Field NotesOhio
Upper Falls in the Old Man's Cave gorge, Hocking Hills, with visitors on the rocks

An independent field guide · 365 places

The field guide to outdoor Ohio

Parks and forests, ancient mounds, caves, waterfalls and back roads, with the story behind each place and where to eat and fuel up nearby.
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  • 117parks & forests
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Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills · Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0

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State parks & forests117 places, with cabins, campsites and trails117 places Waterfalls34 falls, with trail notes34 falls Mounds & earthworks64 ancient sites, from Serpent Mound to Newark64 ancient sites Caves & caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters12 caves Lake Erie beaches20 public beaches, Conneaut to Toledo20 beaches Historic sites40 places, from the frontier to the Civil War40 places Road trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail33 drives Oddities19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops19 roadside stops The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile loop, all 26 sections1,444 miles

New to the guide?

Six places to start

One from every corner of the state, each with its full story inside.

01Old Man's CaveHocking Hills · SoutheastA gorge of waterfalls and recess caves where a hermit is said to have lived, with the park's visitor center. 02Great Serpent MoundAdams County · SouthwestA gigantic earthen snake on a hilltop over Ohio Brush Creek, built by a people whose name is still argued over. 03Brandywine FallsCuyahoga Valley · NortheastThe tallest waterfall in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, reached by an easy boardwalk with an accessible upper overlook. 04Marblehead LighthouseMarblehead · Lake ErieThe oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes, lit since 1821, on nine acres of limestone shoreline. 05Zoar VillageTuscarawas County · EasternA well-preserved communal village founded by German separatists in 1817, on the Ohio & Erie Canal. 06Longaberger Basket BuildingNewark · CentralA seven-story office building shaped like a picnic basket, with handles that are heated in winter.

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Lake ErieWest Virginia36 places368 places813 places135 places523 places2321 places2124 places2416 places1613 places134 places418 places182 places217 places1710 places1014 places142 places27 places76 places613 places133 places34 places414 places143 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places22 places22 places26 places64 places4

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Parks, forests & wildlife areas

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117 parks in 7 regions

Independence Dam State Park

Defiance · Defiance County · Northwest Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
525acres
—trail miles
1949established
27722 County Rd 424, Defiance Directions →Official source →

The story of this land

The Maumee and the Auglaize come together a few miles upstream at Defiance, and that meeting of two rivers is why northwest Ohio has the history it does. For the Native peoples who hunted and fished here, including the Miami, Shawnee, Wyandot, Delaware and Ottawa, it was a crossroads. President Washington chose General Anthony Wayne to break the confederacy that was blocking westward settlement, and Wayne's victory at Fallen Timbers in 1794 opened the country to settlers. State Route 424 follows the narrow military trail Wayne's troops used.

The next wave was the canal. Independence Dam was built in the nineteenth century to feed the Miami and Erie Canal, and the entrance road to the park crosses the ruins of Lock Number 13. About seven miles of the historic canal survives between County Road 424 and the park. The original wooden dam was replaced by the current concrete dam in 1924, and civic groups then campaigned to set aside the land between the river and the canal as a park. The state bought it and opened Independence Dam State Park in 1949.

The valley was in the middle of the Great Black Swamp, 120 miles long and 30 to 40 miles wide, before ditches drained it. The park's primitive tent campground on the river was added in 2019.

Things to do in the park

  • Camp in a seasonal tent-only site on the riverbank
  • Launch a boat from the four-lane ramp, or hand-launch a kayak
  • Walk or bike the old canal towpath
  • Look at the ruins of Lock Number 13 at the park entrance
  • Fish from the riverbank or a fishing platform

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Independence Dam State Park.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Defiance and the Fort Defiance site at the meeting of the Maumee and Auglaize, about five miles west
  • Defiance Riverwalk along both rivers
  • Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area, nearby
  • Harrison Lake State Park, about 30 miles north, with a larger campground

Visiting information you can trust

Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
ODNR park finder (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Independence Dam State Park, 27722 County Rd 424, Defiance
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
Hunting is not a primary use of the park. Check with the park office for any designated areas, and follow current Ohio regulations.

Prices, hours, closures, campsite availability and trail conditions shown elsewhere on this page are not live — always confirm with the official source before you go.

Hiking trails

The former towpath of the Miami and Erie Canal is a walking and biking route along the river, and the Buckeye Trail runs through the park. Seven miles of the old canal are visible between County Road 424 and the park.

