Dillon Lake: Private World

29 March 2015

Lake #13    Dillon Lake, Dillon State Park, Muskingum County

Every lake has a story; every lake has something to make it special. 

Dillon Lake's Something Special 

My kayaking day at Dillon Lake was partly sunny, cold (45 degrees) and windy.  Sunshine is the most important feature of the weather to me, since I live in Columbus, Ohio and only get to have it about 50% of the time. Paddling in the cold and wind doesn’t seem so bad with sunshine on your face. In fact, I’ll trade just about anything for some sunshine. I liked kayaking Dillon Lake a heck of a lot more than I did paddling Buckeye Lake.  To be fair to Buckeye Lake it was a no sunshine paddle, but that wasn’t the only reason I liked Dillon Lake more. I prefer my lakes like Dillon Lake with natural scenery, not filled with man made structures like Buckeye Lake.

View of Dillon Lake from Big Run Boat Ramp

Looking Towards Dam from Marina Boat Launch

Dillon Lake, located in Dillon State Park, is six miles northwest of Zanesville. Historically, the area played an important role in water transportation for the region. The Licking River feeds into the lake at the northwest end. Native Americans used the river on their way to Flint Ridge. In 1803, Moses Dillon purchased the land surrounding the Licking River where the park is located today. He dammed the river to provide power to the village of Dillon Falls. Moses Dillon is best known for building the first “Y” bridge in Zanesville in 1814, a three-way bridge that spans the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum Rivers. Floods washed Dillon’s bridge and several versions that replaced it away. The current concrete and steel bridge opened in 1984 and is in the same location as the original. I had the chance to drive over the bridge on my way out of town. How many bridges do you know of where there is an intersection at the middle of the bridge? I would recommend taking the time to see the bridge while you are in the area; it really is unique. The Ohio and Erie Canal followed the route of the Licking River for several miles (kayaking the portion of the canal still intact at Buckeye Lake was the best part of last week’s paddle). 

The United States Army Corps of Engineers built Dillon Dam as part of the Muskingum Valley Flood Control Program partly in response to the massive flooding of Zanesville in 1913. Construction began in 1946, but was halted due to lack of materials. Construction recommenced in 1958 and finished in June 1961. The dam protects the Muskingum Valley, which includes the cities of Zanesville and Marietta. The dam is by far the largest earth-filled dam that I have ever seen. It is 118 feet high and 1400 feet long. The day I was there, the spillway was full. Dillon Lake is typically around 1,560 acres in size, but the dam is capable of holding back 10,000 acres of water. There is evidence of much higher water levels throughout the park. Dillon State Park was dedicated seven years after the dam’s completion.

Dillon Dam 

Dillon Lake View from the Dam 

Dillon Lake Spillway

I scoped out three different boat launch sites before putting in at a fourth. The first I visited is known as Big Run. Big Run Boat Ramp is located off of State Route 146, which is also called Neward Road. There is plenty of room to turn around a trailer and plenty of parking. There is a single concrete ramp that has not been cleaned off since high water. It has logs and debris scattered over it. There is a non-maintained road running down the right side of the parking area to the water’s edge. I was afraid to drive my car with the trailer down it, because I was concerned that I would get stuck in the muck at the bottom. There are no facilities here and no trees to go behind, so no bathroom.

 

Big Run Boat Ramp

Next up was the beach. There is a canoe and kayak put in just east of the beach, which is accessed off of County Road 60 (also known as Dillon Hills Drive). There is a signed access road from the parking lot down to the water where there is a small area with 15 minute loading/unloading parking. The road was paved but the loading area was not. I didn’t drive my car down, because I was not sure that I had enough turn around room with the trailer. Any car or pick-up truck without a trailer would have plenty of clearance. This spot would be a great place to put in to paddle northwest to explore Licking River. The water level was very low in this area. There were several mud flats with seagulls hanging out. There are restrooms here. This would be a great location to come to if you had non-paddlers in your group, because there are a variety of activities available. In addition to the beach, there is the park office, a soccer field, basketball courts, tennis courts, the mountain biking trailhead, and a horse bridle trail.

 

Road Down to Beach Boat Launch

Beach Boat Launch

View from the Beach

Next, I decided to try a boat launch on the other side of the lake. Pleasant Knob boat launch, aka Every Road, can be reached off of Every Road, which is the same as Natural Resource Road 17. Every Road is next to the Dillon Sportsman Club that is off of Pleasant Valley Road (County Road 408). Sorry if so many names are confusing, different maps use different names for the same places in this park. Ok, so back to the boat launch. The parking lot here is huge. I think they thought it had to have enough room for “every”one. “I know, pretty bad.” The boat ramp is extremely steep and long. There was a line of high water debris across it and no turn around at the bottom. The water level here was extremely low, too low even for a kayak to navigate. After my  “fun” in the mud at Berlin Lake (BHAG lake #2), I wasn’t eager for a repeat. With higher water levels, this would not be a bad put in. There are no facilities here but it is completely private so you can make do.

