U.S. Forest Service · Wayne National Forest · Pedro, OH

Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area

Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area, named for the old Vesuvius iron furnace, is the Wayne National Forest's premier developed recreation site. The 143-acre lake and 1,200-acre complex provides the perfect spot for a getaway.

Reservable · Recreation.gov3 sitesElectric hookupsTents only

More like this: electric hookups in Ohio · reservable in Ohio · tent only in Ohio · group sites in Ohio

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Lake Vesuvius Recreation AreaLake Vesuvius Recreation AreaLAKE VESUVIUS RECREATION AREALAKE VESUVIUS RECREATION AREA
Photos courtesy of USDA Forest Service · Recreation.gov

Site mix

group shelter nonelectric1
group shelter electric1
Group tent areas1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

3 sites in 3 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeSurfaceShadePowerPeople / vehicles
0012 PointGroup tentPavedNo50 / 12
003FURNGroup Shelter ElectricGravelFull15 amp150 / 20
004ROADGroup Shelter NonelectricPavedFullNo150 / 20

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 11:00 AM, checkout 10:00 AM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric
EquipmentTents

The recreation area offers two developed family campgrounds, a group camp and group picnic shelters. The group campsite can accommodate up to 50 people for tent camping. It is equipped with tables and campfire rings with grills. Accessible vault toilets, showers and drinking water are provided. Group shelters can accommodate up to 150 people. Picnic tables, campfire rings and grills are provided, as well as accessible flush toilets and drinking water. One shelter provides electricity, while the other does not. Each has access to an amphitheater.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.51 inches of precipitationFebruary: 3.69 inches of precipitationMarch: 4.36 inches of precipitationApril: 3.85 inches of precipitationMay: 4.85 inches of precipitationJune: 4.46 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.58 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.91 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.32 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.97 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.98 inches of precipitationDecember: 4.20 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.2°F averageFebruary: 34.3°F averageMarch: 42.7°F averageApril: 53.9°F averageMay: 62.9°F averageJune: 71.5°F averageJuly: 75.0°F averageAugust: 73.6°F averageSeptember: 66.9°F averageOctober: 54.7°F averageNovember: 43.2°F averageDecember: 35.5°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 in5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ashland, 11 miles from the campground at 560 feet, station USC00150254 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 47 inches a year.

Getting there

From U.S. Highway 52 at Ironton, take State Route 93 north for less than 10 miles to Lake Vesuvius Road (County Road 29). Turn east toward Lake Vesuvius and travel 1 mile to the recreation area.

Nearest townPedro, Ohio
Coordinates38.6053° N, 82.6304° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearRiver City Adventure Company ↗22.2 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗25.6 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Worth a stop

The closest town is Ironton, Ohio, less than 10 miles from the campground.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • under 0.1 mi
    Balancing Rock Connector
    0.2 mi trail · hiking
  • 0.1 mi
    Backpack ↗
    15.3 mi trail · hiking
  • 0.3 mi
    Scarlet Oak
    0.4 mi trail · hiking
  • 0.4 mi
    Lake Shore ↗
    7.4 mi trail · hiking
  • 0.4 mi
    Old Beach
    0.6 mi trail · hiking
  • 0.5 mi
    Rock House ↗
    0.4 mi trail · hiking

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Wayne National Forest.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The lake sits on Storms Creek, which was dammed in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The rugged hills and rock outcroppings offer a scenic backdrop for this beautiful recreation area. The historic Vesuvius iron furnace is located at the base of the dam.

Recreation

Lake Vesuvius is a popular location for swimming and fishing. Anglers may catch bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill. A boat ramp is located on-site. A swimming beach is located at Big Bend. A large playing field and multiple hiking trails are available within the recreation area. The accessible 1/3-mile boardwalk along the southwest edge of the lake provides an opportunity for a leisurely stroll through the area, and the slightly longer 1/2-mile Longbow Archery Trail, accesses at least 25 field targets for shooting practice. The area boasts more than 25 miles of hiking trails and more than 45 miles of horseback riding trails.

Guidebooks for Ohio

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Sites at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Check-in 11:00 AM, checkout 10:00 AM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area have?

3 sites, including 1 group shelter nonelectric, 1 group shelter electric, and 1 group tent area.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Does Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Accessible vault toilets, showers and drinking water are provided.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Lake Vesuvius is a popular location for swimming and fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area?

Pedro, Ohio. The closest town is Ironton, Ohio, less than 10 miles from the campground.

Source: Getting there

What if Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Iron Ridge (0.9 mi, partly first-come), Oak Hill (1 mi, partly first-come), and Paddle Creek Horse Camp (3.2 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby