Field Notes Ohio

Ohio's parks, forests and wildlife areas with camping, the ancient mounds beside them, and the Buckeye Trail that links them. Stories, trails, wildlife, and where to eat and fuel up nearby. Book campsites on ReserveOhio.
Try:
The Buckeye TrailA 1,444-mile blue-blazed loop around Ohio, with all 26 sections.
›
Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
›
Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
›
Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
›
Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
›
Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
›
Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
›
Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
›

Explore Ohio

One map for every park, mound, historic site, beach, cave, waterfall and oddity in the app.

Lake ErieWest Virginia27 places277 places77 places73 places35 places519 places1913 places1319 places1916 places168 places810 places1010 places109 places98 places820 places204 places43 places3Barkcamp State Park4 places47 places77 places76 places69 places917 places173 places3Harrison Lake State Park2 places2Forked Run State Park3 places32 places26 places610 places103 places32 places2

Tap a symbol for a preview, or search for a place. Open the key to show or hide categories.

117 parks in 7 regions

Leesville Lake

Leesville · Carroll County · Eastern Ohio
Managed by Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
2,700acres
—trail miles
—established

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
Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (search this park)
Location confidence
Verified property location
Leesville Lake South Fork Marina, 4131 Deer Rd SW, Bowerston
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
Public hunting is permitted on district land under Ohio Division of Wildlife rules; a valid Ohio hunting license is required.

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

Leesville Lake is one of the Muskingum Watershed lakes in Carroll County. It has about 1,000 acres of water and 2,700 acres of land and is known as the top muskellunge lake in Ohio, with several record muskies caught over the years. Two marinas, Leesville North Fork Marina & Campground and Leesville South Fork Marina, offer boat rentals, cabins, docking and bait and tackle.

The Buckeye Trail's Bowerston Section passes through this lake country on its way to Tappan Lake to the south.

Things to do in the park

  • Fish for muskie
  • Camp at the North Fork marina
  • Rent a cabin, boat or dock
  • Paddle the coves

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Leesville Lake.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Tappan Lake Park to the south
  • Zoar Village and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath to the north
  • Carrollton, the county seat

Hiking trails

Shoreline paths near the marinas; the Buckeye Trail passes through the area.

Wildlife you might see

  • Muskellunge, the lake's claim to fame
  • Bass, crappie and panfish
  • Waterfowl on the coves

Fishing

  • Leesville is the state's top muskie lake, with several record fish. Bass, crappie and panfish are also caught. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Public hunting is permitted on district land under Ohio Division of Wildlife rules; a valid Ohio hunting license is required.

The Muskie Lake

Serious anglers know Leesville for one fish. Muskellunge, the long toothy predator called the fish of ten thousand casts, grow big here, and the lake has produced several record fish. On a still morning you can hear the casts before you see the boats.

Both marinas rent boats and cabins, so the lake works as a base for a fishing weekend.

Behind the legend

The claim that Leesville is the top muskie lake in the state, with several records over the years, is on the lake's Wikipedia page. The 'ten thousand casts' phrase is angler folklore.

If you go

Rent a boat at a marina for a day of muskie fishing, or camp and hike a stretch of the Buckeye Trail nearby.

Historic sites near Leesville Lake

Forts, villages, furnaces and lighthouses within reach of this park. Tap one for its story and visiting details.

Schoenbrunn Village

New Philadelphia · Tuscarawas County · Eastern Ohio
A reconstructed Moravian and Delaware mission village, the first Christian town in Ohio.
Ohio's first Christian settlement
About 11 miles from this park · 1772–1777

Zoar Village

Zoar · Tuscarawas County · Eastern Ohio
A well-preserved communal village founded by German separatists in 1817, on the Ohio & Erie Canal.
National Historic Landmark
About 17 miles from this park · 1817–1898

Warther Museum and Gardens

Dover · Tuscarawas County · East-central Ohio
A museum of a self-taught carver's masterworks, with a button collection and gardens in a Tuscarawas County town.
Self-taught master carver
About 20 miles from this park · 1885–1972; museum since 1936

Sugarcreek, the Little Switzerland of Ohio

Sugarcreek · Tuscarawas County · Eastern Ohio
An Amish and Swiss cheese town whose Alpine storefronts and giant cuckoo clock earn it a Swiss village nickname.
Little Switzerland of Ohio
About 23 miles from this park · 1814 to today

Fort Laurens

Bolivar · Tuscarawas County · Eastern Ohio
The only fort in Ohio built during the American Revolution, beside the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.
Only Revolutionary War fort in Ohio
About 30 miles from this park · 1778–1779

Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center and Behalt

Berlin · Holmes County · East-central Ohio
A cultural center in Holmes County that tells the story of the Amish and Mennonites through a giant painted cyclorama.
Behalt cyclorama
About 35 miles from this park · 1525 to today; center opened 1990

Road trips through Leesville Lake

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

Amish Country Byway

East-central Ohio (Holmes County and neighbors)
A muskie lake with marina camping to the east.
Scenic byway164 miles
1 to 2 days · Holmes County to Holmes County

The Buckeye Trail at Leesville Lake

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

4 Bowerston Section

64 miles · Carroll, Harrison, Belmont
Ohio's top muskie lake, with marina camping
4 parksTrail towns

Campsites

Marina campground
Camping at the Leesville marinas; see leesvillelake.com and the MWCD for sites and rates
See MWCD

Cabins

Cabin rentals
Rental cabins at the marinas
See MWCD

On site

  • Two marinas with boat and dock rentals
  • Bait and tackle
  • Cabins and campsites
Reserve at MWCD →
Field Notes Ohio isn't connected to Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, so it can't hold a site or take payment. Tapping through opens it in a new tab — search "Leesville Lake" there to finish reserving.
Prefer the phone?See MWCD

Confirm campsite details with the MWCD; the lake's marinas run their own seasons.

Restaurants nearby

The Ohio Grille
Burgers and specials; closed Sunday
Directions
Gionino's Pizzeria of Carrollton
Pizza and wings; open daily
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Circle K
Open 24 hours in Carrollton, about 10 miles from the lake
Directions

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