# List of protected areas of Ohio

Protected areas in the U.S. State of Ohio include national forest lands, Army Corps of Engineers areas, state parks, state forests, state nature preserves, state wildlife management areas, and other areas.

## Federal lands
### National Park Service, Department of the Interior

* Cuyahoga Valley National Park
* Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
* Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

### U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture

* Wayne National Forest

### U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior

* Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Complex
** Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge
** Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
** West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge

### Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense

* Belleville Locks and Dam
* Caesar Creek Dam (at Caesar Creek State Park)
* Tom Jenkins Dam (at Burr Oak State Park)

## State lands
### State parks

| Name | County | Size | Size | Image | Year established |
| Name | County | acres | km$^2$ | Image | Year established |
| A. W. Marion State Park | Pickaway | 454 | 1.84 | | 1950 |
| Adams Lake State Park | Adams | 96 | 0.39 | | 1950 |
| Alum Creek State Park | Delaware | 8,017 | 32.44 | | 1974 |
| Barkcamp State Park | Belmont | 1,122 | 4.54 | | 1955 |
| Beaver Creek State Park | Columbiana | 2,726 | 11.06 | | 1949 |
| Blue Rock State Park | Muskingum | 337 | 1.36 | | 1949 |
| Buck Creek State Park | Clark | 4,016 | 16.25 | | 1975 |
| Buckeye Lake State Park | Fairfield, Perry | 3,349 | 13.55 | | 1949 |
| Burr Oak State Park | Athens, Morgan | 2,593 | 10.49 | | 1952 |
| Caesar Creek State Park | Warren, Clinton, Greene | 7,941 | 32.13 | | 1978 |
| Catawba Island State Park | Ottawa | 677 | 2.73 | | Early 1950s |
| Cowan Lake State Park | Clinton | 1,775 | 7.18 | | 1968 |
| Deer Creek State Park | Fayette, Pickaway | 3,564 | 14.35 | | |
| Delaware State Park | Delaware | 3,016 | 12.20 | | 1952 |
| Dillon State Park | Muskingum | 3,845 | 15.56 | | 1961 |
| East Fork State Park | Clermont | 7,030 | 28.45 | | 1978 |
| East Harbor State Park | Ottawa | 1,831 | 7.41 | | 1947 |
| Findley State Park | Lorain | 931 | 3.77 | | |
| Forked Run State Park | Meigs | 893 | 3.61 | | 1951 |
| Geneva State Park | Ashtabula | 698 | 2.82 | | 1964 |
| Grand Lake St. Marys State Park | Auglaize | 14,091 | 57.02 | | 1949 |
| Great Council State Park (scheduled to open 2023) | Greene | 0.7 | 0.0028 | | 2023 |
| Great Seal State Park | Ross | 1,864 | 7.54 | | |
| Guilford Lake State Park | Columbiana | 489 | 1.98 | | |
| Harrison Lake State Park | Fulton | 247 | 1.00 | | 1950 |
| Headlands Beach State Park | Lake | 120 | 0.48 | | 1953 |
| Hocking Hills State Park | Hocking | 2,373 | 9.60 | | 1924 |
| Hueston Woods State Park | Butler, Preble | 3,596 | 14.55 | | 1957 |
| Independence Dam State Park | Defiance | 591 | 2.39 | | 1949 |
| Indian Lake State Park | Logan | 6,600 | 26.71 | | |
| Jackson Lake State Park | Jackson | 349 | 1.41 | | 1979 |
| Jefferson Lake State Park | Jefferson | 962 | 3.89 | | |
| Jesse Owens State Park | Morgan | 5,735 | | | 2020 |
| John Bryan State Park | Greene | 752 | 3.04 | | 1951 |
| Kelleys Island State Park | Erie | 677 | 2.73 | | 1956 |
| Kiser Lake State Park | Champaign | 927 | 3.75 | | 1940 |
| Lake Alma State Park | Vinton | 352 | 1.42 | | |
| Lake Hope State Park | Vinton | 3,103 | 12.56 | | 1937 (renamed in 1949) |
| Lake Logan State Park | Hocking | 718 | 2.91 | | 1964 |
| Lake Loramie State Park | Auglaize | 2,062 | 8.34 | | 1949 |
| Lake Milton State Park | Mahoning | 1,700 | | | |
| Lake White State Park | Pike | 429 | 1.74 | | |
| Little Miami State Park | Hamilton, Clermont, Warren, Greene | 707 | 2.86 | | |
| Madison Lake State Park | Madison | 182 | 0.74 | | |
| Malabar Farm State Park | Richland | 878 | 3.55 | | |
| Mary Jane Thurston State Park | Henry | 591 | 2.39 | | |
| Maumee Bay State Park | Lucas | 1,436 | 5.81 | | Acquisition:1973, Established: 1975 |
| Middle Bass Island State Park | Ottawa | | | | |
| Mohican State Park | Ashland, Holmes | 1,115 | 4.51 | | |
| Mosquito Lake State Park | Trumbull | 6,483 | 26.24 | | |
| Mount Gilead State Park | Morrow | 181 | 0.73 | | |
| Muskingum River State Park | | | | | |
| Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park | Portage | 167 | 0.67 | | |
| Oak Point State Park | Ottawa | 677 | 2.73 | | |
| Paint Creek State Park | Ross | 6,842 | 27.67 | | |
| Pike Lake State Park | Ross | 600 | 2.43 | | |
| Portage Lakes State Park | Summit | 2,475 | 10.02 | | |
| Punderson State Park | Geauga | 891 | 3.61 | | |
| Pymatuning State Park | Ashtabula | 3,512 | 14.21 | | |
| Quail Hollow State Park | Stark | 703 | 2.84 | | |
| Rocky Fork State Park | Highland | 3,464 | 14.02 | | |
| Salt Fork State Park | Guernsey | 20,181 | 81.67 | | 1960 |
| Scioto Trail State Park | Ross | 248 | 1.00 | | |
| Shawnee State Park | Scioto | 1,163 | 4.71 | | |
| South Bass Island State Park | Ottawa | 677 | 2.73 | | |
| Spiegel Grove State Park | Sandusky | 25 | | | 1873 |
| Stonelick State Park | Clermont | 1,258 | 5.09 | | 1948 |
| Strouds Run State Park | Athens | 2,606 | 10.54 | | 1953 |
| Sycamore State Park | Montgomery | 2,389 | 9.67 | | |
| Tar Hollow State Park | Hocking | 619 | 2.51 | | 1949 |
| Tinker's Creek State Park | Geauga | 370 | 1.50 | | 1973 |
| Van Buren State Park | Hancock | 296 | 1.20 | | 1950 |
| West Branch State Park | Portage | 8,002 | 32.38 | | 1966 |
| Wingfoot Lake State Park | Portage | 614 | | | |
| Wolf Run State Park | Noble | 1,266 | 5.12 | | Acquisition: 1963, Dedication: 1968 |

### State memorials

* Adena State Memorial
* Buckeye Furnace State Memorial
* Campbell Mound State Memorial
* Flint Ridge State Memorial
* Friends Meeting House State Memorial
* Fort Ancient State Memorial, Warren County
* Fort Hill State Memorial
* Glendower State Memorial, Warren County
* Leo Petroglyph State Memorial
* Miamisburg Mound State Memorial, Montgomery County
* Serpent Mound State Memorial
* Tarleton Cross Mound State Memorial

### State forests

* Blue Rock State Forest – 4,572 acres (19 km$^2$)
* Brush Creek State Forest – ca. 12,000 acres (49 km$^2$)
* Dean State Forest – 2,745 acres (10 km$^2$)
* Fernwood State Forest – 2,107 acres (9 km$^2$)
* Gifford State Forest – 320 acres (1.3 km$^2$); Athens County
* Harrison State Forest – 1,345 acres (5 km$^2$)
* Hocking State Forest – 9,374 acres (38 km$^2$)
* Maumee State Forest – 3,068 acres (12 km$^2$)
* Mohican-Memorial State Forest – 4,192 acres (17 km$^2$); Ashland County
* Perry State Forest – 4,567 acres (18 km$^2$); Perry County
* Pike State Forest – 11,621 acres (47 km$^2$)
* Richland Furnace State Forest – 2,343 acres (9 km$^2$)
* Scioto Trail State Forest – 9,371 acres (38 km$^2$)
* Shade River State Forest – 2,601 acres (11 km$^2$); Meigs County
* Shawnee State Forest – 59,603 acres (241 km$^2$); Scioto and Adams Counties
* Sunfish Creek State Forest – 637 acres (2.6 km$^2$)
* Tar Hollow State Forest – 16,126 acres (65 km$^2$)
* Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest - 15,849 acres (64.14 km$^2$)
* Waterloo State Forest (administered by Zaleski State Forest); Athens County
* Yellow Creek State Forest – 756 acres (3.1 km$^2$)
* Zaleski State Forest – 26,313 acres (107 km$^2$); Athens and Vinton Counties

### State wildlife management areas

* Cooper Hollow Wildlife Area (Jackson County)
* Fox Lake Wildlife Management Area (Athens County)
* Highlandtown Wildlife Area (Columbiana County, Washington Township)
* Milan State Wildlife Area
* Sunday Creek Wildlife Management Area (Athens County)
* Tiffin River Wildlife Area (Fulton County)
* Trimble Wildlife Management Area (Athens County)
* Turkey Ridge Wildlife Area (Vinton County)
* Waterloo Wildlife Research Station (Athens County)
* Wolf Creek Wildlife Management Area (Morgan County)

