Did you know that Highland County is home to two state parks? Both Rocky Fork State Park and Paint Creek State Park reside in Highland County. These state parks have a variety of activities for people to do at either one. These activities include boating, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, picnicking, swimming, trails, playgrounds, putt putt, rock climbing, miniature golf, and disc golf.

Rocky Fork State Park is in Hillsboro, Ohio and offers boating, camping, disc golf, hiking, sledding, and many more. Rocky Fork State Park has a variety of guided hikes with naturalists available for guests, including their Winter Hike (easy; 0.3 miles), Night Hike, Sunset Hike, and their Morning Hike. Rocky Fork also has three trails, two take visitors through gorgeous scenery and the other one to a bird watching observation station. These trails are the Bird Observation Trail (easy; 0.3 miles), the Deer Loop Trail (moderate; 1 mile), and the Storybook Trail (easy; 0.5 miles). Rocky Fork also has boating for guests, with six boat launch ramps and offers more than 700 docks. These launch ramps include the Campground ramp, North Beach ramp, East Shore Drive launch ramp, East Shore launch ramp, South Beach launch ramp, and the Fishermans Wharf. Their campgrounds are full-service and are suitable for trailers and tents. Pets are allowed on all the campsites and Rocky Fork State Park has two group camping options available.

Rocky Fork also has a 9-hole disc golf course at the South Beach; rental equipment is available at the camp store and there is no fee to play. Anglers can enjoy catches of a variety of fish that are up to 40 pounds. The state park has wheelchair accessible fishing piers that are located on the southeast side of the lake and in the campground. Rocky Fork State Park also has a youth fishing pond located at south beach, Ohio fishing regulations apply and a valid Ohio fishing license is required to be able to fish. Rocky Fork State Park also has hunting permitted in season in designated areas, an official hunting map is available in the park office and online; Ohio hunting and trapping regulations apply, and a valid Ohio hunting license is required. The state park also has six picnic areas that are located on the north and east shores in wooded areas overlooking the lake. Two large public beaches provide 800 feet of lake access for swimming on the north and south sides of the lake; a boat swim area is available for boaters. Swimming is permitted only during daylight hours and pets are not permitted on swimming beaches. The state park has playgrounds that can be found at the campground, North Beach, and South Beach.

Paint Creek State Park, which sits on the border of Highland County and Ross County, is in Bainbridge, Ohio and offers a variety of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Paint Creek State Park offers many different hikes, including their Winter Hike (moderate; 1.2 miles), Wildflower Hike (easy to moderate), Meet the Critters hike, and their Woodland Hike. Paint Creek State Park also has a variety of trails which range from 0.75 to 6 miles in length, including East Trail Loop, Harmony Trial, Little Pond Trail, North Loop Bridle Trail, and South Loop Paint Creek Trail. Paint Creek Lake allows unlimited horsepower boating and has three launch ramps that provide access to the lake. This state park has almost 200 pet-friendly campsites, reservations are required for camping. Paint Creek State Park also features a 21-hole disc golf course; equipment is available from the camp store

Paint Creek State Park has fishing as well, anglers can enjoy good catches of many different types of fish, including saugeye, bluegill, bass, catfish, and crappie at the lake; Ohio fishing regulations apply and a valid Ohio fishing license Is required to fish. Paint Creek State Park also has hunting that is allowed in season the lake for waterfowl and in the adjacent wildlife area; Ohio hunting and trapping regulations apply, and a valid Ohio hunting license is required. Picnicking areas are provided with tables and grills near the marina and archery range. A large 1,000-foot sand beach provides a perfect spot of enjoyment for swimmers and sunbathers; swimming is permitted in designated areas and pets are not permitted on swimming beaches. Paint Creek also had miniature golf for guests to enjoy for a small fee. The state park also has rock climbing that is permitted along the Harmony Trail and Spillway Wall.

So, whether you want to see the magnificent scenery while on the hiking trails, boat on beautiful lakes, or go stay at one of their many campgrounds; Rocky Fork State Park and Paint Creek State Park have many different things to see and do while visiting. Each of these state parks has a variety of activities for guests to do and enjoy year-round.