Scioto basins is a largely rural area of southwestern Ohio that includes the City of Dayton. Visitors come for its many state parks, and for the cultural attractions of Dayton.

Cities

• 1 Wilmington - A quaint small town that is the seat of Clinton county.
• 2 Beavercreek - The largest city in Greene County and a suburb of Dayton.
• 3 Xenia - A small town and a cyclists haven. The seat of Greene county
• 4 Yellow Springs - A small college town that's rich in nature.
• 5 Dayton - The birthplace of flight, and a major Ohio city.
• 6 Miamisburg - "The Burg" is an industrious Dayton suburb.
• 7 Circleville - The seat of Pickaway county.
• 8 Chillicothe - The first capital of Ohio, and seat of Ross county.
• 9 Portsmouth - The seat of Scioto County lies on the banks of the Ohio River.
• 10 Piqua - A small industrial city.
• 11 Urbana - The seat of Champaign county.
• 12 Springfield - The seat of Clark county.
• 13 New Carlisle
• 14 Sidney - The county seat of Shelby county.
• 15 Cedarville - A small college town.
• 16 Greenville - The seat of Darke county with a frontier heritage.
• 17 Bellefontaine - The seat of Logan county.
• 18 Troy
• 19 Tipp City

Understand

Climate

Winter

Winters can vary from mild to very cold. Snowfall isn't excessive, however, it's possible and certainly not unheard of that snow can fall at a rate that will cause havoc with traffic.

Spring

Springtime is often cool, with cold and warm days sprinkled throughout the period. As Dayton lies in the upper tip of "Tornado Valley", storms during this period may produce tornadoes, so it's important

Summer

Summers are characteristically hot and humid. While the thermometer may read one number in the summer, it will often feel hotter due to the humidity.

Autumn

Autumn in Dayton and Southwest Ohio is usually cool, but temperatures can spike as high as the 90 °F (32 °C)'s with a sucker punch of humidity. Storms seem to increase during this period too, which, due to the fluctuation of temperatures can produce extremely dangerous storms with the potential of producing tornadoes late into the year.

Get around

By bus

SORTA (Southwestern Ohio Regional Transit Authority) operates the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Clermont County, and Warren County.

See

• Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe. A group of 23 earthen mounds built by the Hopewell culture, 200 BC to AD 500.
• Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre - Tecumseh! in Chillicothe. Huge outdoor stages.

Caverns

• Ohio Caverns, ☏ +1 937-465-4017. Southeast Logan County, south of Bellfontaine and 4 mi (6.4 km) east of West Liberty on SR 245. 
• Zane Caverns, northeast of Bellfontaine.

Museums

If you're interested in visiting museums, Dayton offers the Dayton Art Institute, the Dayton International Peace Museum, the Hoover Historical Center, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, and the Wright Cycle Company Complex.

Bird Claw and Bear Tooth in mica - Hopewell

In Chillicothe, you can find the Adena Mansion and Gardens, the Chillicothe Railroad Museum, the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, the James M. Thomas Telephone Museum, the Dr. John D. Harris Dental Museum, and the Lucy Hayes Heritage Center.

Do

Events

• Festivals
  • Troy Strawberry Festival.  
  • Tipp City Mum Festival. 
  • Oktoberfest. In Downtown Dayton. 
  • Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival.  

