A.W. Marion State Park

A.W. Marion State Park is a 455-acre Ohio state park near Circleville, managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Of that total, 310 acres are land and 145 acres are water, most of it held in the park's lake. The park describes itself as a rural stretch of rolling woodlands centered on the quiet waters of Hargus Lake, offering fishing, boating, camping, and hiking.

It suits visitors looking for a low-key lake park: anglers, paddlers and small-motor boaters, campers who want a small, pet-friendly campground, and hikers or mountain bikers on a compact trail network. Hunters also use the woodlands in season, and winter visitors come for sledding and ice fishing when conditions allow.

Plan your visit

Trails

7 named routes 10.22 mi of walkable ways mapped within 2 km

5.26 Mountain Bike Trail
2.40 Hargus Lake Perimeter Trail
0.64 Bear Corn Trail / Mountain Bike Trail
0.45 Hargus Lake Perimeter Trail / Mountain Bike Trail
0.37 Dam Trail / Mountain Bike Trail
0.29 Hargus Lake Perimeter Trail / Dam Trail
0.17 Hargus Lake Perimeter Trail / Bear Corn Trail

Camping & lodging

8 mapped camping locations

A.W. Marion State Park Campground offers both electric and non-electric campsites. This small, pet-friendly campground has flush restrooms, ball courts, and a camp store as well as vault latrines.

Know before you go

Address: 7317 Warner-Huffer Rd, Circleville, OH, 43113
Phone: (740) 869-3124
Official site: ohiodnr.gov
Managed by: Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Hours: 6am to 11pm daily. Visitors are permitted to actively engage in legitimate recreational activities outside these hours. If you have questions, call the park office.

On the ground

The park's named historic features include a Dam/Spillway and a Monument. Archaeologists have documented Adena and Hopewell activity in Pickaway County, including tools like arrowheads and effigy pipes, and the mounds these cultures built along Hargus Creek are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A large, round earthwork once stood where Hargus Creek meets the Scioto River, and it is why Pickaway County's main town was named Circleville.

On foot, the Hargus Lake Perimeter Loop covers 3.9 miles, the Bear Corn Trail runs 0.6 mile, and a multi-use trail open to hiking and mountain biking extends 7.3 miles, with all trails open year-round. Ways mapped near the park also include a route called Mountain Bike Trail measured at 5.26 miles and a route called Hargus Lake Perimeter Trail measured at 2.4 miles, along with several shorter connecting segments where these routes overlap. On the water, Hargus Lake allows hand-powered vessels and boats with electric motors, with one boat launch ramp and seasonal boat rentals available at the marina. There is no swimming beach, but boaters may swim from their boats in designated areas, and a separate non-fenced dog swim area allows off-leash access for supervised dogs.

Practical notes

Park hours run 6am to 11pm daily, and visitors engaged in legitimate recreational activities are permitted outside those hours; questions can be directed to the park office at (740) 869-3124. The park is located at 7317 Warner-Huffer Rd, Circleville, OH, 43113.