Oak Point State Park

Oak Point State Park is a tiny waterfront stop, the smallest park in Ohio's state park system at 1 acre, all of it land. It functions as a companion property to South Bass Island State Park rather than a standalone destination, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources suggests visitors arrive early to watch the sunrise.

This is a park for boaters passing through, anglers working the shoreline, and picnickers who want a quiet patch of grass near the water. It is not built for long hikes or extensive facilities; visitors come for the dock access, the view, and the small-scale calm of a single-acre green space.

Plan your visit

Trails

5 named routes 7.52 mi of walkable ways mapped within 2 km

0.37 Duff Woods Preserve
0.33 Ken's Trail
0.30 Cooper's Woods Shady Path
0.22 Morrison Woods Trail
0.16 Story Walk Trail

Know before you go

Address: Bayview Avenue, Put-in-Bay, OH, 43456
Phone: (419) 285-2112
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 surrounding island was shaped by glaciers advancing from Canada, which gouged the bedrock and left depressions that filled with meltwater to help form the Great Lakes. Glacial striations and deeper glacial grooves are still visible in the exposed bedrock nearby, including a small set near the group camp at South Ba. The region's human history runs just as deep: before the late 1700s, the Lake Erie Island region was occupied by Ottawa and Huron (Wyandot) tribes, and the British also remained in the area, harassing American ships and encouraging Indian resistance. In 1807, John Pierpont Edwards of the Connecticut Land Company was granted ownership of the Bass islands, and his son, John Stark Edwards, settled there in 1811, clearing 100 acres and raising a crop of wheat within the first year. In June 1812, the U.S. declared war against Great Britain.

On the ground today, Oak Point is compact and functional. Boaters can tie up at 14 slip docks and 7 docks with a 28ft limit, first-come first-served and free for a 12-hour limit. A narrow sidewalk on the north side of the park is suitable for fishing, and Ohio fishing regulations require a valid license for anglers 16 and older. A small picnic area is available, with restrooms and water found nearby. Nearby ways mapped near the park total 7.52 miles, including short named routes such as Duff Woods Preserve at 0.37 miles, Ken's Trail at 0.33 miles, Cooper's Woods Shady Path at 0.3 miles, Morrison Woods Trail at 0.22 miles, and Story Walk Trail at 0.16 miles.

Practical notes

Park hours run 6am to 11pm daily, and visitors are permitted to actively engage in legitimate recreational activities outside these hours. Questions can be directed to the park office at (419) 285-2112.