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.
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Mounds & Earthworks43 ancient sites, including the Great Serpent Mound and the Newark Earthworks.
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Historic Sites39 places, from Fort Steuben and Zoar to Camp Chase and the Rankin House, from the frontier to the Civil War.
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Road Trips33 drives, from the Lincoln Highway to the Morgan Heritage Trail.
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Lake Erie Beaches20 public beaches from Conneaut to Toledo and the islands, with a map.
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Oddities & Roadside Attractions19 giants, ghosts and folk-art stops, plus a Mothman just over the line.
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Caves & Caverns12 show caverns, recess caves and rock shelters, with a map.
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Waterfalls34 falls from the Cuyahoga Valley to the Hocking Hills, with trail notes and a map.
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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

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117 parks in 7 regions

Lockington Reserve

Lockington · Shelby County · Western Ohio
Managed by Miami Conservancy District
200acres
—trail miles
1919established

Visiting information you can trust

Check before driving — this site is seasonal, approximate, privately run, or otherwise uncertain. Confirm hours and access with the official source above.
Content last reviewed
September 2026 — this is when Field Notes Ohio's content was last checked, not a live status.
Primary official source
Miami Conservancy District (search this park)
Location confidence
Approximate — boundary or exact point not confirmed
Lockington Reserve, near Sidney/Lockington (representative point)
Check current conditions
Official conditions or closures
Reservations or tickets
ReserveOhio — camping and cabin bookings
Hunting or permits
Hunting is not permitted in the reserve.

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

The Lockington Reserve sits beside the canal locks at the edge of the village of Lockington, on land the Miami Conservancy District holds behind Lockington Dam, which regulates Loramie Creek. The dam is an earthen structure 69 feet high and 6,400 feet long, built in 1919 after the 1913 flood, and it can hold 63,000 acre-feet of floodwater over 3,600 acres. The reserve's 200 acres of floodplain forest, upland woods and prairie have hiking trails and birdwatching over the Great Miami valley.

The Buckeye Trail's St. Marys Section follows the old canal here, and the trail association manages two primitive backpacker-only campsites in the reservation, at Point 2 of the section. A one-night permit is required, and the sites are in the floodplain, so they may be closed for flooding.

Things to do in the park

  • Hike the reserve trails
  • Camp at the Buckeye Trail backpacker sites with a permit
  • Watch for birds

Trails

Maps, reviews and recent trail reports for Lockington Reserve.

Find trails on AllTrails →

Things to do nearby

  • Lockington Locks, next door
  • Johnston Farm and Indian Agency in Piqua
  • Lake Loramie State Park

Hiking trails

Hiking trails through the reserve; the Buckeye Trail follows the canal

Wildlife you might see

  • Floodplain forest and prairie
  • Birds along the river valley

Fishing

  • Fishing is not a feature; check the district. Ohio fishing license required for ages 16 and up.

Hunting

Hunting is not permitted in the reserve.

Waterfalls near Lockington Reserve

Falls inside or within reach of this park. Stay behind railings and on marked trails; wet rock is slick in every season.

Charleston Falls

Tipp City · Miami County
A 37 foot horseshoe cascade over dolomite ledges in a 216 acre preserve near Tipp City, often called Ohio's miniature Niagara Falls.
37 ftEasy walk
About 21 miles from this park

The Buckeye Trail at Lockington Reserve

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

19 St. Marys Section

48 miles · Miami, Shelby, Auglaize
Two backpacker campsites beside the Lockington Locks
3 parksTrail towns

Campsites

Buckeye Trail backpacker sites
Two primitive, backpacker-only sites near Point 2 of the St. Marys Section; one-night permit required; floodplain, may close in floods
Free with a permit

On site

  • Trails and parking near the locks
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 "Lockington Reserve" there to finish reserving.
Prefer the phone?See the Miami Conservancy District

Backpackers must get a one-night permit from the Miami Conservancy District.

Restaurants nearby

Crooked Handle Brewing Co.
Brewpub with a patio overlooking the canal lock park; closed Monday
Directions

Gas stations nearby

Clark Gas
A basic fuel stop; reviews are mixed
Directions

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