Guilford Lake SP--Dam and Spillway

About Guilford Lake State Park

See all hotspots at Guilford Lake State Park

Guilford Lake is situated in the glaciated plateau region of Ohio. This portion of the Appalachian foothills was overridden by the glaciers that invaded Ohio more than 12,000 years ago. Eventually, the glacial advances were blocked by the harder and higher sandstone ridges of southeastern Ohio. The bedrock materials of this area were formed 300 million years ago from deposits laid down in streams and swamps.

Natural lakes are a feature of the glaciated landscape, although most in Ohio are very small and have now aged into bogs or marshes. These bodies of water were formed by huge chunks of ice that broke off from the retreating glacier and melted in depressions forming kettle lakes.

The area surrounding Guilford Lake, before being impounded as a reservoir, was extremely swampy indicating it may have been a remnant of a natural glacial lake. The park attracts migrating waterfowl in the fall and spring and also provides good habitat for a variety of songbirds such as the red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, and eastern meadowlark. Other wildlife common to the area are red fox, raccoon, skunk, and white-tailed deer.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Guilford Lake State Park Official Website and Bob Lane