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A photo of the Dillon Reservoir which the park surrounds.
Dillon State Park was named after Moses Dillon – known for constructing the original Y-Bridge in Zanesville. He purchased the land where the park now stands in 1803.[5]
Between 1811 and 1834, the National Road was constructed, which passed near the Dillon region.[6] The road connected central Ohio to the east coast, extending from Maryland to Illinois. In 1830, the road reached Zanesville, the town directly next to Dillon State Park.[7] The road provided market access for the sparsely settled Midwest during the early 19th century,[7] which boosted local economic activity as traffic increased. As the traffic along the route grew, Zanesville became a major stopover along this road.[citation needed]
In 1961, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiated flood control projects across Ohio. The project created the Dillon Dam, designed to control and manage the waters of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers, which had caused major floods in the past. This flood control reservoir ultimately resulted in the creation of Dillon Lake, which the park now surrounds.[2] The addition of the dam and the creation of the lake transformed the area's landscape, necessitating the construction of new roads to provide people with access to the park.
The park was officially established as a public recreation area in 1968 by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.[citation needed] Since then, the park has significantly developed to accommodate visitors by implementing various activities and multi-use trails.
Geology
The geology of the park includes exposures of Black Hand Sandstone, a member of the Cuyahoga Formation deposited during the Lower Mississippian Period (roughly 350–355 million years ago).[8] This sandstone is coarse-grained and, in places, conglomeratic, with massive beds and cross-bedding visible in outcrops.[9] Sediments forming the unit were derived from upland areas to the east, including the Acadian highlands, and were transported into shallow-marine and deltaic environments.[10] The sandstone is relatively durable and forms prominent cliffs and ridges where exposed.[11]
The park's vegetation includes hardwood trees such as oak and maple, and lichens such as Shield lichen are found growing on trees.[13]
Activities and attractions
Dillon State Park offers boat and dock rentals. The park also provides both hiking and mountain biking trails across many different terrains. The trails are between half a mile and 18 miles in length.[1]
An accessible swimming beach is also available at this park. The facilities located nearby include showers, lockers, a snack bar, a bathhouse, and a wading pool for children. For entertainment, there are various games and activities for residents to enjoy, such as: tennis, horseshoes, paddle ball, volleyball, basketball, shuffleboard, and a playground.
The park has 195 campsites and 29 cabins in total.[14] The campground includes a family campground, equestrian campsites, and vacation cabins.
↑ Longfellow, Rickie (30 June 2023). "The National Road". U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 22 September 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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