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| Located on the shores of Lake Erie, 1,831-acre East Harbor State Park has unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation. Boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking and camping are popular while nature enthusiasts will enjoy the abundance of waterfowl, shorebirds and other species of wildlife found in the park's scenic wetlands. |
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Camping 
- 225 electric sites
- 126 electric premium sites
- 23 full hook-up sites
- 189 non-electric sites
- 8 non-electric premum sites
- Showers, flush toilets, dump station, launch ramp and camp store
- Free WiFi access is available at the camp store to registered campers
- Pet camping is permitted on designated sites
- Bike rental is available from the camp office and games and sporting equipment are available on loan to registered campers
- A fish cleaning building is available for use by campers
- 10 group camp sites can accommodate up to 100 units are available for reservation
- Download the Campground Map
Getaway Rentals 
- 2 Rent-A-RV units on full-service sites are available for weekly rental only
- 2 deluxe camper cabins are also available for daily rental
 Boating
- Lake Erie offers unlimited horsepower boating opportunities
- The park's marina provides seasonal and day-use dock rentals, fuel, launch ramp, full-time mechanic, boat supplies and restaurant
- Boats and campers can be stored year-round at the marina in a fenced enclosure
- There is one ramp at the marina (fee), and one in the campground (no fee)
- Ohio boating laws & information
Fishing
- Lake Erie, the walleye capital of the world, provides anglers great catches of yellow perch, channel catfish, smallmouth and white bass in addition to walleye
- Both East Harbor and West Harbor are excellent for bluegill, crappie and carp
- Valid Ohio fishing license is required
Trails
- 11 hiking trails
- Middle Harbor Trail •3/4 Mile • Moderate
- Middle Harbor Extension • 1/2 Mile • Easy
- Meadow Trail • 3/4 Mile • Easy
- Blackberry Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
- Red Bird Trail • 1/4 Mile • Easy
- Rock Garden Loop • 0.3 Miles • Easy
- Wetlands Trail • 2 Miles • Easy
- South Beach Trail • 2.5 Miles • Easy
- Water's Edge Trail • 1 Mile • Moderate
- Channel Dunes Loop • 1.2 Mile • Easy
- West Harbor Trail • 3/4 Mile • Easy
- Download the Trail Map
Swimming
Picnicking 
Disc Golf
- 18 holes plus a practice hole
- Course is located near the Lockwood Shelter House
- Bring your own equipment, rental equipment is not available
- No fee is charged to play
- See what other parks have disc golf courses
Hunting
- Hunting for waterfowl is permitted on the eastern side of the offshore islands
- 5 duck blinds in the park are awarded through a lottery drawing held on the morning of the third Saturday in August, contact the park office for details
- Valid Ohio hunting license is required
Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)
- 5 snowmobile trails
- Middle Harbor Trail • 3/4 Mile
- Meadow Trail • 3/4 Mile
- Wetlands Trail • 2 Miles
- South Beach Trail • 2.5 Miles
- Channel Dunes Loop • 1/2 Mile
- Ice skating
- Ice fishing
- Ice boating
- Cross-country skiing
More To Do
- Volleyball, basketball and horseshoe courts, along with playground equipment , are located in the campground or day use area
Area Attractions
- Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, in the village of Marblehead, is home to the oldest lightouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes • Tours are offered during the summer months • Visit the museum operated by the Marblehead Lighthouse Historical Society
- Encompassing 2,600 acres of wetland adjoining Crane Creek State Park, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area offers outstanding nature study areas and fishing access at Turtle Creek. Controlled public duck hunting is permitted here
- The Sportsmen's Migratory Bird Center, located on the main entrance road to Crane Creek State Park is operated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife and features displays of native wildlife species and information about the area. An observation platform offers a unique perspective on the surrounding terrain.
- Several other state nature preserves are located in the Sandusky area including Sheldon Marsh, Old Woman Creek and Erie Sand Barrens
- For more information on area attractions, contact the Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center(s) at 800.255.3743, or the Ohio Division of Toursim at 800-BUCKEYE
Nature of the Area
East Harbor State Park is situated on a peninsula of land stretching into the waters of Lake Erie--one of the largest freshwater bodies in the world • The history of Lake Erie began with the glacial period when massive sheets of ice gouged and scoured the bedrock of Ohio • Evidence of the force of the ice is found throughout the lake area • Small scratches in the rock surface known as glacial striations are common while major grooves are rare but awesome • The deep depressions left by the glaciers were filled with meltwater forming the series of lakes we know as the Great Lakes
East Harbor lies on the fringe of Ohio's prairie marsh zone • These wetlands are remnants of the Great Black Swamp which once covered an area 120 miles long and 30 to 40 miles wide • After a period of intense lumbering and draining in the late 1800s, the swamp was nearly destroyed • Only ten percent of Ohio's original wetlands now remain • These wetlands produce more wildlife than any other type of habitat in Ohio • Reptiles and amphibians are numerous including the green frog, American toad, water snake, fox snake and painted turtle • Large numbers of ducks, geese, gulls, terns and other migratory waterfowl delight birdwatchers • Middle Harbor is a game sanctuary where black-crowned night herons, egrets, great blue herons and other shorebirds find refuge • Furbearers in the park include muskrat and red fox • Hundreds of migrating songbirds rest here before winging north across the lake
History of the Area
Before European settlement, the East Harbor region was home to the Ottawa and Wyandot Indians • Ottawa in native tongue means "trader" • An east-west trail skirted the southern shore of Lake Erie connecting the Pittsburgh and Detroit settlements, and also linked with the famed Scioto Trail from the south • This important area remained in Indian control until the British and Indians were defeated in the War of 1812 by the Americans
After the Great Black Swamp was eventually drained, the land became highly productive • Fruits, particularly peaches and grapes, were grown extensively • The grape culture became very successful as a result of quality soil, natural drainage and suitable climate
Marblehead Lighthouse was erected in 1821 east of the park on the Marblehead Peninsula to aid navigation in and out of Sandusky Bay • Johnsons Island on the bay side of the peninsula was the site of a prison for Confederate soldiers captured during the Civil War • A Confederate cemetery still remains on the island
The region has long been valued as a recreation area • The unique plant and animal life, sandy beaches, marshland and the lake itself led to the development of East Harbor State Park • The park was opened in 1947 and today is one of northern Ohio's most popular vacation spots
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