Top state parks
State ParkHocking Hills State Park
State ParkMaumee Bay State Park
State ParkLittle Miami Scenic Trail
State ParkDelaware State Park
State ParkHeadlands Beach State Park
State ParkLake Hope State Park
State ParkLake Loramie State Park
State ParkBarkcamp State Park
State ParkMalabar Farm State Park
State ParkBlue Rock State Park
State ParkBuck Creek State Park
State ParkBurr Oak State Park
State Parks by county
All state parks (53)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hocking Hills State Park | Hocking County | — | Logan | 3 |
| Maumee Bay State Park | Lucas County | — | Curtice | 5 |
| Little Miami Scenic Trail | Greene County | — | Yellow Springs | 5 |
| Delaware State Park | Delaware County | — | Delaware | 5 |
| Headlands Beach State Park | Lake County | — | Fairport Harbor | 5 |
| Lake Hope State Park | Vinton County | — | McArthur | 3 |
| Lake Loramie State Park | Shelby County | — | Fort Loramie | 4 |
| Barkcamp State Park | Belmont County | — | Bethesda | 3 |
| Malabar Farm State Park | Richland County | — | Bellville | 4 |
| Blue Rock State Park | Muskingum County | — | South Zanesville | 3 |
| Buck Creek State Park | Clark County | — | Northridge | 5 |
| Burr Oak State Park | Morgan County | — | Glouster | 3 |
| Caesar Creek State Park | Warren County | — | Waynesville | 5 |
| Lake White State Park | Pike County | — | Piketon | 4 |
| Van Buren State Park | Hancock County | — | North Baltimore | 4 |
| Strouds Run State Park | Athens County | — | Athens | 4 |
| A. W. Marion State Park | Pickaway County | — | Circleville | 5 |
| Adams Lake State Park | Adams County | — | West Union | 4 |
| Alum Creek State Park | Delaware County | — | Lewis Center | 6 |
| Mohican State Park | Ashland County | — | Loudonville | 4 |
| Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park | Portage County | — | Garrettsville | 4 |
| Paint Creek State Park | Highland County | — | Greenfield | 3 |
| Cowan Lake State Park | Clinton County | — | Wilmington | 4 |
| Punderson State Park | Geauga County | — | Burton | 5 |
| Quail Hollow State Park | Stark County | — | Hartville | 5 |
| Rocky Fork State Park | Highland County | — | Hillsboro | 3 |
| East Fork State Park | Clermont County | — | Williamsburg | 4 |
| East Harbor State Park | Ottawa County | — | Port Clinton | 4 |
| Salt Fork State Park | Guernsey County | — | Cambridge | 3 |
| Shawnee State Park | Scioto County | — | West Portsmouth | 3 |
| Stonelick State Park | Clermont County | — | Goshen | 5 |
| Geneva State Park | Ashtabula County | — | Geneva-on-the-Lake | 4 |
| Independence Dam State Park | Defiance County | — | Defiance | 4 |
| John Bryan State Park | Greene County | — | Yellow Springs | 5 |
| Jackson Lake State Park | Jackson County | — | Oak Hill | 3 |
| Mary Jane Thurston State Park | Lucas County | — | Weston | 4 |
| Mount Gilead State Park | Morrow County | — | Mount Gilead | 5 |
| Portage Lakes State Park | Summit County | — | New Franklin | 6 |
| Harrison Lake State Park | Williams County | — | Fayette | 3 |
| Catawba Island State Park | Ottawa County | — | Port Clinton | 4 |
| Dillon State Park | Muskingum County | — | Frazeysburg | 4 |
| Findley State Park | Lorain County | — | Wellington | 5 |
| Lake Logan State Park | Hocking County | — | Logan | 4 |
| Madison Lake State Park | Madison County | — | London | 5 |
| West Branch State Park | Portage County | — | Craig Beach | 4 |
| Kelleys Island State Park | Erie County | — | Sandusky | 4 |
| Beaver Creek State Park | Columbiana County | — | Calcutta | 4 |
| Tar Hollow State Park | Ross County | — | Kingston | 3 |
| Rockbridge State Nature Preserve | Hocking County | — | Logan | 4 |
| Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker State Nature Preserve | Champaign County | — | West Liberty | 4 |
| Wingfoot Lake State Park | Portage County | — | Mogadore | 5 |
| Mosquito Lake State Park | Trumbull County | — | Cortland | 5 |
| Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve | Hocking County | — | Logan | 3 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph state parks
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.