burr oak state park

My husband and I have just started to take the winter hike's offered in Ohio at our state parks. We went to Hocking Hills in Jan and this hike today. It was the 5th annual hike. I think there were about 250 people, it has grown every year. There were 4 hikes available, you were to pick one at your level. There was a kids hike with a naturalist and another 1 mile hike. We took the 4.7 mile loop. It was pretty rugged and challenging. It was pretty warm today so we didn't have to worry about ice. There were a lot of hills up and down and sometimes we had to go pretty slowly. The whole hike took us about 2 1/2 hrs. When we returned to the newly remodeled lodge, there was bean soup and corn bread available. It was delicious. We did go to the restaurant to eat lunch. I enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich and our waitress was very sweet. It would be a beautiful place for a lunch in the summer. It looks out over the lake and there are tables outside.

In rural Southern Ohio we found Burr Oak State Park in early fall. Quiet. We saw more deer than humans during our stay. Great hiking trails (find one according to your skill level). The vistas around the lake are breathtaking. Sunsets in the woods are memorable.Take a good pair of hiking shoes. Layering of clothes a must this time of year.

We had two excellent meals on a recent trip to the lodge. We had dinner and breakfast and both times the food was cooked perfectly and presented nicely. The servers were anxious to please and checked back just at the right times. Wish we would have had room for dessert. Prices were reasonable and they even offered a pizza option.

The scenery was gorgeous; Very steep hiking trails; the restaurant onsite was OK; need to add more menu items.

Our family has been to Burr Oak many times for yearly reunions, occasional visits to the restaurant in the Lodge, and, certainly out on the lake for swimming, fishing, and lazy pontoon-boat rides. There is a true feeling of renewal from the (new) management over the past few months. Along with the group BurrOakAlive, they seem to be trying to provide people a really worthwhile experience in the park. They have booked various groups to play (free!) in the lobby, also setting up a small bar there. The jazz "Word of Mouth" group last week was excellent! While the restaurant has a beautiful view of the lake, the service was slow, and the food was just OK. We love Burr Oak, and we hope that people will be pleasantly surprised by the miles of hiking, the miniature golf, the naturalist program, and multiple efforts to modernize, yet keep the rustic feeling of this gem of a state park.