Kiser Lake

About Kiser Lake

Visitors from southwest Ohio will be surprised to see Kiser Lake, but nearly 400 acres of water created specifically for recreation welcome visitors to Kizer Lake State Park. The lake was built in the late 19th century, when a dam was built to supply water to a local mill. Eventually the mill was abandoned and the dam was neglected.

Most of the water has been drained, leaving only marshy areas, but the lake still serves as a popular recreational area.

Many years passed before interest in the restoration of the lake arose again and in 1938 the construction of a new dam was begun. This time, however, the focus was not on hydropower, but on the development of new water sources for the city of Kisker Lake. The new lake was filled after the construction of the first dam and many years later many more dams were built.

The new Kiser Lake, managed by the Ohio DNR Division of Parks and Recreation, will not be located in Kisker, but will be dedicated to wetland conservation and will be a pleasure for all who come here. The lake is wonderfully calm, ideal for paddling and sailing and is limited to non-motorized ships. At Lake Kizer almost everything is possible, from hiking trails to swimming and swimming on the beach to fishing and boating.

To improve recreational fishing opportunities, Saugeye, a cross between whale and sucker, is regularly stocked, while striped bass and catfish are stocked regularly. The many species of fish in Lake Kizer, such as bluefish, perch and whitefish, are eager to catch.

With a maximum depth of 1.50 m, many areas of the shallow lake offer excellent weed cover, and fishing for the big ones becomes a worthwhile challenge. Five jetties and a rich shore fishing make access to the water easy for young and old to an honorable sport.

In winter the lake freezes over, which allows a lot of fishing in shallow water and deep sea fishing. Ohio does not require a fishing license, but Ohio has fishing regulations, such as a maximum depth of 1.50 m and a minimum length of 10 m.

Diving is permitted, albeit with certain restrictions, including appropriate markings and surface guidance at all times. The 600-metre-long beach offers beach lovers space to splash around in and around Lake Kiser and simply sunbathe.

The picnic area offers tables, barbecues and group shelters without reservations, snack stands offer cold drinks and snacks. There are also a variety of food stalls offering snacks with cold drinks, as well as picnic tables and picnic chairs.

The playground and the horseshoe court are located near the nature centre, the basketball court is located on the beach, a playground with volleyball courts is located on the campsite and a picnic area with picnic tables and picnic chairs.

There are 100% non-electric campsites available, while cabins can be reserved for $1,000 per night or $2,500 per week per cabin.

Each campsite has a picnic area with picnic tables and picnic chairs, a playground and a horseshoe area.

This 50 hectare nature reserve is located in the National Park and offers unique views of the remaining former Mosquito Lake wetlands. It offers a view of many bird and animal species that lived in the area long ago, as well as a variety of wildlife habitats.

Visitors can also come to Kiser See to enjoy the picturesque views and natural beauty of this beautiful lake and its many lakes and ponds.

On the banks of the nature park, nature trails offer a variety of trails, some of which are over a kilometer and a half long and others just a few minutes. None of the paths are particularly long, but the longest is only half as long, making it easy for the physically less fit to walk these paths.

A few small hills in the park allow good toboggan runs, and if the winter conditions allow, some of the trails are used for cross-country skiing. A seven mile long horse riding trail is planned for riding and a few kilometer long trails for riding. Hunting is permitted in certain areas during the season with appropriate permits.

The small town of Saint-Paris is close to the lake, and Saint-Paris is the scene of the pony wagon days. Lake Kiser is a popular destination for horse riding, canoeing, hiking, camping and fishing. The small towns with over 2000 inhabitants offer a variety of activities such as horse racing, horse shows, picnics, fishing and camping. She pioneered the idea of holding concerts in the park in the summer and the creation of an outdoor concert amphitheatre.

It is open to the public and displays exhibits on the history and future of aviation, including space. In this unusual cultural exhibition you can marvel at 5000 years of art history. The artwork is on display in an exhibition honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and at the Museum of American Art. It features a variety of exhibits on history, future and aviation, including space travel.

Even closer to Kiser Lake, the city of Urbana offers all the entertainment, nightlife and shopping you would expect from a university town. They do not want to miss the private Piatt Castle, which is still inhabited by members of the Piatt family and is supported by a foundation that is to preserve the family collection for posterity. The Johnny Appleseed Museum houses the largest collection of apple trees scattered throughout Ohio and the Midwest. There are still over 1000 apples for sale in the museum's collection.

If camping does not sound like an ideal holiday, there are other accommodation options, whether in the town of Urbana or in Lake Kiser itself.

Urbana offers hotels and several bed and breakfasts, and there are guest houses and cottages for rent in the area. Private apartments can be found near the lake and river, or apartments can be found in Lake Kiser itself and in other parts of the city.

There are properties directly opposite LakeKiser, but there are also some apartments on the outskirts, such as the Old Town Hotel and Lake Park Apartments.

Ohio's rich history is often overlooked as the perfect place for a family vacation, but a trip to Kiser Lake will convince you that it is a place to enjoy family fun and fantastic fishing. Maybe it's time to take a look at this nondescript Midwestern seaside town for a while.