Fishtrap Lake State Park

About Fishtrap Lake State Park

Fishtrap Lake State Park is one of the largest and most scenic national parks in the United States and the only one in Ohio. The man-made fishing lake is surrounded by natural beauty and was created to control flooding of the Big Sandy River in Ohio. This project was started in 1962 by the Army Corp of Engineers, and when it was completed in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson dedicated it to the project.

Nestled between mountains and dense forests, the Fishtrap Lake area will appeal to anyone who wants to go boating, fishing or hiking. It is no surprise that the other visitors you meet when you walk through the park are not impressed by the human diversity that characterizes this famous place.

Close to the states of Virginia and West Virginia, the deep, long and narrow Fishtrap Lake is known as the best fishing spot in the Commonwealth. The lake's depth of about 1,000 feet makes Kentucky one of its best fishing lakes.

The natural beauty of eastern Kentucky makes this lake a favorite destination for tourists. Fishtrap Lake is located in the eastern part of Kentucky, south of Louisville and west of Lexington.

The lake was built by the US Army Corps of Engineers to protect against flooding along the Levisa Fork and can hold up to 54 billion gallons of water. Fishtrap Lake is 16.5 miles long and covers an area of 1.7 million acres (2.2 million square miles).

Construction of the dam began in February 1962, and the project was inaugurated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 26, 1968. Workers moved into the construction site at Fishtrap Lake State Park on August 1, 1962 to build the dams.

The Pike County area is also steeped in Kentucky history, and is home to a number of historic sites, including the Kentucky Museum of Natural History and Kentucky State Historic Park, but it also contains the full history of Kentucky.

Pike County is also known for being the site of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud, and it was named after the unique American Indian fish traps that pioneers observed. Archaeologists have discovered 33 prehistoric Indian sites in the fishing area and more than 65,000 artifacts have been found at the Slone site in Woodside.

The struggle between the two families lasted for decades and made headlines in national newspapers. Although it was not a bloody, long feud, the Hatfield-McCoy conflict remains one of Pike County's most famous historical events, and the park's physical facilities are under the auspices of an Army corps of engineers.

Throw in your fishing rod and catch a variety of species, but note that a Kentucky fishing license is required to fish in Fishtrap Lake State Park and other state parks in the state.

Accommodation can be rented in advance for all year round, and the park offers a variety of amenities including picnic tables, picnic areas, a picnic area, waterfalls, hiking trails and a campground.