Field Notes Ohio

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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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117 parks in 7 regions

Lake White State Park

Waverly · Pike County · Southern Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
92acres
—trail miles
1949established

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
Lake White State Park, 2767 OH-551, Waverly
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Hunting or permits
Not a hunting park. Check with ODNR for any adjoining public land rules before you plan a hunt.

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.

The story of this land

Lake White is a Depression-era project. The Works Progress Administration built the lake in the 1930s in the hills southwest of Waverly, in a valley where part of the old Ohio and Erie Canal channel still lies inside the park. It was dedicated as a state park in 1949, the year Ohio's Division of Parks and Recreation was created. Most of the shoreline is privately owned, so the state park is really the public front door: the boat launch, the picnic grounds and the shelters.

The ground is older than any of that. The Scioto Valley here was home to the Adena and Hopewell peoples starting around 800 BCE, and Revolutionary War veterans were settling these hills in the late 1700s. The rugged, forested ridges still look a lot like the southern Appalachians, with oak, hickory, tulip, ash and maple.

The lake has had a rough modern chapter. In 2014 the dam started leaking and the lake was drained for major repairs. The state spent a reported $31.7 million rebuilding the dam. In 2017 the water level dropped again and ODNR lowered the lake as a precaution to inspect for a leak. It has since been refilled, and Lake White is back on ODNR's regular schedule of winter drawdowns.

Things to do in the park

  • Boat with no horsepower limit; one launch ramp
  • Water ski, tube or paddle
  • Fish from a boat or the shoreline near the launch
  • Picnic at the two shelters (reservable through ReserveOhio; otherwise first-come, first-served)
  • Playground next to the lower shelter
  • Ice skating, sledding and ice fishing when winter conditions allow

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Lake White State Park.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Waverly, with a walkable downtown, breweries and restaurants
  • Pike Lake State Park, about 30 minutes away, with camping and cabins
  • Scioto Trail State Park and forest, about 20 minutes north
  • Chillicothe and Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, about 40 minutes north

Hiking trails

No dedicated hiking trail system. Walking is mostly around the picnic areas and lakeshore near the launch.

Wildlife you might see

  • Hardwood forest of oak, hickory, tulip, ash and maple on the ridges around the lake

Fishing

  • Lake White (337 acres): bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, saugeye and catfish. A Kentucky spotted bass caught here in 1978 was recorded as the Ohio record. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Not a hunting park. Check with ODNR for any adjoining public land rules before you plan a hunt.

Getting on the water

Lake White covers 337 acres and allows unlimited horsepower, which makes it one of the few southern Ohio lakes where you can pull a skier. Most of the shoreline is private, so the launch area is your main public access.

Launches & facilities

Boat launch
One ramp on the lake, with piers. Across the road are parking areas and the picnic shelters.
Shoreline fishing
Limited to the park's small frontage near the launch and picnic grounds.

Good to know

  • ODNR lowers Lake White each winter for flood control (about 3.5 feet, roughly November to December) and refills it around late March to early April.
  • Boating and fishing is the whole point here. If you want trails or overnight camping, plan on a second park.

The Lake That Leaked

Lake White has a dramatic recent past. It was built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s in the hills southwest of Waverly, and in 2014 the dam started leaking and the lake was drained for major repairs. The state spent a reported $31.7 million rebuilding it. In 2017 the water dropped again when ODNR lowered the lake as a precaution to look for a possible leak.

It was refilled, and Lake White is back on ODNR's regular schedule of winter drawdowns.

Behind the legend

The Depression-era lake sits in a valley where part of the old Ohio and Erie Canal channel still lies inside the park, and it was dedicated as a state park in 1949. Most of the shoreline is privately owned, so the state park is the public front door: the boat launch, the picnic grounds and the shelters.

The ground is older than any of that. The Adena and Hopewell lived in this Scioto Valley from around 800 BCE, and Revolutionary War veterans settled the hills in the late 1700s.

If you go

Boat or fish on the refilled lake and look for the canal channel in the park.

Lake White is a day-use park with no campground or cabins. Pike Lake State Park (about 30 minutes away) and Scioto Trail State Park both have campgrounds. Book them on ReserveOhio.

Where to camp nearby

Pike Lake State Park
Campground and cabins on a small lake, about 30 minutes away
Directions
Scioto Trail State Park Campground
Wooded campground on Caldwell Lake, about 20 minutes north
Directions

Restaurants nearby

Beast and Bottle
Smoked meats and burgers; open Thursday to Saturday only
Directions
Black Diamond Brewery & Distillery
Brewpub in downtown Waverly; closed Sundays
Directions
Roosters
Wings and salads, open daily; the closest sit-down spot to the park
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Speedway
24 hours in town
Directions
Super Quik
24 hours with hot food and breakfast sandwiches
Directions

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