 

If You See This Sign Then You are Headed in the Right Direction 

Every Road Boat Ramp

Low Water at Every Road Boat Launch 

Every Road Put-in, Mud Entry

Last on my list was the main boat launch area called the Marina. I found that name pretty funny since the only thing there was a restroom and that wasn’t even open during my visit. My husband Stan, my winter paddling buddy, and I disagree on what should be allowed to be called a marina. He says that if a put in has docks then it can call itself a marina. I say that in order to be a marina, that there has to be some kind of facilities and services offered as well. Apparently, the  Marina used to have a shop selling supplies and renting boats, a snack bar, and a shower house but they were torn down due to being in poor condition. In season, there are floating docks but when I was there only the poles they attach to were present. The poles kind of have a lost world feel to them; they reminded me of the ending to the 1968 Planet of the Apes movie when Charlton Heston sees the head of the Statute of Liberty. There are two concrete boat ramps here, plenty of room to turn around a trailer, and plenty of parking. There is a flat area of shore to the right of the concrete ramps and that is where I chose to finally put in for my day of kayaking.

Boat Dock Poles Viewed from the Parking Lot

Boat Dock Poles or Alien Sculpture 

Marina Boat Ramp

I was advised that the water near the dam can be quite rough and given the amount of water being pushed out into the spillway that was understandable so I decided to head northwest away from the dam. I also wanted to check out the culvert between the lake and Poverty Run to see if the water level was such that I could paddle through it. Dillon Lake is unlimited horsepower. I had one high-speed boat go by me twice while I was kayaking but that was the only boat I saw. They didn’t have anyone else to race; apparently, their goal was to go from one end of the lake to the other as fast as they could and then go home.  The culvert between Dillon Lake and Poverty Run is west of the marina on the southern side of the lake. It runs under the B&O train bed. You can see the train tracks from the parking lot next to the dam. A train went by while I was still on the other side of the lake. I can’t imagine how loud the train would sound if you were in the culvert when it passed overhead. That probably would have freaked me out.

Heading West from the Marina Boat Ramp

My Winter Kayaking Buddy

If You Look Closely You Can See the Train

Train Tracks You Paddle Under When You Go Through the Culvert

Paddling to the Culvert

Heading Into the Culvert

Kayaking Inside the Culvert

I loved going through the culvert and paddling Poverty Run. It felt like I was entering my own private world. The environment changed upon entering the stream. A quiet hush descended and the air became warmer. This was my favorite part of the day’s paddle. There were several mud flats along the starboard (right) side of the river with birds hanging out and evidence of beaver activity. My daughter had come along for the drive and was hanging out by the car when numerous black birds paid her a visit. Speaking of birds, for this lake I named the baby duck Bob so he could be Bob Dillon (I know the musician spells his last name Dylan but they are pronounced the same).

Entering Poverty Run

Exploring Poverty Run

Relaxing on Poverty Run

I Could Have Hung Out Here All Day

Blogger and Baby Duck Bob Soaking Up Some Sunshine

Baby Duck Bob Dillon (Dylan)

Picture My Daughter Took of the Birds From the Car

After relaxing on Poverty Run, it was time to head back to the car. After packing up the kayaks, I went to check out the park's camp ground and cottages. Dillon State Park has 183 electric camp sites and 12 non-electric ones. There are also 20 non-electric equestrian camp sites which are available on a first-come, first served basis. The campground was pretty average for a state park, nothing that got me excited. There are 29 cottages located on the north lakeshore. These had more privacy than most state park cottages. There were a few that overlooked the lake with screened in porches facing the water. You would have a great view in the spring before all the leaves come out. 

Back Through the Culvert

Head to the Light

Back to the Lake

End of the Road Cottage-Most Privacy

Cottage with the Best View of the Lake

I had promised my daughter a special treat in exchange for her not getting to paddle (she didn’t have the appropriate clothing for cold water). If you kayak Dillon Lake then I strongly urge you to follow it up with a stop at Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl. Tom’s has been in business since 1948 and is located about ten minutes from Dillon Lake at 532 McIntire Avenue, Zanesville. Tom’s has good hamburgers, great chocolates and nuts, and fantastic homemade ice cream. The day I was there, the store also had an assortment of candy for Easter. I bought a variety of different kinds of jellybeans: cinnamon (my husband’s favorite), black licorice (my very favorite), fruit and spice. We took them home to enjoy later. Everyone in the family agrees that they are the best jellybeans that they have ever eaten.

Great Place to Eat After a Day of Kayaking Dillon Lake

Old Fashioned Interior of Tom's Ice Cream Bowl

This brings to a close the 13^th lake of my BHAG. I already see the difference the BHAG is having on my life. It is forcing me to arrange my schedule so that I can kayak and in turn allowing me to be selfish and think of my own needs. Every body needs to have their own thing. Regardless of whether you are a wife, husband, mother, father, daughter, son; you must be you first. You must find what makes you happy. In the end, all the roles will fall away and you will be all that is left. Make sure it is a you you can be happy with.