Caesar Creek Lake

Activities

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  Boating

  Water recreation on the 2,830-acre Caesar Creek Lake is one of the key attractions. Five launch ramps are situated around the lake for easy access including the Wellman Meadows boat ramp near the dam, the Furnas Shores and North Shores boat ramps off of State Route 73 on the west side of the lake, and the Haines Road boat ramp on the upper end. The campground boat launch is located at Mound and Center roads on the upper east side.

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  Bicycling

  Bicycling is allowed on public roads. There are also mountain biking trails.

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  Camping

  Camping

  The campground at Caesar Creek Lake is operated by the Ohio Division of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation. The 287-site campground is open year-round with sites available on a reservation and first-come, first-served basis. The campground offers Class A facilities to overnight visitors, with a paved pad, 30 amp electric hookup, a picnic table and a campfire grill at each site. From April 1 through Oct. 31 the campground offers several "Rent-a-Camp" and "Rent-a-RV" sites for visitors that would like to try camping without investing in the equipment. The campground has a boat ramp and beach area available exclusively to campers. A horseman's camp with 30 sites is available for overnight trail rides.

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  Fishing

  At Caesar Creek Lake, an angler can fish for bluegill; crappie; largemouth, smallmouth,white and spotted bass; saugeye; and muskellunge. To check lake conditions call the Corps' 24-hour information line at (513) 897-5312.The size limit for both white and black crappie is 9 inches. The size limit for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass taken from the lake is 15 inches. There is no size limit for white bass. Snagging of any fish within 1000 feet below the dam is prohibited.

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  Historic Sites

  In the process of building a high quality dam at Caesar Creek, the Corps of Engineers created a spillway. The spillway is an area just to the southeast of the dam that has been blasted away to a level 12 feet lower than the top of the dam. This will allow the lake's overflow to run past the dam and not over the top of it and damage it. The spillway, therefore, acts like an emergency valve if the lake level grows to a dangerous height. The layer of rock exposed by blasting away the hillside is about 450 million years old. At that time, southwest Ohio rested at the bottom of a shallow ocean. The sediment of that sea blanketed the animals that lived on the bottom and with time and pressure, helped preserve their bodies as fossils. Today, these hardened animals are just lying on the exposed layer of earth in the spillway, waiting to be found. The vast majority of the fossils are brachiopods, or clam like creatures, but there are plenty of bryozoans and corals as well. Less common fossils are the flowerlike fossils called crinoids and gastropods or snails. Most difficult to find are the squids or celphalopods and Ohio's State Fossil, the Isotelus trilobite. Fossils may be observed in the spillway at any time but the collection of natural formations is prohibited without the permission of the Corps Engineers. To collect fossils, visitors must first check in at the Corps office or the Visitor Center.

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  Horseback Riding

  A horseman's camp with 30 sites is available for overnight trail rides.

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  Hunting

  Hunting is a popular activity at Caesar Creek Lake particularly during late autumn and winter. Hunting guidelines are established by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and these guidelines are available at any location that sells hunting licenses. Be sure to know the hunting zones before you take to the field. Hunting maps are available at the Caesar Creek Lake Visitor Center located at 4020 North Clarksville Road.

  Bobwhite quail, pheasant, cottontail rabbit, fox and gray squirrel and whitetail deer are the major game species. Wild turkeys have been reintroduced in the area and their numbers are steadily increasing. Gray squirrel hunting is best in the larger stands of mature woods and for fox squirrels in the smaller woodlots, along the streams, and in woody fencerows. Woodchucks abound on the area. Deer hunting is good throughout the area. Waterfowl hunting is available on the reservoir, the streams around the reservoir, and in ponds and wetlands. Caesar Creek State Park issues permits for duck blinds in various locations around the reservoir. For more information on duck blinds contact Caesar Creek State Park at (513) 897-3055.

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  Picnicking

  Caesar Creek Lake has three areas guests can reserve. Each shelter has tables, grills, water and electrical service, plus all shelters are wheelchair accessible. For larger groups, both shelters at Flat Fork Ridge Recreation Area can be reserved. Reserving both shelters gives groups exclusive use of the parking area and use of the fire pit. To make a reservation simply call or stop by the Visitor Center located at 4020 North Clarksville Road in Waynesville.

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  Water Sports

  For safety, visitors are encouraged to swim in designated areas only. There is no lifeguard service at Corps beaches -- swim at one's own risk. Always use the "Buddy System" -- don't swim alone. Swimming, wading, snorkeling or scuba diving at one's own risk is permitted, except at boat launching sites, designated mooring points and public docks, or other areas so designated by the District Commander.