Dillon Lake’s beach area is a scenic place for an evening stroll. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

This week we’re taking a drive in a region where water and minerals have been important resources — Dillon State Park in Muskingum County, as well as Blackhand Gorge and Flint Ridge state nature preserves in Licking County.

These parklands are all well known locally but if you don’t live in east central Ohio, you may not be familiar with these natural areas.

Dillon State Park is a 2,285-acre state park created in 1968 following the impoundment of Dillon Lake in 1961 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake offers unlimited horsepower boating, fishing, swimming and bird watching, with nesting bald eagles and great blue heron frequently seen.

Other park activities include an excellent disc golf course, hiking, camping, horseback riding, fishing, mountain biking, stargazing and sledding. The Camp Store and Nature Center have recently undergone renovations.

The park’s campground offers a 195-site campground, equestrian campsites, 29 two-bedroom vacation cabins, three showerhouses with flush toilets, water stations and dump station. Most sites have electricity; there are a handful of full hookup sites including two ADA compliant sites.

Learn how ancient people used Ohio’s gemstone at Flint Ridge State Nature Preserve. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

From November 1 to April 1, the shower house and dump station are available only in Area A. Sites 1-104 in Area A are open, and cabins 16-24 are closed Dec. 5 through April 1.

Campsite reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance; cabin reservations may be made up to 1 year in advance. Pets are permitted on all campsites. Cabins 10, 12, 13, 14, and 15 allow pets.

Cabin reservations may be made up to one year in advance. Visit the ODNR reservation site for more details. Dillon State Park is located at 5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport.

Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve is a 775-acre preserve with a narrow gorge cut by the Licking River through Black Hand sandstone formations. There are 4 miles of bike trails and 10 miles of trails in the park, including a trail that passes through an historic railroad tunnel. The nature preserve is located at 2200 Gratiot Road SE, Newark (Toboso).

The term “Blackhand” originates from a dark, hand-shaped petroglyph that was engraved on the face of a massive sandstone cliff along the north side of the river. The petroglyph was destroyed in 1828 during construction of the Ohio-Erie Canal, which went through the gorge.

Sections of the canal towpath and canal locks may be seen from trails along the river.

Several trails, including the 4-mile paved multi-use trail, and three parking lots, are currently closed at Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve and remain closed through most of 2025. Only two trails, the Marie Hickey and Canal Locks trails, remain open. Pets are not permitted on those two trails. 

Flint Ridge State Nature Preserve is a 533-acre preserve with ancient pits left by American Indians who came from the surrounding area to quarry flint. The unique rainbow-colored flint was used as an item of trade, tools and weapons. Within the museum, learn about Ohio’s official gemstone and the shaping of flint into tools, known as knapping.

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A picnic area with tables, grills, drinking water and restrooms is available for visitors to the preserve. It is not permitted to dig for or pick up flint on the preserve grounds.

Flint Ridge is managed locally by the Ohio History Connection at 15300 Flint Ridge Road, Glenford.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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