Rest and Relaxation

Since 1933, the Muskingum River Watershed Conservancy District has widened the conservation effort across Eastern Ohio, washing away the risk of catastrophic flooding and clearing a path to enjoy a natural abundance that covers 20 percent of the state.

The watershed district encompasses 8,000 square miles across 18 counties. The Muskingum River and its many tributaries feed lakes with beaches and boating, the hiking and horse trails, and the campgrounds and cabins people from across the state enjoy.

The MWCD covers a lot of ground, and opportunities for lakeside recreational activities are a stone’s throw away.

According to MWCD marketing and public information administrator Adria Bergeron, the decision the visit any one of the 10 MWCD lakes and campgrounds is simply a matter of how far and how fast guests want to go.

For instance, in Mohican Country, Pleasant Hill Lake near Perrysville is one of the few lakes in the state to boast unlimited horsepower. Guests at Pleasant Hill Lake are free to feel the wind in their hair and rev the engines of their motorboats.

“At Pleasant Hill Lake, people can enjoy water skiing and have fun with jet skis,” Bergeron said.

Recently, there’s another reason, in particular, to set sail to Pleasant Hill Lake.

“Atwood, Clendening, Piedmont, Seneca and Tappan lakes all have cabins, but the log cabins at Pleasant Hill Lake are the newest, and I would dare to say, for that reason, the nicest,” Bergeron said. “Work on the cabins is finishing up now, and reservations will open up after the open house, Friday, April 24.”

The open house, which coincides with the Mohican Wildlife Weekend April 24-26, will be a chance to see the six standard 1,250-square-foot log cabins, accommodating up to six people, and the four deluxe 1,450-square-foot log cabins, accommodating up to eight people. Both the standard and deluxe cabins include gas fireplaces and decks with hot tubs.

The new log cabins are part of a masterplan the MWCD initiated in 2012 and designed to replace 1950s-era cabins. Unlike their predecessors, the modern cabins at Pleasant Hill Lake will be open for guests to enjoy year round.

As the second phase of the master plan gets underway, the MWCD will introduce new amenities and modernized accommodations across all their lakes and campgrounds.

“We are undergoing a massive renovation that created the opportunity for the log cabins at Pleasant Hill Lake, but in addition to that, we have brand-new campsites at all of our locations,” Bergeron said. “The new campsites offer full hook-ups: water, sewer and reliable 50-amp power.”

“People are encouraged to come out Memorial Day through Labor Day and beyond,” Bergeron said. “We invite people to utilize our trails and picnic areas, to fish, to hike, and to take advantage of the outdoor recreations available to them in their area.”

For information about the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the open house, visit MWCD.org. For reservations, call 855-822-6764.