Columbus has a 3,000-foot beach 20 miles away and almost nobody knows it’s free

Alum Creek’s got a lot more than sand

Twenty miles north of Columbus, a 4,630-acre state park wraps around a reservoir the size of a small sea. Most people come to the beach.

Ohio’s largest inland beach in the state park system stretches 3,000 feet along the water, with changing rooms, showers, volleyball courts, and a concession stand. But the beach is just the front door.

Behind it sits a lake built on flooded farmland, trails carved through beech forests, and a road with a name that points back to one of the most important freedom routes in American history.

How a flood-control dam drowned 2,000 years of history

Construction on Alum Creek Dam ran from 1970 to 1974, and when the water rose, it covered farms, small communities, and something far older. The Adena culture lived in this valley more than 2,000 years ago.

Archaeologists found seven of their earthen mounds before the flooding began and managed to excavate six of them.

The dam grew out of the Flood Control Act of 1962, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers still helps manage the 3,387-acre reservoir it created.

Alum Creek itself feeds into Big Walnut Creek, which drains into the Scioto River.

Speed boats south, quiet water north

The lake splits into two different experiences depending on which direction you go.

South of U.S. Route 36/37, boats run with no horsepower limit, so water skiers and jet skis dominate the surface on warm weekends. Head north and the water calms down.

That section runs as a no-wake zone, which makes it far better for a kayak or paddleboard. Four public boat ramps give you access around the lake, with a fifth reserved for campers.

The Alum Creek Marina near the park’s southwest corner rents boats and kayaks if you don’t bring your own.

Cast a line for bass, walleye or muskellunge

The fish list here runs long. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill, walleye, saugeye, and muskellunge all live in the reservoir.

Deep ravines and shale bluffs cut along the shoreline, and standing timber in the water gives fish plenty of cover. You can work the banks or go out by boat.

When winter locks the surface, the lake stays open for ice fishing when conditions hold. You’ll need a valid Ohio fishing license either way, but the state park itself charges no entrance fee.

Walk the trail that freedom seekers once traveled by night

In November 2024, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources opened the Heritage of Freedom Trail near the Galena Boat Ramp, the first trail of its kind in the state park system.

The loop runs about three-quarters of a mile and follows interpretive signs that tell the story of the Sycamore Trail, a major Underground Railroad route that ran along Alum Creek.

Freedom seekers waded in the creek to hide their scent from dogs and followed the white bark of sycamore trees north through the dark. You can walk that same corridor now.

Africa Road and the community that gave it its name

The road running along the park’s eastern edge carries a name with real weight behind it.

Africa Road got its name from a settlement started in the 1820s by Samuel Patterson, built by formerly enslaved people from North Carolina.

Abolitionists from that community and from the nearby Alum Creek Friends Settlement, a Quaker group, worked together to move freedom seekers north.

The Hanby House in nearby Westerville served as a safe house along that same route. Historians estimate 40,000 or more enslaved people may have passed through the area on their way to Canada.

Over 60 miles of trails for hikers, riders and mountain bikers

The trail system here covers serious ground. Thirty-eight miles of bridle trails wind along the lakeshore and through mature beech-maple forests and deep ravines.

More than 20 miles of mountain bike trails range from a beginner loop to a technical Phase 2 course, all built and maintained by the Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization, a volunteer group active since the early 1990s.

Hikers get about seven miles of paths, including the Rocks and Roots Trail with lake views and shale cliffs. Near the beach’s north end, a Storybook Trail runs short and flat for young kids.

Three riding routes through forest, ravine and lakeside terrain

The 38 miles of bridle trails break into three main routes. Winterhawk loops around the north end of the lake.

Maple Glen follows the west side through a mix of terrain and loop options. Hunters’ Hollow heads south from Howard Road and puts good lake views in front of you.

If you’re riding in for multiple days, the horse camp has about 25 primitive sites with highlines, potable water for the horses, fire rings, and picnic tables.

It sits apart from the main campground, so you won’t be crowded by RVs.

Dogs get their own beach and four fenced acres

The Alum Creek Dog Park opened June 3, 2006, and was built by volunteers through a partnership with the state park.

The four-acre setup has separate fenced sections for large and small dogs, and a dog beach gives them direct water access to the reservoir. Lights keep the park usable into the evening.

Dogs are welcome on most hiking trails throughout the park as long as you keep them on a leash, but the main swimming beach is off-limits to them. It’s a clean separation that keeps both areas working well.

Spot bald eagles, osprey and 200 bird species around the reservoir

More than 200 bird species have turned up in the park across its forests, fields, wetlands, and open water.

Bald eagles show up with growing regularity, especially around Plumb Road, Cheshire Causeway, and Berlin Station.

Osprey nest on platforms along Hogback Road at the northern end of the lake, one of the few spots in Ohio where you can reliably see them. Spring and fall pull in migrating waterfowl, warblers, and shorebirds.

The shallow northern end of the reservoir, where the valley narrows, draws herons, dabbling ducks, and birds of prey in good numbers.

Camp lakeside, sail the coves or sled in December

The campground runs 286 electric sites with showers, restrooms, and a camp store. Some sites sit above the lake with a direct view of the water.

The Alum Creek Sailing Association, founded in 1982, runs a 135-slip marina and offers learn-to-sail programs for adults and kids. Winter doesn’t shut the park down.

Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing run on the multi-purpose trail, and ice fishing stays open when the lake freezes solid.

Each winter season, the campground hosts Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights, a drive-through holiday light display that draws crowds from across central Ohio.

A free park this close to a major city is hard to find

The park sits just off Interstate 71 and U.S. Route 23, which puts it within easy reach of Columbus and its surrounding suburbs. It runs from sunrise to sunset, every day of the year, with no entrance fee.

A disc golf course near the New Galena Boat Ramp gives you another free option if the trails and beach aren’t enough.

Not many places this close to a city of 900,000 put a 3,000-foot beach, a 3,387-acre lake, trails for every skill level, and a piece of American history on the same map.

Visit Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County, Ohio

To walk the Heritage of Freedom Trail, head to the Galena Boat Ramp parking lot off Africa Road. The main park address is 3615 S. Old State Road, Delaware, Ohio 43015.

The park runs daily from sunrise to sunset with no entrance fee.

Camping sites with electricity, showers, and a camp store run through a reservation system at the official state camping website. The Heritage of Freedom Trail is free to walk and open year-round.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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