State parks

• 1 Lake Vesuvius. (updated Dec 2018)
• Shawnee State Park. (updated Dec 2018)
• Buck Creek State Park, Clark County, northeast of Springfield and north of exit 59 on SR 41. 111 campsites, 89 have electricity, showers, pet camping, boat camping, 26 family cottages, two bedrooms, bath, shower, living room, trundle bed, complete kitchen, dining area, screened porch, gas log fireplaces, and air conditioning. 2,120 acres (860 hectares) lake, four-lane launch ramp, marina, fuel, snack bar, bait shop and seasonal dock rental. Hunting, fishing, swimming, 2,400 ft (730 m) sand beach, picnic areas, tables, grills, two picnic shelters. 7.5 mi (12.1 km) of hiking trails, bird watching, scenic 7.5 mi (12.1 km) bridle trail is open to snowmobiling, bike rentals, campers' beach, volleyball, basketball courts, tetherball, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard and playground equipment.
• Kiser Lake State Park, north Champaign County, east of Sidney on Route 235. 10 electric campsites, 108 non-electric sites, picnic tables, fire rings, group camp, sailing, motors not permitted, launch ramp, public docks, two boat rentals, fishing, hunting, 5.1 mi (8.2 km) of hiking trails, 7 mi (11 km) of horse trails, 600 ft (180 m) swimming beach, refreshment stand, scuba diving is permitted, volleyball court, playground, horseshoe court, and Nature Center.
• Indian Lake State Park, Logan County, 12774 State Route 235 N, Lakeview. 441 campsites suitable for tents/trailers. Beach, boat ramp, boat docks, 5,800 acres (2,300 hectares) lake, unlimited horsepower boating, seasonal naturalist program, playgrounds, miniature golf, basketball, volleyball, bicycle and boat rental.
• Lake Loramie State Park, Shelby County, 4401 Ft. Loramie Swanders Rd., Minster. 161 campsites with electrical hookups, may are staded waterfront sites, showers, flush toilets, boat tie-ups, unlimited horsepower boat motors, dock rentals, launch ramps, fishing, hunting, 8 mi (13 km) of trail and a 600 ft (180 m) sandy beach.
• A.W. Marion State Park, Pickaway County, 7317 Warner-Huffer Road, Circleville. 58 wooded camp sites, tent and trailer camping, 145 acres (59 hectares) of water restocked with largemouth bass, muskellunge, bluegill and channel catfish., boat launch ramps and public docks, excellent squirrel hunting.
• Cowan Lake State Park, Clinton County, south of Wilmington , west of SR 68 on SR 350. 237 electric campsites, 17 non-electric sites, are wheelchair accessible, shower house, flush toilets, laundry facilities, dump station, camper's beach, boat launch ramp, commissary, pet camping. 27 cottages, heated, air-conditioned, two private bedrooms, rollaway beds, bath, shower, furnished living area, complete kitchen, dining area, screened porch, linens, towels, cooking, eating utensils are provided. Two premium cottages, gas fireplaces, wooden decks, gas cooking grills. Boats with a ten horsepower limit permitted, marina, concession, boat, canoe and motor rental, fishing and picnic supplies. Launch ramps, fuel, dock rentals, sailing, hunting, and fishing. Public beach, bathhouse, showers, snack bar, picnicking, tables, grills, shelter house, dance pavilion, 1 mi (1.6 km) mountain bike trail, 4 mi (6.4 km) of hiking trails, bike rentals, boat rentals, basketball, volleyball, and miniature golf course.
• Deer Creek State Park and Resort Lodge, southwest Pickaway County, west of Circleville, northwest of Route 22 on Route 207. 3,100 acres (1,300 hectares) retreat. Lodge: 110 guest rooms, indoor, outdoor pools, sauna, whirlpool, exercise room, restaurant, lounge, and meeting rooms. Cottages: 25 cottages, two bedrooms, bath, shower, living room, sofa bed, complete kitchen, dining area and screened porch. Camping: 227 electric campsites, showers, flush toilets, pet camping, Five Rent-A-Camp units, horsemen's camp with primitive overnight facilities, and area for youth groups. Unlimited horsepower boating, 1,277 acres (517 hectares) Deer Creek reservoir, two launch ramps, marina, fuel, boat rental and seasonal dock rentals. 1,700 ft (520 m) swimming beach, concession area, changing booths, boat-swim area, picnicking, 9 mi (14 km) of hiking trails, 14 mi (23 km) of bridle trails, fitness trail, 350 acres (140 hectares), 18-hole public golf course, fitness center, volleyball, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, playground, miniature golf, bicycles may be rented, volleyball, basketball courts, playgrounds, baseball field, and tennis courts for lodge guests.