Wildlife you might see

  • Birds and other wildlife along the Maumee (visitors recommend binoculars)
  • Thick deciduous forest along the canal and river
  • Fish in the river: northern pike, crappie, walleye, smallmouth bass and catfish

Birding

Independence Dam State Park follows a river corridor, so its wooded banks draw both forest songbirds and river-edge birds — watch the water for herons, kingfishers and waterfowl, and the tree line for songbirds.

  • Osprey
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker
  • Bald Eagle
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Spotted Sandpiper
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Tree Swallow
  • Eastern Wood-Pewee
  • Purple Martin
  • Acadian Flycatcher
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Great Crested Flycatcher

March–May and September–November, during waterfowl migration, are liveliest on the water. For a full, current checklist, search this park's name on eBird's Hotspot Explorer.

Fishing

  • The Maumee River holds northern pike, crappie, walleye, smallmouth bass and catfish. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Hunting is not a primary use of the park. Check with the park office for any designated areas, and follow current Ohio regulations.

Where Two Rivers Meet

The reason for this park is a few miles upstream, where the Auglaize River flows into the Maumee. For centuries that meeting of rivers was a crossroads. The Iroquois, Miami, Lenape, Ottawa, Erie, Wyandot and Shawnee all used it as a route. In 1794 General Anthony Wayne built Fort Defiance at the junction and then marched down the valley to victory at Fallen Timbers. State Route 424, the road past the park, follows the narrow military trail his troops cut.

The canal came next, and Independence Dam was built to feed it. Its ruins are still here, including Lock 13 under the park entrance.

Behind the legend

This is a place where the numbers and the labels differ. ODNR describes the park as 525 acres and Wikipedia as 591. One tourism site says the park was established in 1941, while Wikipedia and ODNR say it opened in 1949. The original dam was wooden and was replaced by the concrete dam in 1924. The primitive tent campground is new, added in 2019.

The Great Black Swamp is behind it all. The valley was part of a swamp 120 miles long and 30 to 40 miles wide.

If you go

Walk the towpath to Lock 13, then drive west to Fort Defiance Park in Defiance, where Wayne's fort stood, to see the two rivers meet.

Road trips through Independence Dam State Park

Scenic byways and heritage drives that pass this park or run close to it.

Maumee Valley Scenic Byway

Northwest Ohio
A small camping park near Defiance.
Scenic byway59 miles
Defiance to Maumee, at Fort Miamis

Oddities near Independence Dam State Park

Roadside curiosities, legends and giant things within reach of this park.

Tower of VW Beetles

Defiance · Defiance County
Five 1960s Volkswagen Beetles stacked on end in the lot of Pack Rat's Pawn Shop.
Stack of cars
About 5 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Independence Dam State Park

Ohio's 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop passes through or beside this park. Tap a section for its route, camping, water and resupply.

21 Defiance Section

55 miles · Paulding, Defiance, Henry, Lucas
A seasonal tent-only campground on the Maumee
2 parksTrail towns

Campsites

Primitive riverside tent site
Seasonal, April 1 to October 31 · tents only · no potable water, so bring your own
$19–23/night

On site

  • Four-lane boat ramp and hand-launch access
  • Fishing platform
  • Picnic tables along the riverbank
  • Playground and volleyball court
  • Camping shelter and portable toilets
Continue to ReserveOhio →
Field Notes Ohio isn't connected to ReserveOhio, so it can't hold a site or take payment. Tapping through opens it in a new tab — search "Independence Dam State Park" there to finish reserving.
Prefer the phone?419-237-2593

The campground is tents only, and there is no potable water, so bring all you need. It is open April 1 through October 31, and reservations are required. There is no RV camping. The park office number is shared with Harrison Lake State Park. Check the river level before you paddle.

Restaurants nearby

Sweetwater Chophouse
Steaks and seafood with a big salad bar; open daily
Directions
Fired Stone Tavern
Wood-fired pizza and burgers in the same complex, open daily
Directions
Moncho's Lounge
Dominican and Latin food; closed Monday
Directions

Gas stations nearby

American Food Mart (Marathon)
On the east side of Defiance, closest to the park
Directions
Circle K
24 hours in downtown Defiance
Directions

Details last checked 2026-09-22. Confirm hours and prices before you go.

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