Mohican State Park, Ohio: Diners, Dams & Covered Bridges

One of the best things about going home to Ohio in the US in the autumn is being able to go to parks and forests to enjoy the stunning foliage that is painting the world all kinds of beautiful colors. It wasn’t until I left Ohio that I realized how truly lucky I was to grow up in a place that has autumns that other people think only exist in movies. Want to see Ohio foliage at its finest? Head to Mohican State Park where you can sleep in treehouses and castles and enjoy the views.

Get off the beaten path in Ohio and visit Loudonville’s Mohican State Park:

How To Get There
Where To Stay Near Mohican State Park
What To Know
Mohican State Park Views
Things To Do At Mohican State Park
Closest Town to Mohican State Park

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How To Get To There

Address: 3116 State Route 3, Loudonville, Ohio
- The only way to get to the park is by car. Take State Route 3 to find the main entrance.

Where To Stay Near Mohican State Park

The Mohicans

The Mohicans is an amazing privately owned piece of land that features gorgeous luxury tree houses and rustic cabins. The owners are highly interested in sustainability and eco-tourism and have worked tirelessly to build these unique tree houses with local Amish craftsmen. This is definitely one of the most interesting places to stay in all of Ohio and it’s just next to Mohican State Park.

Find out more about when we stayed at The Mohicans.

Landoll’s Mohican Castle

Landoll’s Mohican Castle, which was featured on Hotel Hell with Gordan Ramsay saw a make over and is the perfect castle to take a rest in in the area. Want to stay some place off the beaten path and just a bit different, check this spot out. We stayed at Landoll’s Mohican Castle for a couple nights as well. From treehouses to castles, the area is very cool.

Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

Mohican Lodge

The Mohican Lodge and Conference Center is IN the state park and has a restaurant, fitness center, a bar and lounge. There is also an outdoor swimming pool, indoor pool, and a 24 hour front desk. If you want to spend time in the forests and park,

Book a stay here on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

What To Know

Twelve thousand years ago during the Ice Age, a glacier entered Ohio and formed a glacial boundary. Once the glacier melted, a dramatic gorge known as Clear Fork of the Mohican River today was formed. Dramatic is a bit of an understatement though. Anyone standing on the ridge would be breathless looking down.

Sandstone bedrock is exposed on the sides and create steep cliff walls. Looking out as the trees are in various states of autumn shades gives one pause in order to appreciate the natural wonder in view. The view certainly reminded me why autumn is my favorite time to visit my home state of Ohio. The gorge is one thousand feet wide at the top and three hundred feet deep. While it’s possible to hike up and down and all around, be prepared for some difficult drop offs and rock faces to scale in some spots, though there are easier paths for anyone not interested in scaling a wall during their meander into the forest.

Trees tower above as well and due to the the history and the historical growth on the lands, the National Park Service has dedicated this area as a Registered National Natural Landmark. There are 13 miles of hiking trails in Mohican State Park and 32 more miles of hiking trails in the adjacent State Forest. There are 8.5 miles of mountain bike trails and bridle paths too. And those are just the selling points for visiting written down on paper. Some of the paths are even equipped with wooden planks making them easy to walk on for young children that drag their feet and might trip on tree roots or rocks.

This state park is not only for the outdoors enthusiast, but there’s also a driving course for the family with little ones or the couple that would just prefer to lackadaisically take a gander.

Mohican State Park Views

Some of the suggested views to take full advantage of the park include the gorge overlooks, a covered bridge, a discovery forest and the Pleasant Hill Dam built in 1936. The driving course allows one to see all of these and a few more along the way. There is also a historic fire tower that overlooks the area and is one of only eight fire towers that still exist in Ohio. It looks a bit steep and narrow to climb, but can provide some amazing panoramic views of the park.

Only six people can climb the fire tower at a time and you can get 360-degree views of the entire area.

Built in 1968, the covered bridge uses wood to look a bit vintage on top of steel construction beams engineered for safety. While many of the covered bridges in Ohio are no longer in use or blocked off, this one still provides a road that can be used by vehicles and aisles on either side that can be walked across.

Near this bridge there is a bit of parking as well and the start to some of the paths with wooden planks that are easy to access for little ones. We walked into the forest from here for a bit and it was definitely a great path for us and our little one.

We continued our drive through the forest making various stops and came to a giant damn with a bridge. The Pleasant Hill Dam was constructed in 1936 on Clear Fork of the Mohican River for flood control. The 113 foot tall dam constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers formed the Pleasant Hill Lake which people now spend time canoeing and swimming in among other various activities.

Were it a bit warmer, we may have done the same because the water looked very serene. Actually, this area is known as the “Canoe Capital Of Ohio” and the most popular activities are rafting, kayaking and canoeing.

Things To Do At Mohican State Park

Loudonville, Ohio is known as the “Canoe Capital of Ohio” so if you’re planning a trip, definitely plan to get out on the Mohican River. There are quite a few canoe liveries that have rafting, tubing, and kayaking and are great for a family adventure.

