Dillon State Park
Nashport, Ohio · on Dillon Lake · Dillon Recreation Area
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- No fee found
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Dillon State Park
Dillon State Park sits on Dillon Lake, a reservoir near Nashport, Ohio, about 6 miles northwest of Zanesville, formed behind the US Army Corps of Engineers' Dillon Dam. The Corps operates the dam and lake while the Ohio Department of Natural Resources runs the state park's day-use and camping facilities, including a designated swim beach.
The park occupies wooded hills and valleys along the shoreline of Dillon Lake, a Muskingum River-basin reservoir built and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the state park providing developed recreation facilities on the lake's shore.
Swimming at Dillon State Park
Swimming takes place at a developed, roughly 1,360-foot sand beach near the park office on Dillon Lake, backed by a bathhouse with showers and a separate wading pool for young children. This is a lifeguarded-style developed lake beach rather than a natural swimming hole, suited to families and casual lake swimmers rather than those seeking a wild or secluded spot.
How to get to this swimming hole
Dillon Lake and Dillon State Park lie about 6 miles northwest of Zanesville, Ohio and roughly 20 miles east of Newark. The lake is reached via State Route 146, connecting to State Routes 16 and 586 from the north or US 40 and I-70 from the south. The state park's beach and office are at 5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport, OH 43830.
The hike in
- Time on foot
- Walk from the adjacent parking lot to the beach is a few minutes at most.
No hike is needed to reach the swim beach: it sits directly next to the park office/parking area on the lake shore. The park does have separate hiking, bridle, and mountain-bike trails elsewhere in the property, but none is described as the access route to the swimming beach.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Developed sand swim beach with a separate, shallower children's wading pool right next to the main beach, plus a bathhouse with showers nearby; this is a designed family lake-beach setup rather than a natural swimming hole with currents or drop-offs.
Parking
Lot
A beach parking lot exists near the park office (5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport, OH), but no source found stating a specific day-use parking fee, so cost/paid status is left unconfirmed rather than assumed free.
Restrooms
Yes
Bathhouse with showers at the swim beach near the park office (per Ohio Traveler and Visit Zanesville CVB descriptions); exact vault-toilet/flush-toilet breakdown and additional trailhead restroom locations not confirmed.
On the water
Recreation.gov and the USACE Corps Lakes page both list water sports/boating as an activity at Dillon Lake and note a marina and boat ramps on site, confirming motorized and paddle craft are generally permitted on the reservoir. No source found specifying horsepower limits, no-wake zones, or electric-only areas, so restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
Backstory
Dillon Lake is a reservoir impounded by the USACE-built and -operated Dillon Dam; the surrounding state park land is managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for shoreline recreation while the Corps retains the dam and its own Dam Site recreation area nearby.
Dillon State Park: FAQ
Is Dillon State Park kid friendly?
Developed sand swim beach with a separate, shallower children's wading pool right next to the main beach, plus a bathhouse with showers nearby; this is a designed family lake-beach setup rather than a natural swimming hole with currents or drop-offs.
Do I need to hike to reach Dillon State Park?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Dillon State Park?
A beach parking lot exists near the park office (5265 Dillon Hills Drive, Nashport, OH), but no source found stating a specific day-use parking fee, so cost/paid status is left unconfirmed rather than assumed free.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Dillon State Park?
Recreation.gov and the USACE Corps Lakes page both list water sports/boating as an activity at Dillon Lake and note a marina and boat ramps on site, confirming motorized and paddle craft are generally permitted on the reservoir. No source found specifying horsepower limits, no-wake zones, or electric-only areas, so restrictions are left null rather than assumed.
When is the best time to visit Dillon State Park?
Summer, when the beach and children's wading pool are operated seasonally
What water body is Dillon State Park on?
Dillon State Park is on Dillon Lake, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.
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