The Buckeye State Beats Florida and Wyoming to Claim the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Park Excellence
Move over, Yellowstone braggarts. Step aside, Sunshine State fans. Ohio — yes, Ohio — just claimed the title of best state park system in the entire country, and anyone who’s watched a waterfall pour into a Hocking Hills gorge or fossicked through ancient seabeds at Caesar Creek already knew it was coming.
In September 2025, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), awarded Ohio State Parks & Watercraft the prestigious 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management — the highest honor a public park system can receive in the United States. Ohio beat out strong finalists Florida and Wyoming to earn the grand plaque, and the outdoor world has been buzzing ever since.
What Is the National Gold Medal Award?
Think of it as the Oscars of the outdoors. The National Gold Medal Award has recognized excellence in park and recreation management since 1965. It’s not handed out lightly. Agencies are evaluated by a panel of seasoned park professionals on criteria including:
Long-range planning — are they thinking generations ahead?
Community engagement — are parks truly welcoming to everyone?
Environmental stewardship — are natural resources being protected?
Innovation and adaptability — are they finding new ways to connect people with nature?
For the final round of judging, each finalist submitted a five-minute video showcasing their achievements and strategic progress. Ohio’s video, apparently, spoke for itself.
Why Ohio Won
Here’s the thing about Ohio state parks: they’re stubbornly, joyfully excellent — and they don’t charge you a dime for it.
Free entry. Always. All 76 Ohio state parks are free to enter, every single day, for every single person. No annual pass required, no reservation needed just to park your car. That open-door philosophy is fundamental to what makes Ohio’s system special.
But free entry is just the beginning. Here’s what the judges saw:
Sheer Scale and Variety
Spread across 174,000 acres, Ohio’s 76 state parks cover a remarkable diversity of landscapes — from the glacier-carved sandstone gorges of Hocking Hills to the Lake Erie shoreline at Geneva State Park, from the Appalachian foothills of Zaleski State Forest to the prairie wetlands of Magee Marsh. Whether you’re a birder, a mountain biker, a kayaker, or someone who just wants a quiet picnic under a canopy of oaks, Ohio has a park that feels like it was made for you.
Numbers That Impress
9,300+ campsites across the system
1,200 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and equestrian use
10 resort lodges offering comfortable stays in stunning natural settings
7,100+ educational programs offered annually
55 million annual visitors — more than most people would guess
Conservation at Its Core
Ohio’s parks don’t just protect land — they actively restore it. Prairie grasslands are being reseeded. Wetlands are being rebuilt. Native wildflower corridors are blooming along trail edges to support pollinators. The ConServe sustainability program, adopted across more than 70 parks, tracks energy and water use and pushes each park to continually reduce its environmental footprint.
Accessibility and Inclusion
New inclusive playgrounds opened at Strouds Run and Delaware State Parks in 2025. An adaptive fishing pier is coming to Friendship Lake in Jefferson County. Trails are being upgraded with ADA-compliant surfaces. The goal is simple and powerful: everyone deserves to experience wild Ohio, regardless of age or ability.
A Few Park Highlights Worth Visiting Right Now
Hocking Hills State Park — The crown jewel. Old Man’s Cave, Cedar Falls, and Ash Cave are among the most dramatic natural features in the eastern United States. The recently implemented one-way trail system keeps the experience safe and enjoyable even on busy summer weekends. Come in January or February to see the waterfalls frozen solid — and share the trails with almost no one. Website: Hocking Hills State Park
Caesar Creek State Park — Free fossil hunting at the emergency spillway. You can pull 450-million-year-old Ordovician marine fossils right out of the rock — brachiopods, horn corals, crinoids. It’s a geology classroom with no tuition.
Portage Lakes State Park — Home to a brand-new 6,000-square-foot visitor center that opened in fall 2025, featuring interactive exhibits on the park’s eight historic canal lakes. A beautiful entry point to boating, fishing, and birdwatching in northeast Ohio.
Mohican State Park — Towering hemlocks, a clear-running river, 25 miles of mountain bike trails, and some of the best cabin camping in the Midwest. The lodge is a cozy retreat year-round. Website: Mohican State Park
Maumee Bay State Park — A hidden gem in northwest Ohio for birders. During spring migration, the boardwalks through the marshes can feel almost surreal — warblers everywhere, great blue herons wading in the shallows, the air thick with bird song. Website: Maumee Bay State Park
What Governor DeWine Said
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine summed it up perfectly:
“Our state parks protect Ohio’s natural resources while providing incredible opportunities for people to explore, learn, and connect with nature. From protecting natural resources to creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences, Ohio state parks are truly for everyone.”
ODNR Director Mary Mertz echoed the sentiment, crediting the parks staff, volunteers, and community partners whose daily work makes the system what it is.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
America’s state parks are the great democratic outdoors. Unlike national parks — which can require long drives, expensive lodging, and timed entry reservations booked months in advance — state parks are local, free or nearly free, and built for the communities around them.
Ohio winning this award is a signal to every state: you don’t need dramatic mountain scenery or an ocean coastline to build a world-class park system. What you need is commitment — to conservation, to accessibility, to the idea that every person deserves a place to walk barefoot on good earth and breathe clean air.
Ohio made that commitment. And the rest of the country noticed.
Plan Your Visit
All 76 Ohio state parks are free to enter and open year-round. Camping reservations can be made at ohiodnr.gov/parks. Ohio State Park lodge and cabin bookings fill up fast in summer — book early for Hocking Hills, Mohican, and Salt Fork.
Whether you’re a lifelong Ohioan who takes the parks for granted or a visitor just discovering what this state has to offer, now is the perfect time to explore. The award is just confirmation of what the trees, trails, and waterways have always known.
