East Fork State Park

On the ground

ODNR maintains more than 26 miles of trail at East Fork State Park, and the agency describes East Fork as having the most trails in Ohio's State Park system, with routes ranging from .5 mile to 33 miles. Among named routes, the Backpack Trail runs 5.38 miles and the Red Fox Trail runs 4.88 miles, both providing longer backcountry-style hikes, while the Twin Bridges Trail covers 4.5 miles and the Cascades Trail covers 2.07 miles, taking in the park's rockier terrain. Shorter named routes include the Pin Oak Trail at 1.63 miles, the Campground Trail at 1.02 miles, the Lake Trail at 0.98 miles, the Perimeter Trail at 0.79 miles, and the Beach Trail at 0.75 miles, along with the Storybook Trail at 0.36 miles, a half-mile route the park describes as presenting a rotating children's story in segments with a sitting area to view a small pond. The Heritage of Freedom Trail, at 0.36 miles, is known for drawing birds to its uncommon habitat.

Water at East Fork is centered on William H. Harsha Lake, also known as East Fork Lake, an 2,160-acre lake with unlimited horsepower boating and eight launch ramps around its shore. Backcountry camping is available by permit only at five designated areas along the Backpack and Perimeter trails. The park's one listed historic feature is a Dam/Spillway. An earthen mound built by the Adena culture, which thrived in Ohio between 800 B.C. and 100 A.D., stands within the park and is known as Elk Lick Mound. Just outside the park, the East Fork Site has yielded artifacts showing people have lived in the area for over 10,000 years, beginning with Paleoindians who moved frequently before later groups settled and built large earthen structures.