Delaware State Park: Visitor Feedback, Pros & Things to Know

Delaware State Park sits at 5202 US-23 in Delaware, Ohio, and the public listing for the property carries a 4.6 average across 1,701 reviews, which suggests a steady base of returning campers and day visitors rather than a single-season curiosity. The park is catalogued under several categories at once — state park, archery range, boat rental service, campground and hiking area — which hints at how broadly the grounds are used.
This review pulls together the details published in the park's own listing and the impressions left by visitors in public reviews, so the picture here reflects what has been recorded rather than a single trip. Where visitors disagreed with one another, both sides are represented. Where the data says nothing, that gap is stated plainly instead of filled in.

Delaware State Park at a Glance

At a glance, Delaware State Park reads as a multi-purpose outdoor property rather than a campground alone. The listing places it inside Delaware, Ohio, reachable from US-23, and files it under state park, archery range, boat rental service, campground and hiking area — a spread that matches the activity notes describing a disc golf course, a fishing pond and a hiking area. A separate accessibility note lists a boat ramp, which aligns with the boat rental service category and with reviewers who mention boating and a marina.
The property is listed with a price level of zero, and one reviewer described the beach as free and not requiring a campsite, so day access appears to have been a no-cost experience for at least some visitors. The park's coordinates place it at roughly 40.39 north and 83.06 west in the America/New_York timezone, and the official Ohio Department of Natural Resources page is the published reference point for planning. General contact is available by phone at +1 740-548-4631.

What Do Visitors Like About Delaware State Park?

Sentiment across the reviews collected here leans strongly positive, with most reviewers rating the park at the top of the scale and several describing it as among the best campgrounds they have used. Praise clusters around spacious and well-maintained sites, unusually clean restrooms and showers, friendly camp hosts, and the range of things to do — trails, beach, disc golf, boating. Criticism is narrower and mostly situational: sites that turned swampy after rain, a beach described as small with firm sand, and wildlife that some visitors found intrusive. Notably, more than one reviewer separated the campground experience from the beach experience, so the two are treated as distinct parts of the same property rather than one uniform verdict.

1. Spacious, Well-Kept Campsites

The most repeated compliment concerns site quality. A motorhome camper with two decades of experience described the lots as beautiful, spacious and well manicured, and called the campground one of the best he had stayed in. Another reviewer noted level paved parking with an electric hookup, and a third said the sites were well mowed and free of debris and leftover ash from previous campers.
Spacing matters to families too. One reviewer reported that the camping spots were not crowded and were spread out enough to fit three tents and two vehicles in a single site, while another appreciated having plenty of room. The recurring caveat is that hookups are electric only, which the motorhome reviewer flagged as the one real downside of an otherwise strong stay.

2. Cleanliness of Bathhouses and Restrooms

Bathroom quality comes up in nearly every detailed review, and the verdict is consistent. One camper called the bath houses clean and new, another said the shower and restroom facilities were clean and updated nicely, and a third described the bathrooms as the cleanest public restrooms she had ever seen, adding that they did not smell. A further reviewer simply wrote that the bathrooms were the cleanest seen to date.
Not every account is glowing on every detail. A visitor writing about the beach area rather than the campground said the bathrooms there were only okay and that stall doors in the women's restroom did not lock, while noting a rinse-off station after swimming and ample parking. That contrast is useful: the campground facilities drew the strongest praise, the beach facilities less so.

3. Camp Hosts and Staff Hospitality

Several reviewers credited people rather than infrastructure. One described an amazing camp host who brought ice popsicles for children and organized a Sunday gathering followed by a foam party, saying she had never been to a campground like it. Another mentioned receiving free popsicles one evening and free ice cream the next.
Staff at the entrance drew separate praise, with one visitor calling the service the most helpful and friendly experienced in a long time. A different reviewer highlighted polite interactions throughout the grounds. These accounts are individual impressions, but they recur often enough to read as a pattern rather than an outlier.

4. Trails, Water and Things to Do

The activity list published with the property — disc golf course, fishing pond, hiking area, plus a boat ramp and boat rental service in the category and accessibility fields — matches what reviewers describe on the ground. One called the trails amazing and the marina awesome, and noted a disc golf course among the offerings. Another completed the single looped hike and described it as easy and flat, with freshly falling leaves, an earthy smell, and plenty of squirrels and birds in the woods.
Trail access is a practical advantage: one camper noted the hiking trails could be reached directly from the campsites, and another said the loop could be entered from different locations. A visitor who mostly walked with a dog reported few people around, peaceful conditions and good views of the lake.

5. The Beach: Small, Shallow, and Free

Reviews of the swimming area are mixed but generally warm. One visitor who focused on the beach said the sand felt more like hard dirt and the beach itself was small, while the water was shallow and not too dirty, and the visit was enjoyable enough that his daughter wanted to return the next day. He added that the beach is free and does not require a campsite.
Others describe the beach as beautiful and a great place to swim, and one family reported kids swimming in clean water over a holiday weekend. A separate reviewer found the beach water murky but not too horrible, and another said the beach looked nice without using it. The honest summary is that the swimming area is modest in size with shallow water, and satisfaction depends on expectations.

