Lake Hope State Park Nature Center located in Zaleski spans 2,983 acres

Lake Hope State Park occupies 2,983 acres within Zaleski State Forest in Vinton County and centers on a 120-acre impoundment of Big Sandy Run. The park sits at about 915 feet elevation and is administered by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources; the park mailing address is 27331 OH-278, McArthur, Ohio 45651-8220 and the park phone is (740) 596-4938.

The Lake Hope Nature Center is located near the campground and lists seasonal hours; the center’s phone is (740) 596-3030. ODNR directs visitors to “See Naturalist Programs at Lake Hope,” and Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls and park copy note a summertime highlight: “Visit between July and September, and the Nature Center will provide everything you need to hand-feed these fluttering friends.” The Nature Center also hosts fall events including horse-drawn wagon rides and the Annual Fall Hike.

Park facilities include a wooded family campground, a variety of year-round cabins and the “roomy” Laurel Lodge, plus picnic areas with tables and grills in secluded scenic spots. A shelterhouse can be reserved by calling 866-644-6727. Swimming is permitted in designated areas along the 600-foot swimming beach located near the dam; beach facilities include a beach house with restrooms, a large sun deck and patio overlooking the lake, a boathouse with shelter that is first-come, first-served, and concessions. Visitors are advised: “Please exercise caution while swimming at the beach.” Pets are not permitted on the swimming beach.

The park’s landscape reflects its industrial past and natural recovery. “Lake Hope Forest Park was created in 1937 by the Division of Forestry,” and historical materials note the park opened in 1939 when a local person from Logan said that even Ohio’s “waste lands” can become “something beautiful and valuable in the proper hands.” Sources also record that the Division of Parks and Recreation and Lake Hope State Park “came into existence in 1949,” reflecting an administrative change. The terrain is marked by steep gorges and narrow ridges with remnants of abandoned mining and iron-producing industries; much of the present oak and hickory forest is second-growth after heavy cutting for iron smelting.

Botanical and wildlife features are prominent. Lakehope text notes that “the yellow lady's slipper, one of the rarest and most showy orchids, blooms in secluded hollows,” and that spring wildflowers such as blue-eyed mary, bloodroot and wild geranium appear in abundance. Recreational listings emphasize hiking, birdwatching, paddling, geocaching and interpretive programs. For anglers, Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls and park materials state: “Fishermen of the vast lake are likely to reel in bluegill, catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass.” Anglers are reminded to have a valid Ohio fishing license; jon boats are recommended for accessing secluded fishing holes.

Coordinates listed in source material differ slightly by reference point: Wikipedia gives 39°20′00″N 82°21′04″W (39.3334, -82.3512) while the park contact block shows lat 39.3282, lon -82.3466; the two positions lie within roughly a third of a mile. Photographs available in park material are credited to Gene Shirk, Victor F Artigas and Tabitha Cullison, including images of Moonville Tunnel and Furnace Trail. For reservations and program details, callers should use the park phone (740) 596-4938, the Nature Center phone (740) 596-3030 or the reservation line at 866-644-6727. Lake Hope remains a central outdoor attraction in Vinton County, combining restored forest, historical landscape features and a program-driven nature center that anchors seasonal visitation.