About 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. 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. The recreation area offers two developed…
- Managed by: Wayne National Forest
- Where: 6 mi northeast of Ironton, OH · 38.60529, -82.63043
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Apr–Jun & Aug–Oct (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Dec–Feb.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balancing Rock Connector | Hiking | 0.1 mi | 0.2 mi |
| Lake Shore | Hiking | 0.1 mi | 7.5 mi |
| Backpack | Hiking | 0.1 mi | 15.3 mi |
| Vesuvius Main Loop | Horse | 0.1 mi | 29.6 mi |
| Scarlet Oak | Hiking | 0.3 mi | 0.4 mi |
| Old Beach | Hiking | 0.4 mi | 0.6 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 5G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way is faint and only shows overhead.
Class 5 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Propane: 5.2 mi
Nearest of each within 25 miles, straight-line.