6. Rain, Wildlife and Site Realities

The most substantive complaints are environmental. One camper arrived at a swampy site after heavy rain and suspected an ongoing drainage issue, since hay had already been spread over the mud and had clearly been there a while. Another warned that a neighbouring spot was flooded yet still rented out, and advised checking conditions if it has rained recently.
Wildlife and vegetation produced the sharpest warnings. One reviewer said raccoons effectively run the campground, opening coolers and taking food and even non-food items while people sat nearby, and that poison ivy was growing even in mowed areas of the sites. The same reviewer praised the cleanliness, staffing and layout, which shows the complaints are caveats rather than a rejection. A hiker also mentioned a heavy presence of spiders and webs along the trail, and cautioned about fallen nuts underfoot.

Visitor Highlights

Paraphrased summary of what visitors mention most — not direct quotes.

15 visitor mentions analyzed · 10 positive · 5 mixed

Read original reviews on Google Maps →

Facilities and Amenities: What Should You Know?

Facilities and Amenities: the property is listed as a state park with an archery range, a boat rental service, a campground and a hiking area, and the published activity notes add a disc golf course, a fishing pond and hiking trails. Accessibility information lists a boat ramp, which supports the boating and marina references that appear in visitor accounts. Reviewers describe bathhouses with restrooms and showers in the campground, and one mentions a playground with swings, a small basketball court, a climbing area, horseshoe and cornhole setups, and balls available through an honor system. Another reviewer noted a putt-putt course and an outdoor movie theater that was not working during their stay, plus bathrooms, a playground and dumpsters positioned near each set of campsites. A visitor writing about the beach area mentioned a playground, a dog park, a rinse-off station and lots of parking there, and estimated the beach as a short drive from the campgrounds.
For planning, the address is 5202 US-23, Delaware, OH 43015, United States, the general phone line is +1 740-548-4631, and the official Ohio Department of Natural Resources page linked from the listing is the published source for current property information. The site is recorded at approximately 40.39 north, 83.06 west in the America/New_York timezone. The listing carries a price level of zero, and one reviewer described beach access as free without a campsite, though the data here does not state camping rates or any other fees.

Is Delaware State Park Worth Visiting?

For travellers weighing a trip, the strongest case for Delaware State Park comes from campers who value space, cleanliness and a quiet setting over resort-style amenities. Reviewers who stayed multiple nights described well-spaced sites, immaculate restrooms and showers, hospitable hosts, and trails that start at the edge of the campground. Day visitors have a different but related case: a free beach with shallow water, a playground and a dog park nearby, plus disc golf, a fishing pond, a boat ramp and boat rental for those who want time on the water.
It suits tent campers and small groups who want room to spread out, families with children who will use playgrounds and the swimming area, hikers looking for easy flat loops, and anglers or boaters using the ramp and rental service. It suits visitors less well if they need full hookups beyond electric, expect a large sandy beach, or are booking shortly after heavy rain without checking site conditions. Anyone sensitive to raccoons or poison ivy should plan storage and footwear accordingly.

What Are the Potential Limitations?

The source data does not establish operating hours, seasonal closures, camping fees, reservation policies or current conditions on any specific site. Reviewers describe rain-related flooding and swampy ground, but nothing here confirms whether drainage work has been done since those stays. Crowd levels are described inconsistently — one camper found the place nearly empty on a Monday, another noted most pull-in spots taken on a rainy fall weekend, and a beach visitor reported the swimming area far quieter than the parking suggested — so no reliable conclusion about busy periods can be drawn. The outdoor movie theater was reported as not working during one stay, and the current status is unknown. Nothing in the data supports a judgment about water quality beyond individual impressions, and no reviewer account here covers winter access or off-season staffing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an entrance fee for Delaware State Park?

The listing carries a price level of zero, and one reviewer stated that the beach is free and does not require a campsite. The source data does not state camping rates or any other fees, so costs for overnight stays should be confirmed with the park directly.

What can visitors do at Delaware State Park?

The property is categorized as a state park, archery range, boat rental service, campground and hiking area. Published activity notes list a disc golf course, a fishing pond and a hiking area, and accessibility information lists a boat ramp. Reviewers also mention a beach, a marina, playgrounds and a putt-putt course.

Are the restrooms and showers clean?

Multiple reviewers described the campground bathhouses as clean, new or recently updated, with one calling them the cleanest public restrooms she had encountered. A reviewer writing specifically about the beach facilities was less enthusiastic, describing those bathrooms as only okay.

Can I bring a dog to Delaware State Park?

One reviewer described walking a dog around the grounds and finding it peaceful with good views of the lake, and another mentioned a dog park near the beach area. The source data does not include an official pet policy, so rules and restrictions should be checked with the park.

How do I contact Delaware State Park?

The listed phone number is +1 740-548-4631, and the property's official Ohio Department of Natural Resources page is the published reference for planning a visit. The address is 5202 US-23, Delaware, OH 43015, United States.

Final Verdict

Final Verdict: Delaware State Park earns its 4.6 average across 1,701 reviews on the strength of its campground — spacious, well-kept sites, clean and updated bathhouses, and hosts who leave a memorable impression — supported by an activity mix that runs from hiking and disc golf to fishing, boating and a small free beach. The honest caveats are electric-only hookups, sites that can turn swampy after rain, a modest beach with firm sand and shallow water, and wildlife that will test your food storage. Visitors who plan around those realities and confirm current details through the park's official page and phone line will find a property that has clearly worked well for a lot of campers.