Lodge  

• Manor house has 31 guest rooms
• Dining room, meeting rooms and outdoor and indoor swimming pools

Cottages  

• 26 cottages sleep six persons each
• Each has 2 bedrooms, bath with a shower, living room, complete kitchen, dining area and screened porch
• Pets are permitted in select cottages, call 800-282-7275 for details

Camping  

• The campground is situated on the site of a former Indian village
• 177 electric sites
• 5 full service sites (electric, water & sewer)
• 12 non-electric sites
• Showerhouses, flush toilets, and dump station
• Pets are permitted in designated areas
• Nature center
• Camp office loans sporting equipment and games to registered campers
• See pictures of the campground, courtesy of the Friends of Punderson

Golf Course

• Championship-rated, 18-hole public golf course challenges even the expert golfer
• Reservations are always advisable and required for weekend play
• The pro shop stocks all necessary merchandise and has a snack bar
• See the course layout

Boating

• Electric motors only are permitted on Punderson Lake
• 1 launch ramp provides access to the lake
• Boat rentals are available at the marina concession

Trails

• 7 hiking trails
  • Beach Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
  • Whitetail Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
  • ErieTrail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate
  • Huron Trail • 1.3 Miles • Moderate
  • IroquoisTrail • 3/4 Mile • Moderate
  • Mohawk Trail • 1.1 Miles • Moderate
  • Mushers Trail • 1.2 Miles • Moderate
• 1 multi-use trail
  • Cayuga Trail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate

Fishing

• Anglers enjoy catches of bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow and golden trout and catfish
• Punderson Lake as well as two smaller lakes are open to fishing
• A valid Ohio fishing license is required

Picnicking

•  7 picnic facilities with tables, grills and drinking water are located in scenic areas of the park
• A picinic shelter is available for  reservation by calling the park.

Swimming

• 600 foot public beach
• The beach is open during daylight hours only
• Check for water quality advisories

Chalet

• The winter sports chalet is a unique heated facility that is available for daily rental spring through fall

More To Do

• Volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes and shuffleboard at the lodge
• A tennis court is located at the chalet
• Playgrounds, volleyball and basketball courts are located in various day-use areas
• An archery range and practice area is located near the sledhill • Please bring your own equipment • Broadhead arrows are prohibited
• 9-hole disc golf course, built by the Friends of Punderson State Park, is located near the Musher's Trail • See the course layout • Help support the disc course by becoming a sponsor

Winter Recreation (conditions permitting)

• Lighted sled hill
• 3 Snowmobile trails offer access to the park for those with snowmobiles
  • Beach Trail • 1/2 Mile • Easy
  • ErieTrail • 2.2 Miles • Moderate
  • IroquoisTrail • 3/4 Mile • Moderate
• 2 Cross country ski trails are available as weather permits
  • Huron Trail • 1.3 Miles • Moderate
  • Mohawk Trail • 1.1 Miles • Moderate
• Dog sleds are permitted on Mushers Trail • 1.2 Miles •  Moderate

Area Attractions

• The rural charm of Geauga County is highlighted at the Geauga County Historical Museum in Burton. Near the museum is Century Village, a reconstruction of an 1800s village typical of those scattered throughout the Western Reserve region of northeastern Ohio
• Nelson-Kennedy Ledges and Tinker's Creek state parks are nearby. Both offer fine day-use facilities, including picnic areas and hiking trails for the visitor
• A different sort of adventure awaits those who visit Geauga Lake Family Amusement Park located southwest of Punderson State Park in the village of Aurora on State Route 43
• For additional information on area attractions:
  • Geauga County Tourism Counci website or call 800-775-TOUR
  • Ohio Tourism Division website or call 800-BUCKEYE

Nature of the Area

Punderson State Park is located in the glaciated plateau region of Ohio.  During the Ice Age, this area was buried under glacial ice.  The last glacier to enter Ohio's boundaries, the Wisconsinan, receded about 12,000 years ago.  Punderson Lake, one of Ohio's few natural lakes, owes its origin to this massive ice sheet.  It is a kettle lake which was formed when a large block of ice broke off the glacier creating a depression which filled with meltwater.  Punderson is the largest and deepest kettle lake in Ohio.

The aquatic environment of the lake combined with the surrounding woodlands give Punderson a diverse array of natural wonders.  The lake is home to a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl including great blue herons, Canada geese and wood ducks.  Ohio's largest rodent, the beaver, can also be spotted around the lake.  Great horned owls, white-tailed deer, opossum and raccoons can be found within the park boundaries.

In the park, the vegetation is as diverse as the animal population.  Wild geranium, buttercup, blue-eyed grass and pennywort are just a few of the wildflowers that inhabit the area.

History of the Area

Both the park and the lake take their names from Lemuel Punderson, a young enterprising land agent who became Newbury Township's first permanent settler in 1808.  Punderson constructed a small dam on the south side of the "big pond," as he called it, and used the outflowing water as the power source for a grist mill.  The Punderson family developed a small estate on the edge of the sparkling blue lake, and their home became a popular gathering place for family and friends.

The area surrounding Punderson Lake developed into a quiet resort providing a get-away from the bustling Cleveland setting.  Summer cottages and even a small hotel were built on the hills surrounding the lake.  In 1929, construction began on the English-tudor manor house, but the facility was not completed until 1948.  That year, the ODNR Division of Wildlife purchased the land and lake for hunting and fishing.  In 1951, the area was transferred to the Division of Parks and Recreation for development as a state park.  The manor house was completely remodeled and opened to the public on November 15, 1956.  A structural renovation was completed in 1982.