Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, which is in the southern part of the state. Before Lancaster was established, the Hopewell, Adena, and Fort Ancient Native Americans lived in the area. The village of Lancaster was founded in 1800 with the name "New Lancaster," but a city ordinance in 1805 shortened that name. Around the same time, many other villages and townships sprung up in the area, which helped Lancaster flourish. The new town grew quickly in its early years, and in 1831, it was officially incorporated as a city.
Today, Lancaster has a population of about 41,000 and is known for its many well-preserved historic homes. The city also boasts many beautiful parks and great outdoor recreational opportunities. While you're in town, you could head to Christmas Rocks State Nature Preserve to hike the forested trails and check out the Jacob's Ladder rock formation. You could also enjoy a day of rock climbing at Rising Park or hike to the historic Rock Mill Covered Bridge. If you're looking for extra excitement, check out Valley Zipline Tours.
One of the best spots for shopping in Lancaster is the Olde Shoe Factory Antique Mall, where you can find a wide variety of unique items. To learn something new, visit museums like the Ohio Glass Museum & Glass Blowing Studio and the Sherman House Museum. If you're in the mood for a few drinks, stop by lovely spots like the Rockmill Brewery and Rockside Winery and Vineyards. For dessert, try Donut World or Gypsy Joe's Ice Cream for a tasty treat.
Campgrounds Near Lancaster, Ohio
One excellent campground in the Lancaster area is Hidden Hill Campground, a peaceful campground offering 62 full-hookup RV campsites. You can rent a spot for $35 per night or $210 per week and enjoy amenities like showers, free Wi-Fi, a recreation hall, a playground, and a dump station. Past guests praise the owners of this campground for their helpfulness.
Consider staying at the Tree Haven Campground, which has 130 full-hookup RV campsites available for $40-$43 per night. Guests at this campground have access to activities like basketball, volleyball, and horseshoes. Other amenities at the campground include a playground, a camp store, an RV dump station, and a swimming pool.
Another great option is the LA-Z Acres Campground. You can snag one of the 100 full-hookup RV campsites for between $32 and $40 per night and enjoy playing basketball and cornhole and going fishing. The campground also hosts lots of fun events, including bingo, scavenger hunts, concerts, and parades.
State Parks Near Lancaster, Ohio
Hocking Hills State Park is a sizable nature area known as one of the most beautiful sites in southeastern Ohio. The park features a gorgeous landscape of unique rock formations, mysterious caves, and majestic waterfalls. The area also boasts 25 miles of scenic hiking trails and 200 well-maintained campsites. It also has archery ranges and disc-golf courses. Additionally, nearby Rose Lake is a great destination to fish for channel catfish, bluegill, and rainbow trout. Hunting, picnicking, and ice fishing are popular activities at the park as well.
Encompassing just over 600 acres in southern Ohio, Tar Hollow State Park is a lush natural haven surrounding the beautiful Pine Lake. Visitors can partake in various land- and water-based activities around the park. For example, you could go hiking on the Ross Hollow Hiking Trail or the Logan Boy Scout Trail, go swimming or fishing in Pine Lake, or have a relaxing picnic by the water. It's a prime area for viewing wildlife like painted turtles, bobcats, wild turtles, and other interesting creatures.
Another popular waterfront park to visit is Lake Hope State Park, which lies within Zaleski State Forest in southern Ohio. The park's landscape includes dense woodlands, steep gorges, narrow ravines, and the placid Lake Hope. Among the abundant oak trees and wildflowers, there are many lovely spots to enjoy some solitude. The park's namesake reservoir is an excellent place to reel in catfish, bluegill, crappie, and largemouth bass. The lake is also a popular spot for kayaking, canoeing, boating, stand-up paddleboarding, and in designated areas, swimming. There are also many wonderful hiking and biking trails to explore around the park.
National Sites Near Lancaster, Ohio
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is a fascinating place where you can learn about the culture of the Hopewell Native Americans. This park preserves several of the few remaining Hopewell structures, which date back to times between 1 A.D. and 400 A.D. The culture once built massive earthen structures throughout the southern Ohio region. Today, you can hike through the park and explore the reconstructed mounds and get a feel for what ancient Hopewell settlements originally looked like. During your visit, make sure to navigate the Hopeton Earthworks Trails, the Seip Earthworks Trails, and the Hopewell Mound Group Trails.
Another national site that history buffs love is the Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument. Located near Xenia, Ohio, the site commemorates the role of the Buffalo Soldiers during the Civil War and the life of Charles Young. Young was a significant military figure during the Civil War, and he became the first African American National Park Superintendent in 1903. At the monument, guests can learn about his fascinating life and notable accomplishments.
If you're interested in learning about the history of air travel, spend a day exploring Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. This Dayton, Ohio park preserves the story of flight pioneers Wilbur and Oliver Wright. Check out the Wright-Dunbar Interpretative Center, where you can learn about the brothers and their incredible achievements. You can also see the Wright Brothers Cycle Shop, where they once worked, the Huffman Prairie Interpretative Center, and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field. The park offers guided tours and also has displays about Paul Laurence Dunbar, the first African American to support himself as a writer.
National Forests Near Lancaster, Ohio
Wayne National Forest covers over 1 million acres of the Appalachian foothills. The forest features wetlands and lush woodlands, providing a habitat for a diverse assortment of flora and fauna. Some of the wildlife you might see while exploring the area include box turtles, beavers, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys. There are also many streams and lakes where visitors can enjoy angling, swimming, and paddling. Other popular activities include hiking, off-highway vehicle riding, biking, horseback riding, and stargazing.
Daniel Boone National Forest spans 21 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky, encompassing over 700,000 acres of ravines, sandstone cliffs, and forested hills. The forest also features rivers, streams, and lakes, which offer quite a few excellent fishing opportunities. Visitors can also go hiking, biking, and horseback riding along the Bark Camp Trail and the Hawk Creek Valley Suspension Bridge Trail. If you're a botany enthusiast, you'll enjoy seeing the 750 types of flowering plants, 170 species of moss, and many other rare plant species growing throughout the forest.
Situated among the highlands of West Virginia, Monongahela National Forest covers approximately 919,000 acres and contains a variety of ecosystems. The forest is partially known for its large differences in elevation, with areas ranging from 1,000 feet to nearly 5,000 feet above sea level. It is home to an extensive network of scenic trails, including popular hiking routes such as Red Spruce Knob and the North Fork Mountain Trail. Hunting, fishing, geocaching, and stargazing are frequent activities in the area.
