Cat laying down on a picnic table at sunset in Adams Lake State Park, Ohio
Cat laying down on a picnic table at sunset in Adams Lake State Park, Ohio FatalFit · CC0

Adams Lake State Park

State Park · Ohio · Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Adams Lake State Park is a 97-acre Ohio state park near West Union, managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. It centers on a 47-acre lake and sits within Ohio's Bluegrass Region, an area the agency describes as one of the state's most scenic and biologically interesting, bordered by Appalachian foothills to the east and glaciated land to the north and west.

The park suits visitors after a quiet, small-scale lake outing rather than a big destination park: anglers working the water for largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, bullhead, and carp, paddlers in hand-powered or electric-motor craft, and walkers on a short shoreline path. Its adjacency to Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve also draws those interested in the region's prairie remnants and native plant diversity.

Plan your visit

Trails

3 named routes 1.54 mi of walkable ways mapped within 2 km

  • 0.54 Adams Lake Walking Trail
  • 0.31 Post Oak Trail
  • 0.27 Prairie Dock Trail

Know before you go

Address
14633 State Route 41, West Union, OH, 45693
Phone
(740) 858-6652
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.

Getting there

14633 State Route 41, West Union, OH, 45693

Directions on Google Maps →

On the ground

The Adams Lake Walking Trail runs 0.54 miles and, per the park's own description, an accessible three-quarter-mile walking path follows the lake's southern shore. Two shorter routes, the Post Oak Trail and the Prairie Dock Trail, add to the network of mapped ways near the park, which together total 1.54 miles across five segments of dirt, paved, and gravel surface. Additional trails continue onto the adjoining Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve, where visitors are asked to stay on established paths because of the area's botanical uniqueness.

A small launch ramp near the park entrance gives access to the 47-acre lake for hand-powered boats and those with electric motors. Four picnic areas with tables and restrooms are spread through the park, and a Storybook Trail — a half-mile, easy route with a Free Little Library at its start — offers a shorter option for families. The park's land and water are closely balanced, with 50 acres of land against the 47-acre lake, reflecting how much of the park's character is tied to the water itself.

Practical notes

Park hours run 6am to 11pm daily, though visitors may continue legitimate recreational activities outside those hours. The park can be reached at (740) 858-6652, and is located at 14633 State Route 41, West Union, OH, 45693.

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Sources: State agency, Wikimedia Commons / editorial, OpenStreetMap contributors, USGS PAD-US, Google Places · updated 2026-08-23