Contact Us

The Vesuvius Recreation Area is managed out of 

the Ironton District Office. Office hours are 8 - 

4:30 Monday through Friday. 

Ironton Ranger District

6518 State Route 93

Pedro, OH 45659

Phone: 740-534-6500

Federal relay system for the deaf and hearing 

impaired: 1-800-877-8339

website: www.fs.usda.gov/wayne

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/waynenationalforest

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To help slow the spread of emerald ash borer and 

other invasive pests, no firewood 

may be transported onto Wayne 

National Forest lands, except 

commercially packaged wood 

with the USDA inspection label. 

You may collect a small amount 

(what can be carried by hand) 

of down and dead firewood to be used at your 

recreation site. ______________________________

USDA is an equal opportunity provider,

employer, and lender.

History of Area

The Vesuvius Iron Furnace (abandoned stack 

above) was one of 46 charcoal iron furnaces located in the six county Hanging Rock Iron Region of 

southern Ohio. The furnaces produced iron from 

1818 to 1916. By 1875, southeastern Ohio led the 

nation in iron production. Civil War armaments, 

pots, kettles, wagon wheels, and other tools were 

made of iron from this region. 

Hanging Rock iron was noted for its rust and corrosion- resistant characteristics. It was said that 

during the War, the demand for iron 

became so great that many iron masters would 

start the pigs of iron off to war before they cooled, 

and occasionally the hot iron would set the wagons on fire on the way to market. 

To fuel the furnaces, the forests were repeatedly 

cut, and the wood converted to charcoal. Each 

furnace required cutting over 300 acres of timber 

annually to keep up with the demand. 

Early predictions had boasted the iron ore in the 

Hanging Rock region would produce iron for 

2,700 years. But shortly after the Civil War, the 

Hanging Rock seams were depleted and by the 

1900’s, most of the Hanging Rock furnaces had 

ceased operation. 

The Vesuvius Furnace was built in 1833 and named 

for an Italian volcano. Only the rock chimney and a wall remains, built without benefit of 

mortar. The chimney was only a small part of the 

operation that once produced iron. 

(Continued on opposite side)

The Vesuvius Recreation Area is 6.5 miles 

north of Ironton and US Highway 52 just off 

State Route 93. Follow the signs to County 

Road 29, turn right, then continue to follow 

the signs to the Vesuvius Recreation Area. 

Wayne National Forest

Lake Vesuvius 

Recreation Area

Forest

Service

FS-R9-041

01/2016
Welcome to Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area

Geologic formations on Rock 

House Trail.

Fishing on Lake Vesuvius.

The Vesuvius Recreation Area, named for 

the old Vesuvius iron furnace, is the Wayne 

National Forest’s premier developed site. 

This 143-acre lake and 1200-acre complex 

is located 6.5 miles north of Ironton, just off 

State Route 93 and Co. Road 29.

The narrows of Storms Creek offered a site 

for this lake, which was dammed in 1939 by 

the Civilian Conservation Corp. The rugged 

hills and cliffs offer a scenic backdrop for 

this historical and beautiful site. 

Historic rock bridge built by 

the Civilian Conservation 

Corps.
History (continued) -

The Vesuvius Furnace employed about 100 men 

who were paid in goods or in scrip redeemable 

only at the company store. They produced 8 to12 

tons of iron each day in the form of pig iron. Pig 

iron was then sold to manufacturers of other iron 

products. Each ton of iron required 190 bushels of 

charcoal, three tons of iron ore, and 300 pounds 

of limestone. The three ingredients were poured 

in the top of the furnace and then the charcoal 

was ignited. Air was blown (or blasted, hence the 

name blast furnace) up through the ore and fuel 

mixture through the smaller, inverted V-shaped 

openings in the side of the stack. 

Once heated to the proper temperature the iron ore

and limestone melted. Impurities in the mixture

floated to the top and formed a glassy waste 

product called slag. The larger inverted V-shaped 

opening was used to draw off the iron and slag 

separately. 

The molten iron was released into a series of 

sand trenches. The central trench branched into 

side ditches, each filled with molten iron which 

then cooled and solidified. The central trench was 

called sow iron, the side trenches, pig iron. The 

names came from the similarity of appearance to 

piglets nursing on each side of a sow pig. 

Oxen hauled the pig iron by wagon to the shipping 

point. It took about 50 yoke of oxen to move the 

iron pigs to the docks. Once loaded on river boats, 

the ore was taken to Pittsburgh. In 1851 rail lines 

were completed to most of the furnaces providing 

more efficient transportation. 

As the iron seams played out and the circle of denuded land required ever further hauls of wood for 

charcoal the last furnace closed in 1916. Between 

1900 and 1930, census records show a 40 percent 

drop in the area’s population. 

A drawing of a furnace operation, normally on two levels..

Vesuvius Furnace gets new life -

A large Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) 

camp was established near the old furnace in 

the 1930’s. The manpower provided by the 

CCC crews constructed the Vesuvius Lake and 

Recreation Area. 

The narrows of Storms Creek offered a good 

dam site for a lake and the rugged hills and 

out-cropping cliffs formed a scenic backdrop to 

the historical site. The old oxen road which had 

hauled out the pig iron was widened and graveled, and trees were planted on the hillsides. 

