One of the original canal feeder lakes, 407-acre Lake Loramie State Park offers visitors a quiet retreat in rural Ohio. Swim from the sandy beach, hike along the old canal towpath, stay a night in a shaded campsite or boat the lazy waters of 843-acre Lake Loramie.
History:
Preceding the French and Indian War of 1754-1763, the Miami village called Pickawillany became prominent in this area. Over 400 Indian families lived here and it became the principal headquarters of the Miami Confederacy before being destroyed by the French in 1752 because the Miami Indians sided with the British.
Lake Loramie derived its name from the famous French-Canadian trader, Peter Loramie, who in 1769 established a trading post at the mouth of Loramie Creek near the west end of what is now Loramie Reservoir. Loramie first came to the area as a Jesuit priest to minister to the Wyandot and Shawnee Indians.
Loramie's store became the center of Indian mischief against the settlers, and Loramie became a bitter enemy of the Americans. General George Rogers Clark destroyed the post and a nearby Indian village in 1782 during an expedition in the Miami valley. Loramie emigrated west with a band of Shawnee shortly afterwards. In 1794, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne built a fort on the former trading post site.
Lake Loramie was originally constructed in 1844-45 as a storage reservoir to supply water for the Miami-Erie Canal system. A short feeder canal connected Lake Loramie with the main canal which furnished transportation from the Ohio River at Cincinnati north to Lake Erie. The canal system reached its peak of economic importance in the mid-1800s. Eventually, the advent of the railroads and destruction caused by the floods of 1913 forced the abandonment of the canals in that year.
Since that time, Lake Loramie and other canal lands became recognized for their potential to serve increasing outdoor recreational needs. In 1949, Lake Loramie became the possession of the newly created Division of Parks and Recreation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and has been maintained as a state park since.
Camping
The campground offers 177 campsites.
20 sites with full hook-ups, 4 are lakeside and 2 are ADA compliant
142 electric sites; 40 of which are premium sites
15 non-electric sites
Showers, flush toilets and a dump station
Several sites have boat tie-ups
2 group camp areas are available by reservation to organized groups.
Miniature golf
Free WiFi access is available at the camp office to registered campers
Activities:
Boating
No limit to horsepower, but the entire lake is classified as "no wake" with the exception of the designated speed zone at the west end. Water skiing and tubing are prohibited. A boat swim zone is located on the north side of Blackberry Island.
Six launch ramps provide access to the lake. There are 91 docks and tie-ups available for lease. Canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats can be rented.
An adaptive boat launch (between beach parking lot and campground) accommodates paddle craft and pontoon boats.
Disc Golf
The park features an 18-hole disc golf course.
Fishing
Lake Loramie provides good catches of crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, bullheads, carp and fair numbers of largemouth bass. A valid Ohio fishing license is required.
Four fishing piers are located in the park (West Bank, Earl's Island, Oak Grove, and Daniels). The fishing piers at Oak Grove and Daniel's are ADA accessible.
Hunting
Hunting is permitted in designated areas when in season. A valid Ohio hunting license is required.
Picnicking
There are 15 picnic areas located around the lake. Grills, restrooms and drinking water are provided.
Three shelterhouses (Beach Shelter, Daniels Shelter, and Earls Island Pavilion) can be reserved; if they are not reserved, they are available first come, first served. Earl’s Island Pavilion (one of the reservable shelterhouses) closes for the winter season (Nov 1 - Mar 31).
Two other shelterhouses (Luthman and one near the beach) are always first come, first served.
Swimming
A 600-foot sandy beach has adjacent picnic areas, a playground and a shelterhouse. Swimming is permitted during daylight hours in designated areas only. Please exercise caution while swimming at the beach. Pets are NOT permitted on swimming beaches.
A boat swim zone is located on the north side of Blackberry Island.
Trails
There are five hiking trails with more than 8 miles of trails:
Blackberry Island Trail - 1 Mile - Easy
Lakeview Trail - 2 Miles - Easy
Little Turtle Trace - 1 Mile - Easy
Miami-Erie Trail - 1 Mile - Easy (Part of Buckeye Trail)
Upper Loramie Trail - 2 Miles - Easy
Portion of the Buckeye Trail - 2 Miles - Moderate (part of Miami-Erie Trail inside the park)
A portion of the trail system follows the Miami-Erie Canal from the park to Delphos. This route is also a part of the Buckeye Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail.
Fitness Trail: Five fitness stations have been installed at Earl's Island along the paved walkway near the volleyball court and playground.
Winter Recreation
In the proper conditions, guests can go snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating, ice fishing, and ice boating.
More to Do
Nature Center with nature programs offered during the summer months
Bike, canoe, kayak and paddle boat rental is available
