Located in the midst of gently rolling hills in northwest Ohio, the 142-acre Harrison Lake State Park offers wooded splendor in an agricultural region. Harrison Lake is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, camping, and paddling.



Harrison Lake State Park

The Volga River Recreation Area is located in one of the most scenic parts of the state. Northeast Iowa is often referred to as "Little Switzerland" because of its rugged topography, geologic features and substantial timber cover which are in sharp contrast to the majority of the state's rolling hills, farmland and scattered stands of timber. The heavily wooded, rugged landscape of the Volga River is an exciting setting for a variety of outdoor recreation pursuits.

The area provides excellent habitat for fish and wildlife. The Volga River, which meanders through the 5,7500-acre area, holds smallmouth bass, rock bass, channel catfish and white suckers. Its banks harbor nesting wood ducks and shorebirds. Song birds, chickadees, finches, bluebirds, and woodpeckers (including the impressive pileated) are plentiful. Raptors include red-shouldered and red-tailed hawks and great horned owls. Wild turkeys are numerous and ruffed grouse and woodcock are occasionally seen. Red fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, muskrat, mink and beaver use the area and both fox and gray squirrels are found in the timbered hills. The timber and croplands in northeast Iowa provide excellent habitat for white-tailed deer. Many deer trails in the Volga area confirm the abundance of this popular animal.

Scenic features include the Volga River and the old steel bridges that cross it, striking rock formations, prairie areas and natural woodlands with unusual stands of aspen and Canadian yew. Changes of season provide vivid contrasts in snowy winter, bright wild flowers and foliage in spring, shady woodlands in summer and vivid colors in autumn.

State Parks Tagged With: Fayette