Punderson State Park

11755 Kinsman Road (location)
PO Box 338 (mailing address)
Newbury, Ohio 44065

Punderson Resort Lodge
PO Box 224, Newbury, OH 44065-0224

Punderson State Park with its natural lake, resort manor house, family cottages, golf course and scenic campground, provides myriad recreational opportunities for visitors.
Punderson is also Ohio's premier winter sports park. Sledding, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are all at their best.

Scenic View of Lake

Camping

The campground is situated on the site of a former Indian village
177 electric sites
5 full service sites (electric, water & sewer)
12 non-electric sites
Showerhouses, flush toilets, and dump station
Pets are permitted in designated areas
Nature center
Camp office loans sporting equipment and games to registered campers

Cottages

26 cottages sleep six persons each.
Offer two bedrooms, bath with a shower, living room, complete kitchen, dining area and screened porch.
Pets are permitted in select cottages, call 800-282-7275 for details.

Lodge

Overnight accommodations are available in the manor house.
31 guest rooms provide a warm, intimate atmosphere.
The manor house features a dining room, meeting rooms and outdoor and indoor swimming pools.

Golf Course

Championship-rated, 18-hole public golf course challenges even the expert golfer.
Reservations are always advisable and required for weekend play.
The pro shop stocks all necessary merchandise and has a snack bar.

Boating

Beautiful Punderson Lake invites boaters to explore the many scenic coves
Electric motors only are permitted
Boat rentals are available at the marina concession

Trails

Fourteen miles of trails take the hiker to some of the more interesting and scenic areas of the park.

Fishing

Anglers enjoy catches of bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow and golden trout and catfish.
Punderson Lake as well as two smaller lakes are open to fishing.
A valid Ohio fishing license is required.

Picnicking

Picnic facilities with tables, grills and drinking water are located in scenic areas of the park.

Chalet

The winter sports chalet is a unique heated facility that is available for daily rental spring through fall

More To Do

Volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoes and shuffleboard at the lodge
A tennis court is located at the chalet
Playgrounds, volleyball and basketball courts are located in day-use areas

Winter Recreation

Situated in the heart of Ohio's "snow belt," Punderson provides cold weather thrills for its visitors including a lighted sled hill
Snowmobile trails offer access to the park for those with snowmobiles
Cross country ski trails are available as weather permits

Area Attractions

The rural charm of Geauga County is highlighted at the Geauga County Historical Museum in Burton . Near the museum is Century Village, a reconstruction of an 1800s village typical of those scattered throughout the Western Reserve region of northeastern Ohio
Nelson-Kennedy Ledges and Tinker's Creek state parks are nearby. Both offer fine day-use facilities, including picnic areas and hiking trails for the visitor
A different sort of adventure awaits those who visit Geauga Lake Family Amusement Park located southwest of Punderson State Park in the village of Aurora on State Route 43
For additional information on areas attractions, contact the Geauga County Tourism Council at 800-775-TOUR, or the Ohio Division of Travel & Tourism at 800-BUCKEYE

Nature of the Area

Punderson State Park is located in the glaciated plateau region of Ohio. During the Ice Age, this area was buried under glacial ice. The last glacier to enter Ohio's boundaries, the Wisconsinan, receded about 12,000 years ago. Punderson Lake, one of Ohio's few natural lakes, owes its origin to this massive ice sheet. It is a kettle lake which was formed when a large block of ice broke off the glacier creating a depression which filled with meltwater. Punderson is the largest and deepest kettle lake in Ohio.

The aquatic environment of the lake combined with the surrounding woodlands give Punderson a diverse array of natural wonders. The lake is home to a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl including great blue herons, Canada geese and wood ducks. Ohio's largest rodent, the beaver, can also be spotted around the lake. Great horned owls, white-tailed deer, opossum and raccoons can be found within the park boundaries.

In the park, the vegetation is as diverse as the animal population. Wild geranium, buttercup, blue-eyed grass and pennywort are just a few of the wildflowers that inhabit the area.

History of the Area

Both the park and the lake take their names from Lemuel Punderson, a young enterprising land agent who became Newbury Township's first permanent settler in 1808. Punderson constructed a small dam on the south side of the "big pond," as he called it, and used the outflowing water as the power source for a grist mill. The Punderson family developed a small estate on the edge of the sparkling blue lake, and their home became a popular gathering place for family and friends.

The area surrounding Punderson Lake developed into a quiet resort providing a get-away from the bustling Cleveland setting. Summer cottages and even a small hotel were built on the hills surrounding the lake. In 1929, construction began on the English-tudor manor house, but the facility was not completed until 1948. That year, the ODNR Division of Wildlife purchased the land and lake for hunting and fishing. In 1951, the area was transferred to the Division of Parks and Recreation for development as a state park. The manor house was completely remodeled and opened to the public on November 15, 1956. A structural renovation was completed in 1982.