Tar Hollow State Park

The Tar Hollow State Park covers a total area of 604 acres of land in Laurelville, Ohio, which is a one-hour drive south of the city of Columbus in the southeast area of the state. If you have GPS in your vehicle, just set the address to 16396 Tar Hollow Road, Laurelville, Ohio 43135.

The park gets its name from the fact that early pioneers used the area as a hub for harvesting pine tar from the local trees at the foothills of the Appalachian Plateau. Much later, the federal government purchased non-productive agricultural land in the area and designated it as the Tar Hollow Forest Park, in 1939. In 1949 after the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation was formed, the Tar Hollow State Park was carved out of the original Tar Hollow Forest.

Today the park is cohabited by several plant and animal species that make this area of Ohio a natural splendor. Some of the plant species that you can find include Hickory, Oak, Sycamore, Silver Maple, Black Willow, Buckeye, an array of mosses, ferns, mushrooms, and wildflowers. Animal species include a wide variety of reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. 

Besides the natural splendor of the park, there are several other activities that attract people to the park. Some of the more popular activities include fishing, camping, swimming, boating, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and backpacking. The amenities at the park to facilitate these activities include campsites (a majority of which have electricity), swimming beach, showers, picnic areas and picnic shelters, several trails, bike rentals, a nature center, boat ramps, playground, and miniature golf.

Bringing your dog to the park is also encouraged since there is no entrance fee for your tail-wagger. That said, you are expected to follow standard Ohio state park rules. Some of the rules regarding your dog include the following. First, you must always keep your dog on a leash no longer than six feet long. You are also expected to keep your dog away from park buildings and areas that are not designated as pet-friendly areas. If you decide that you want to camp at the park, you should be aware that there is a limit of two pets/dogs per campsite.