12 Great Lakes and Rivers
Lake Erie gets all the glory. But there are plenty of other ways to dive into the beauty of nature. Whether you’re an expert angler, a first-time kayaker or a weekend beach bum, these Northeast Ohio inland lakes and rivers are making waves this summer.
Whether you want to stay on land, where you can find an 11-site geocaching trail and a lakeside bistro, or hit the water, a haven for kayakers, swimmers and fisherman, this 1,540-acre lake is worth diving in head first.
Portage Lakes
Created in 1825, Summit County’s collection of eight lakes and reservoirs were designed to supply water to the Ohio Canal but ended up supplying a close-knit community of tourists and residents with breezy boat rides and sandy beaches.
West Branch Reservoir
At 2,650 acres, this Portage County reservoir offers wide-open waters with no speed restrictions and calmer inlets for gentle floats and swims.
Pymatuning Lake
At this 14,000-acre, the fish are always biting — whether it’s fishermen catching the newly stocked walleye and muskie or at bread thrown from the shore.
Punderson Lake
Under the gaze of an English Tudor-style manor, this 150-acre, natural glacial lake in Geauga County entertains on the super-smooth, speed-relegated waters and on land with both traditional and disc golf courses and miles of trails.
Findley Lake
Inside a majestic border of oak and Canadian hemlock, this summer retreat in Lorain County is the picture-perfect place to shut off the outside world.
Berlin Lake
Created when U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Mahoning River in 1942, Berlin Lake offers a world of discovery from it’s many coves to its animal sanctuary that hosts lions and tigers.
Mosquito Creek Lake
Don’t let the name scare you. This Trumbull county lake is surrounded by relatively untouched green space and filled with enough fish, which hide in the mere’s shallow depths, to be featured on Major League Fishing.
Chagrin River
Hiding behind suburban homes and retail, this 48-mile lake starts at Bass Lake in Munson Township and glides long scenic attractions such as the Hach-Otis State Nature Preserve Sanctuary and the Holden Arboretum before emptying into Lake Erie.
Black River
After a $23.5 million clean-up, the 13-mile lake once dubbed the “river of fish tumors” is seeing a revitalization of animal, plant and human activity.
Vermilion River
Vermilion’s best-kept secret, this long-but-shallow river is a premier player in Ohio’s Steelhead Alley.
Grand River
One of Ohio’s three “wild and scenic rivers,” Northeast Ohio’s grand escape is a 102-mile stretch of slow-moving waters, covered bridges accessible fishing and ancillary trail systems.