### State nature preserves

* Acadia Cliffs State Nature Preserve
* Adams Lake Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Audubon Islands State Nature Preserve
* Aurora Sanctuary State Nature Preserve
* Baker Woods State Nature Preserve
* Bigelow Cemetery Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve
* Boord State Nature Preserve
* Brown's Lake Bog State Nature Preserve
* Burton Wetlands State Nature Preserve
* Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve
* Carmean Woods State Nature Preserve
* Cedar Bog State Nature Preserve
* Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Clear Creek State Nature Preserve
* Clear Fork Gorge State Nature Preserve
* Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve
* Collier State Nature Preserve
* Compass Plant Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve
* Conneaut Swamp State Nature Preserve
* Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve
* Crooked Run State Nature Preserve
* Culberson Woods State Nature Preserve
* Davey Woods State Nature Preserve
* Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve
* Drew Woods State Nature Preserve
* Dupont Marsh State Nature Preserve
* Eagle Creek State Nature Preserve
* Erie Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve
* Fowler Woods State Nature Preserve
* Gahanna Woods State Nature Preserve
* Goll Woods State Nature Preserve
* Goode Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Greenville Falls State Nature Preserve
* Gross Woods State Nature Preserve
* Hach-Otis State Nature Preserve
* Halls Creek Woods State Nature Preserve
* Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve
* Herrick Fen State Nature Preserve
* Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve
* Hutchins (Highbanks) State Nature Preserve
* Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve
* Johnson Ridge State Nature Preserve
* Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve
* Kendrick Woods State Nature Preserve
* Kent (Cooperrider) Bog State Nature Preserve
* Kessler Swamp State Nature Preserve
* Kiser Lake Wetlands State Nature Preserve
* Kitty Todd State Nature Preserve
* Knox Woods State Nature Preserve
* Kyle Woods State Nature Preserve
* Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve
* Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve
* Lawrence Woods State Nature Preserve
* Lou Campbell State Nature Preserve
* Mantua Bog State Nature Preserve
* Marie J. Desonier State Nature Preserve
* Marsh Wetlands State Nature Preserve
* Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve
* Milford Center Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Morris Woods State Nature Preserve
* North Pond State Nature Preserve
* North Shore Alvar State Nature Preserve
* Novak State Nature Preserve
* Old Woman Creek State Nature Preserve
* Olsen (Augusta-Anne) State Nature Preserve
* Pickerington Ponds State Nature Preserve
* Portage Lakes Wetland State Nature Preserve
* Riddle State Nature Preserve
* Rockbridge State Nature Preserve
* Sears Woods State Nature Preserve
* Seymour Woods State Nature Preserve
* Shallenberger State Nature Preserve
* Sharon Woods Gorge State Nature Preserve
* Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve
* Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve
* Shoemaker State Nature Preserve
* Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker State Nature Preserve
* Smith Cemetery Prairie State Nature Preserve
* Solon Woods State Nature Preserve
* Springville Marsh State Nature Preserve
* Stage's Pond State Nature Preserve
* Stratford Woods State Nature Preserve
* Swamp Cottonwood State Nature Preserve
* Thomas (Sharon Woods) State Nature Preserve
* Tinker's Creek State Nature Preserve
* Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve
* Tucker (Blacklick) State Nature Preserve
* Tummonds State Nature Preserve
* Wahkeena State Nature Preserve
* Whipple State Nature Preserve
* Zimmerman Prairie State Nature Preserve

## Metroparks

A number of regional park districts have been organized in Ohio:
* Cleveland Metroparks
* Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District
* Erie MetroParks
* Five Rivers Metroparks (Dayton)
* Geauga County Park District
* Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District
* Lake Metroparks
* Stark County Park District
* Tuscarawas County Park Department
* Lorain County Metro Parks
* Metro Parks, Serving Summit County
* MetroParks of Butler County
* Metroparks of the Toledo Area
* Mill Creek MetroParks
* Great Parks of Hamilton County

## Other significant local areas

* Arc of Appalachia
* Athens Conservancy preserves, in Athens County, Ohio
* Crane Hollow Nature Preserve, Hocking County, Ohio
* Edge of Appalachia Preserve, in Adams County, Ohio
* Highlands Sanctuary, centered in Highland County, Ohio
* Moonville Rail-Trail, a rail-trail in Athens and Vinton Counties
* Strouds Ridge Preserve, City of Athens, Ohio
* Trimble Community Forest in Athens County, Ohio
* The Wilds (Muskingum County, Ohio)