
• Berlin Lake- 14 miles Deerfield, OH
• Mosquito Creek Lake- 14 miles Cortland, OH
• Shenango River Lake-14 miles Sharpsville, PA
• West Branch State Park 18 miles Ravenna, OH
• Eagle Creek Nature Preserve 21 miles Garrettsville, OH
• Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park 22 miles Garrettsville, OH
• McConnells Mill State Park 22 miles Portersville, PA
• Guilford Lake State Park 23 miles Hanoverton, OH
• Moraine State Park 23 miles Portersville, PA
• Beaver Creek State Forest 24 miles Lisbon, OH

Within 50 Miles

• Beaver Creek State Park 26 miles Rogers, OH
• Quail Hollow State Park 27 miles Hartville, OH
• Maurice K. Goddard State Park 30 miles Hadley, PA
• Tinkers Creek State Park 31 miles Streetsboro, OH
• Tinkers Creek Nature Preserve 31 miles Streetsboro, OH
• Punderson State Park 33 miles Newbury, OH
• Little Beaver Creek Trail 35 Miles Lisbon, OH
• Pymatuning State Park-OH 36 miles Andover, OH
• Portage Lakes State Park 37 miles Akron, OH
• Brady’s Run County Park 37 miles Beaver Falls, PA
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park 37 miles Peninsula, OH
• Pymatuning State Park-PA 37 miles Linesville, PA
• Charles Mill Lake 38 miles Canton, OH
• Raccoon Creek State Park 42 miles Hookstown, PA
• Erie National Wildlife Refuge 42 miles Cochranton, PA
• Sand Run MetroPark- 44 miles Akron OH
• Bolivar Dam 44 miles Bolivar, OH
• Jefferson Lake State Park 44 miles East Springfield, OH
• Woodcock Creek Lake 46 miles Saegertown, PA
• South Chagrin Reservation 47 miles Solon Ohio
• Hillman State Park 47 miles Burgettstown, PA
• Atwood Lake 47 miles New Philadelphia, OH
• Beach City Lake 48 miles Strasburg, OH
• Dover Dam 48 miles Dover, OH
• Leesville Lake 49 miles Bowerston, OH
• Cleveland Lakefront State Park 49 miles Cleveland, OH
• Oil Creek State Park 49 miles Pleasantville, PA

Within 75 miles

• Headlands Beach State Park 52 miles Painesville, OH
• Point State Park 52 miles Pittsburgh, PA
• Crooked Creek Lake 52 miles Ford City, PA
• Yellow Creek State Forest 53 miles New Philadelphia, OH
• Geneva State Park 53 miles Geneva, OH
• Fernwood State Forest 54 miles Steubenville, OH
• Deep Lock Quarry 54 Miles Akron OH
• Cornplanter State Forest 54 miles Tionesta, PA
• Tionesta Lake 54 miles Tionesta, PA
• Tappan Lake 56 miles Tippecanoe, OH
• Gorge MetroPark 56 Miles Akron OH
• Cook Forest State Park 60 miles Clarington, PA
• Findley State Park 61 miles Wellington, OH
• Mahoning Creek Lake 61 miles Smicksburg, PA
• Clear Creek State Forest 63 miles Sigel, PA
• Clear Creek State Park 63 miles Sigel, PA
• Clendening Lake 63 miles Tippecanoe, OH
• Rocky River Reservation 65 miles Berea, OH
• Mohicanville Dam 65 miles Lakeville, OH
• Loyalhanna Lake 65 miles Saltsburg, PA
• Marienville Ranger District – Allegheny NF 65 miles Marienville, PA
• Piedmont Lake 67 miles Piedmont, OH
• Conemaugh River Lake 67 miles Clarksburg, PA
• Keystone State Park 71 miles New Alexandria, PA
• Mohican State Park 73 miles Loudonville, OH
• Chapman State Park 73 miles Warren, PA
• Yellow Creek State Park 74 miles Brush Valley, PA
• Mohican-Memorial State Forest 74 miles Perrysville, OH
• Pleasant Hill Lake 74 miles Perrysville, OH

Within 100 Miles

• Presque Isle State Park 76 miles Erie, PA
• Barkcamp State Park 76 miles Belmont, OH
• Malabar Farm State Park 76 miles Lucas, OH
• Mohawk Dam 77 miles Warsaw, OH
• North Chagrin Reservation 78 Miles Willoughby Hills OH
• Salt Fork State Park 79 miles Cambridge, OH
• Wills Creek Lake 81 miles Adamsville, OH
• Kinzua Dam And Allegheny Reservoir 82 miles Warren, PA
• Ryerson Station State Park 85 miles Wind Ridge, PA
• Linn Run State Park 86 miles Stahlstown, PA
• Senecaville Lake 87 miles Senecaville, OH
• Long Point on Lake Chautauqua State Park 88 miles Bemus Point, NY
• Allegheny Portage Railroad Ntnl Hist Site 88 miles Johnstown, PA
• Laurel Mountain State Park 88 miles Rector, PA
• Sunfish Creek State Forest 89 miles Clarington, OH
• Forbes State Forest 89 miles Stahlstown, PA
• Laurel Summit State Park 91 miles Somerset, PA
• Kooser State Park 91 miles Somerset, PA
• Laurel Hill State Park 93 miles Rockwood, PA
• Dillon State Park 94 miles Nashport, OH
• Friendship Hill National Historic Site 96 miles Greensboro, PA
• Laurel Ridge State Park 96 miles Confluence, PA
• Wolf Run State Park 97 miles Caldwell, OH
• Fort Necessity National Battlefield. 98 miles Farmington, PA
• Tidioute Overlook 99 miles Tidioute PA
• Hearts Content Recreation Area- Warren PA 100 Miles
• Ohiopyle State Park. 100 miles Ohiopyle, PA
• Blue Rock State Forest 100 miles Blue Rock, OH

How To Use this List:

• I’ve kept State Parks and related State Forests as two lines. This might be cheating, but they usually offer different experiences.
• Each Link goes directly to the appropriate site, not to a directory, wherever possible.
• Scroll down to your favorite area. Look right above it. Have you been here? How about the area right below it?

100 Days of Summer: 100 Recreational Areas Within 100 Miles ©, .