Recognizing its historic value, a roof was added 

to the rock furnace in 1991 to protect the massive 

stonework and firebrick from further water damage.

Note:

When visiting Vesuvius please remember that all pets must be on a leash and 

camping and parking are allowed only in 

designated areas.

Camping Regulations

Camping is enjoyable and memorable. Be 

courteous to other visitors. 

To insure that everyone has fun and to protect forest resources the Vesuvius Recreation 

Area has the following guidelines. 

Don't let a violation notice spoil your outing.

- Camping units must be occupied the first 

night and equipment must be attended each 

24 hour period.

- Eight people or your immediate family plus 

two vehicles are permitted at your site.

- Pay promptly.

- Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

- Adequate paved or gravel surface is available. Keep vehicles and trailers off the road 

shoulders and grass areas.

- Quiet time is 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. and generators, loud audio devices and noisy activities 

are not allowed.

- Visitors must leave the area by 10 p.m. 

- Firearms and fireworks will not be used in 

the campground.

- Wash food and personal items away from 

the drinking water supplies. Use water faucets for drawing water only.

- Deposit all garbage in dumpsters.

- Within the campground, use cars, motorbikes, motorcycles or other motor vehicles 

only for entering or leaving.

- Do not chop, carve, cut, drive nails or 

otherwise damage trees.
.

 Picnicking

Picnic tables and grills are located throughout the 

recreation area for free day use. 

There are two shelter houses available which 

may be reserved from the NRRS for a fee (see 

the section under camping for contact information). Both have water, grills, and picnic tables 

available and are close to hiking trails. The capacity of the shelters is 200 people each. 

The Vesuvius Furnace Shelter (Site #3) has 

electricity and a ball field. The Vesuvius Roadside 

Shelter (Site #4) has no electricity. An amphitheater is available near the Vesuvius Shelter.

oEmergencies

For emergencies call 911. For non-emergencies call the Lawrence County Sheriff’s office @ 

740-532-3525. The nearest phone is located at 

Tipton’s Grocery. 

km

Boat Dock and Swimming Beach

The swimming beach is open daily during the 

summer season from 10 am - 9 pm weather permitting. A parking fee is charged at the beach. No 

swimming is allowed at the boat dock, along the 

boardwalk, near the dam, or the spillway.

Only boats with electric motors are allowed. Operation of gasoline motors is prohibited. The boat 

launch is open year round. 

jFishing

Fish are stocked periodically and fishermen 

report that Lake Vesuvius is a great lake for catching largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, 

and rainbow trout. Ohio State fishing licenses are 

required for anglers 16 years and older. 

USDA is a equal opportunity provider and 

employer.

Welcome to the Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area. This multi-purpose development 

is located 6.5 miles north of Ironton, just off State 

Route 93 on County Road 29. The facility offers a 

variety of activities in a fully accessible setting.

a Camping

Two family campgrounds and one group campground are available. All sites have tables, fire 

rings, and tent pads. Drinking water, garbage 

containers, and restrooms are located throughout 

the campgrounds. There are no sewer hookups. 

Some campsites may be reserved by calling tollfree the National Recreation Reservation System 

(NRRS) at 1-877-444-6777 or their web site is: 

www.Recreation.gov. These campsites, and others 

in the campgrounds are otherwise available on a 

first come basis. NRRS charges an additional fee 

for reservations. 

Holders of Federal Age and Access Passes are 

charged a reduced rate. 

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Iron Ridge Campground

This campground has 32 sites. Please refer to 

the website to find out which sites have electricity 

and other amenities, as well as which sites are 

designated for tents.

Oak Hill Campground

This campground consists of four loops, Pine 

Knob, White Oak, Post Oak and Scarlet Oak, with 

a total of 28 sites. All sites have electric and water hookups and are reservable through NRRS. 

The restrooms and showers are fully accessible.

For more information visit the website.

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Two Points Group Area

This campground is available to groups with a 

capacity of up to 50 people and includes a shelterhouse.

w6dTrails

Boardwalk Trail - .32 mile fully accessible trail 

between the boat dock and spillway.

Lakeshore Trail - 8 mile trail follows the waterline around Lake Vesuvius along rock bluffs and 

across foot bridges.

Rock House Trail - 1/2 mile paved interpretive trail to a rockshelter and geologic formations. 

Starts at boat ramp parking lot.

Vesuvius Backpack Trail - 17 miles of trail 

through a variety of vegetation and topography.

Vesuvius Horse Trail System - 31 miles in 

the main loop. Another 15 miles of connector trails 

traverse some of the areas most scenic countryside. Two trailheads offer camping and parking 

for equestrian use. 

Whiskey Run Trail - 1 mile trail from Iron Ridge 

Campground connects to Lakeshore Trail passes 

by abandoned charcoal pits.

Longbow Archery Trail - 3/4 mile accessible 

trail is located across from the boat launch.

Oak Hill Campground Trails - Four trails connect different parts of the Oak Hill Campground 

and Rock house Trail forming a 1.5 mile loop.