4889 N. St. Rt. 235
St. Paris, OH 43072
(937) 362-3822
1-866-644-6727 for camping
and getaway rental reservations

Park Map | Campground Map
Park Events Site

Camping 

• 10 electric sites
• 108 non-electric sites
• Picnic tables, fire rings, a trailer waste station and latrines are provided.
• Group camp is available on the south side of the lake for youth and adult organizations on a reservation basis

Getaway Rentals 

• A camper cabin can be rented during the summer months by reservation

Boating

• Sailing is popular at Kiser Lake as boats with motors are not permitted on the lake.
• A launch ramp and public docks are available.
• Boats can be rented at two boat rentals within the park.
  

Fishing and Hunting

• Kiser Lake offers good catches of largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, crappie and saugeye.
• Five fishing piers are located on the lake.
• Hunting of migratory game birds is permitted when in season.
• A valid Ohio hunting and/or fishing license is required. 

Trails

• Five hiking trails are located within the park and provide 5.1 scenic miles of walking pleasure.
• Red Oak and the Nature Preserve Boardwalk trails are located near the family camp area at the east end of the lake.
• Pine Tree and Possum Hollow trails can be reached from the group camp area. The North Bay Trail follows the lake shoreline for 1.5 miles.
• Seven miles of horse trails are located near State Route 235.
  

Picnicking

• Eight picnic areas with tables and grills are located in the park.
• A group picnic shelter may be reserved, and an additional shelter is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Swimming

• A 600-foot swimming beach is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
• A refreshment stand is near the beach.
• Scuba diving is permitted except within the beach area.
• Divers must be accompanied by at least one person.
• Proper equipment and marking of the diving area are required.
  

More To Do

• Recreational amenities are offered throughout the park, including a volleyball court and playground at the campground, and a basketball court at the beach.
• An additional playground and a horseshoe court are located at the Nature Center.

Area Attractions

• Kiser Lake Wetlands Nature Preserve, located within the park, consists of two separate areas on the south side of the lake. These areas are remnants of a 300-acre fen known as Mosquito Lake Bog which was created by the last glacier invading Ohio
• The Simon Kenton Historic Corridor, located between Piqua and Mechanicsburg, is popular among tourists. Attractions along the route include: the Piqua Historical Area, A.B. Graham Memorial Center (Founder of the 4-H Clubs) and the Simon Kenton gravesite. Natural wonders along the corridor include Cedar Bog and Ohio Caverns.
• The Air Force Museum can be visited in nearby Dayton.

Nature of the Area

History of the Area

The Kiser Lake region in Champaign County was the home of Tecumseh, the great Shawnee warrior. He lived and hunted on Buck Creek near the site of present-day Urbana. It was also near here where Simon Kenton, the legendary frontiersman, was once held captive by the Shawnee. Kenton admired the Shawnee for choosing such a beautiful area in which to reside. He remembered the area well and returned later in his life. Around 1802, Kenton settled in Urbana for several years. His remains lie in Oakdale Cemetery, southeast of Urbana under an impressive monument.

Kiser Lake was a dream of John W. Kiser and other members of his family. Their idea was to create a lake in the Mosquito Valley area which was low, swampy and dotted with numerous springs. In 1932, the Kiser family offered to the state of Ohio several hundred acres of the Mosquito Creek Valley. In 1939, a dam was constructed and the new lake was named Kiser becoming part of what is now Kiser Lake State Park. The lake is nearly 2.5 miles in length and has 5.3 miles of shoreline.