Madison Lake State Park

About Madison Lake State Park

Madison Lake is located in the vast Darby Plains of Ohio and is bordered by a small, peaceful Madison Lake State Park on the west side of the Ohio River. The lake offers excellent opportunities for sailing, rowing and canoeing, and attracts anglers from all over the country and even as far away as New York City.

Madison Lake State Park is located in the Darby Plains of Madison County, and the plains resemble the Great Plains found before settlement in the West.

In Ohio, the land covers more than 1,000 square miles of prairie, and conditions are favorable for the prairie to extend eastward into Ohio. Known as the Prairie Peninsula, this stretch stretches from the Ohio River to the eastern edge of Madison Lake State Park. Before man altered the original landscape of Ohio, it was 95 percent forest, with only a few remaining wetlands and a small amount of grassland.

Over time, the climate became wetter and the growth of the forest became more favorable, but only a few prairies survived, as agriculture, woody plants, and Eurasian weeds took their toll. In time, the prairie retreated eastward, leaving isolated areas in Ohio, such as Madison Lake State Park and other parts of Ohio.

One of the best examples of prairie in Ohio is Darby Plains in Madison County, and the reserve includes more than 2,000 acres of grassland, grassland and prairie, as well as a large number of wildlife. Animals that prefer the habitat in this area include the ringed pheasant, wild boar, deer, elk, coyotes, foxes, elk, raccoons, owls, peregrine falcons, squirrels, birds of prey, ducks, geese, turkeys and other birds. This protected area covers about 1.5 million square miles (2.3 million acres) and includes over 1,500 acres (1 million hectares) of natural habitat for birds and wildlife.

The lake supports populations of migratory birds, and kestrels, skylarks and goblins can be spotted in the park.

Darby Creek is named after the Wyandot chief Darby, who lived along the river, and the pioneer who first settled the area in 1796. Jonathan Alder, who was captured by the Indians as a child and released fifteen years later, was a member of the US Army Corps of Engineers and an officer in the American Revolutionary War.

The Darby Plains and other prairies in Ohio were virtually worthless and unsuitable for agriculture. Early attempts to plow the soil were thwarted by a tough, dense prairie layer, and fires frequently raged in the landscape. The settlers believed that the treeless land must have been barren, so timber, fuel, and building materials had to be brought in from far-flung, scattered forests. As drainage systems improved and steel ploughs were invented, the prairie population grew and the wet prairie became impassable after heavy rainfall.

The Darby Plains soon became a well-known and important cattle center, where large herds were kept and shipped to the eastern markets. Perhaps it was because the tough prairie soil was more suitable for grazing than agriculture.

Cattle were imported from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and other states, and cattle sales in London, Ohio were highly differentiated. On the day of the sale, cattle clogged the streets of London and several thousand people poured into the streets to watch the sale and business.

In 1946, a small piece of land in this area was transferred to the state of Ohio to open up the lake. A dam was built, the lake was replenished in 1947, and in 1950 Madison Lake, which had grown to 106 hectares, was handed over to a newly established ODNR department.

The 106 hectare lake is ideal for sailboats, rowing boats and canoes, and a 300 metre long sandy beach offers bathing and sunbathing. Changing rooms and latrines are available, as well as picnic tables, picnic benches, picnic tables and picnic areas.

There is a launch pad, a picnic area with picnic tables, picnic benches and picnic areas, as well as a boat dock and parking.

Fishing is very popular here, and anglers will enjoy a variety of fish species, such as bluefish, redfish, wallise, perch, trout and whitefish. A valid fishing license and hunting license are required and electric motors are only allowed on the lake. The northern end of the lake is surrounded by a large pond with picnic area with picnic tables, picnic benches and picnic areas.

Tables, barbecues, playgrounds and latrines are available, and accommodation is provided on the "first come, first served" principle. Picnic areas and shelters are located on both the eastern and western shores of the lake.

Nearby is the ODNR Department of Nature Conservation and Reserves, which protects more than 2,000 hectares of forest, wetlands and other natural resources. Big Darby Wildlife Area is located on the east shore of Madison Lake, north of the park and offers fishing. Deer Creek State Park, located south of downtown Madison, Ohio, about 30 miles west of Cincinnati, offers a variety of hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, canoeing and fishing. A newly developed 1.5 km trail system leads from the forest to the lake shore and provides access to a number of paths, picnic areas, playgrounds and toilets.

The area is under state protection and is part of the Ohio Department of Nature Conservation and Reserves (ODNR), a state agency under the U.S. Forest Service.