Mohican Adventures Canoe Livery & Fun Center

From river trips to adventure golf, go-karts, and an aerial park, there’s plenty to do for family fun. The aerial park features six courses that have various difficulty levels. The park is open from April 1 to October 31 from 10:00am to 5:45pm daily. There are three adventure golf courses and anyone over the age of 10 can grab a go-kart to race around in.

Address: 3045 State Route 3, Loudonville, Ohio
Phone: 419-994-4097
Website: Mohican Adventures Canoe Livery

Mohican Wilderness

Join 2, 5, 10 or 20 mile trips own the Mohican River scenic waterway. The trips can take from 1 hour to 8 hours. Choose from tubes, kayaks, or canoes. You can rent or bring your own.

Address: 22462 Wally Road, Glenmont, Ohio
Phone: 740-599-6741
Website: Mohican Wilderness

River Run Canoe Liveries

Open 7 days a week, there are two trip options from this livery. The most popular trip is a great trip for beginners and is 7.5 miles long and usually takes about 2.5 hours. The other trip is 11 miles and takes 3 to 4 hours. Canoes, kayaks, tubes, and rafts are available for rental.

Address: 3069 State Route 3, Loudonville, Ohio
Phone: 419-994-5204
Website: River Run Canoe Liveries

Cleo Redd Fisher Museum

The CRF Museum, owned and operated by the Mohican Historical Society, serves the Mohican area as a source for research. learning, and historical discussion. Featured exhibits are the Perrysville Pottery, Workman Cabin, Skinner’s Mill, Loudonville Free Street Fair, Mohican Forest, Peter Reinhard, The Flxible Company, and Ghosts of the Past. The museum also offers monthly programs from September through April on historical topics.

Address: 203 East Main Street, Loudonville, OH 44842 United States
Phone: 419-994-4050
Website: CRF

Tree Frog Canopy Tours

Something for the thrill seekers. This is northern Ohio’s only dual cable zipline canopy tour. No zipline skill necessary. Explore the natural beauty of Mohican Country from above through this challenging course that will help you conquer your fears and will let you create memories. It’s an adventure for the whole family.

Address: 21899 Township Road 359, Glenmont,OH44628 United States
Phone: 740-599-2662
Website: Tree Frog Canopy Tours

Wolf Creek Grist Mill & Museum

The Wolf Creek Grist was left to disarray until Mark Smith, a restoration contractor, happened to see it and felt it needed to be restored. Since 2000, the mill has been restored, and seven other historic log cabins have been donated and moved to the site for restoration too. The overall plan is to complete a historic village on the property and to preserve a vanishing part of heritage in the area for the future generations.

Address: 3190 State Route 3, Loudonville, Ohio
Phone: 419-541-0161
Website: Wolf Creek Grist Mill & Museum

Closest Town To Mohican State Park

Loudonville, Ohio, the town closest to the park is known as the “Canoe Capital of Ohio” and that should give you a pretty good idea of another activity that is widely popular here along the Mohican River. When not taking in the natural wonder of the landscape or the historical viewpoints along the way, be sure to stop in Loudonville for a walk down a picturesque main street.

Laid out in 1814, this town has been up and running with a post office since 1820. The old quaint buildings are lovely to walk along and though there are just a few shops to really step in and eateries to find, it’s a lovely place to take a gander.

While the main drag seemed a bit desolate and closed down as we visited during the week just after high season, it was still fun to walk along. Stop into Hanover House Diner, an old school feel diner on the main strip just next to Hollinger’s for lunch. Note their very short hours and plan to get there in time as they’re only open from 11:00am to 3:00pm, but they are well worth a stop for some diner fare at its best. We literally ate their twice because it was the only place we could find, but we enjoyed the food BOTH times!

The little town is actually not super easy to navigate (the ONLY market in the area is down some back alleys), but on the main strip you will find a tourist office with ample information and all of the shops had very helpful staff. During high season it seems they’re pretty used to getting tourists coming in who are looking to stock up before accessing the waterfronts. Though it was low season, the locals were still just as friendly and amicable. From canoe rental facilities to horse riding and more, there’s so many ways to enjoy the state park and the surrounding natural flora and fauna.

Ugly Bunny Winery at Marsh Vineyards

Want to go somewhere nearby? Stop into Loudonville’s hometown winery with stylish indoor and beautiful outdoor spaces. Featured wine is named Bling, Twisted Whiskers, and Down the Rabbit Hole.

Address: 16104 State Route 39, Loudonville, Ohio
Website: Ugly Bunny Winery

Mohican State Park is one of those places in Ohio that I absolutely adore. It’s got everything from history to nature, small town grub and plenty of outdoor activities. What’s not to love?

It was the perfect quiet getaway for our little family and staying in a castle and then in a tree house was so unique to boot. I would definitely go back and hope anyone making their way through Ohio heads to this small town for some good ‘ole Ohio beauty and hospitality.

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