• Hueston Woods State Park and Resort Lodge, Southwest corner of Preble County, northwest corner of Butler County, north of Oxford. North of SR 27 on Route 732. Located in Butler and Preble counties, nearly 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares). Lodge: 96-rooms, dining room, snack bar, gift shop, meeting rooms, lounge, indoor, outdoor swimming pools, game room, and lighted tennis court. Cottages: 25 cottages, two bedrooms, bath, kitchen, living room, screened porch. Two Premium Cottages. Ten Efficiency Cottages. All cottages have cooking, eating utensils, towels, and bedding. Camping: 252 campsites, electrical outlets, showers, flush toilets, laundry, trailer waste station, 236 non-electric campsites, with vault-type latrines. Three camper cabins, built-in bunks, air conditioning, and an outdoor gas grill, 28 horseman campsites and pet camping. 10 mi (16 km) of hiking trails, 18 mi (29 km) of bridle trails, 12 mi (19 km) for mountain biking. 18-hole, 7,005 yd (6,405 m), par 72 golf course, driving ranges open from March until November. Acton Lake, boating, launch ramps, public docks, fishing pier, 1,500 ft (460 m) swimming beach, concession stand, bathhouse, volleyball court, horseshoes, miniature golf, playground, basketball court, Nature Center, fossil hunts and playground.
• John Bryan State Park, northern Greene County, east of Dayton, south of Springfield and north of Xenia. Route 68 to CR 343 east. Camping: 10 electric campsites, 50 non-electric sites, picnic tables, fire rings, latrines, drinking water, pet camping, 100-person group camp, two Adirondack shelters, fishing, hunting, four picnic areas, shelter house, tables, grills, drinking water. Nine trails, mountain bikes are permitted on 6.5 mi (10.5 km) of multi-use trail, wheelchair accessible trails. Rock climbing and rappelling area.
• Paint Creek State Park, western Ross County, between Chillicothe and Hillsboro, north of SR 50. 183 electric campsites, 14 electric premium campsites, hot showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, two Deluxe camper Cabins, with beds, TV and VCR, microwave, refrigerator, gas grill, and gas fireplace. Pet camping, primitive horseman's camp, unlimited horsepower boating, launch ramps, boat rentals, fuel, seasonal dock rentals, hunting, or fishing, swimming, 1,000 ft (300 m) sand beach, bathhouse, restrooms and changing booths. Picnic areas, tables, grills and a reservable picnic shelter. Four hiking trails, .75 mi (121 km) to 2.5 mi (4.0 km), 25 mi (40 km) of bridle trails, 14 mi (23 km) of mountain bike trails. Nature center, miniature golf, games, sports equipment, basketball, volleyball, and rock climbing permitted.
• Rocky Fork State Park, Highland County, east of Hillsboro and southwest of Chillicothe north of Route 124. 230 campsites, showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, camp store and campers' beach. Electric available at 89 campsites, an additional 45 campsites offer full-service hookups, 62 premium lakeside non-electric campsites, pet camping, launch ramp, tie-ups, recreation barn also may be rented with meeting space, restrooms, showers, modified kitchen. Unlimited horsepower, sixteen boat launching ramps, rental docks, boat camping, three marinas, fuel, docking space, modern restaurant, boat rentals, snack bar, two large beaches, swimming, changing booths, bathhouses, boat/swim area, fishing, hunting, .5 mi (8.0 km) hiking trail, excellent bird watching, A 2 mi (3.2 km) mountain bike trail, volleyball, playground equipment, miniature golf course, tetherball, basketball court, horseshoe pits, games, sporting equipment, and a nature center.

Stay safe

Heed all weather warnings provided by the National Weather Service. Television stations keep updated maps of severe weather on the screens.

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• Greater Cincinnati
• Greater Columbus
• West Central Ohio
• Southeast Ohio