Lake Erie Public Access Sites - Ottawa County
South Bass Island State Park, Ottawa County, Ohio Lake Erie Public Access Site
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Location:
Catawba Avenue
and Meechen Road
1523 Catawba Ave
Put-in-Bay
Township, OH


Latitude:
N 41° 38.57’

Longitude:

W 082° 50.13’

Waterbody:
Lake Erie

Access
Site Type:

Recreational

Environments:
Bluff
Rocky Shore


Monitoring:


Algae Awarness 101 - ODNR, Ohio EPA, Ohio Dept. of Health


Grants:
-
Pitching a tent and watching the sunset over Lake Erie is encouraged at the 32.8-acre South Bass Island State Park located on the southwest corner of the island so named.

Day-users and those staying overnight have access to park amenities that include picnic tables, grills, shelter house, a playground overlooking Lake Erie and a smooth cobble beach where visitors can wade and swim.

The park has a boat launch ramp and 20 overnight rental docks. A parking lot adjacent to the ramp has 26 car-and-trailer parking spaces. Fishing is allowed from the docks, a small pier and along the beach. Overnight amenities include 125 non-electric campsites, 11 full-service sites, four seasonal cabents, one rustic cabin, modern restrooms and a dump station. Pets are permitted in designated areas. Youth groups of up to 50 people can reserve a group site.

This state park property was the location of the former Hotel Victory, an 180,000 square-foot, 625-room hotel that opened in 1892. When built, it was one of the largest hotels in the world and featured a co-ed swimming pool, a rarity in its time. Fire destroyed the hotel in 1919. Remnants of the swimming pool are still visible in the campground.

The park is at the southern terminus of Catawba Avenue in Put-in-Bay Township. Golf carts, which are street legal on the island, are only permitted to be driven to the park office and are not permitted in the campgrounds.
Location Map:
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Amenities and Services:
Beach Swimming Bathhouse” width= Concessions Picnic Pavilion Grill Playground Restroom Pier Fishing Camping Wildlife Viewing Boat Launch Parking Bicycle Rack Handicap Accessible Pet Friendly

Learn more:

ODNR
Division of Parks and Recreation
South Bass Island State Park
(419) 285-2112 (seasonal)

ohiodnr.com/parks
ohiodnr.com/tabid/753/default.aspx

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Do more:

Lake Erie Birding Trail - Lake Erie Islands Loop   Ohio Travel Planner   Ohio Events Calendar online  Share your experience traveling Ohio   Put-in-Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau  Lake Erie Shores and Islands Visitors Bureau for Erie and Ottawa counties

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