A 105-acre patch of riverside greenery about 30 miles southwest of Toledo, Mary Jane Thurston State Park punches well above its size. It began thanks to a Grand Rapids schoolteacher who gifted 14 acres along the Maumee River back in 1928; after decades of transfers and leases, the park was officially dedicated in 1968. Fields that once held grazing cows now hold campsites, trails, and quiet stretches of water in the Maumee River Valley.
The Maumee is the main event here. Designated an Ohio Scenic River, it runs 137 miles from Fort Wayne, Indiana, down to Lake Erie, and Ohio State Parks calls it home to some of the state's best stream fishing. Anglers target walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, and crappie — you can cast from the banks or launch from the park's boat ramp and marina. Those docks connect to the Maumee River Water Trail, a 107-mile route linking 39 parks across northwest Ohio. Bring your Ohio fishing licence if you're 16 or older, and if you'd rather paddle, the park rents kayaks from April through October.
On land, there's more than you'd expect from one of Ohio's smallest state parks: multi-use trails, a disc golf course, 3D archery, sledding in winter, and picnic spots. History buffs get a bonus — remnants of the Miami and Erie Canal, the 19th-century waterway farmers used to haul goods to Lake Erie, run through the park and make for easy, scenic walking.
The campground is deliberately compact: 16 tent sites, 19 RV sites with electric only, and four with electric and water hookups, plus restrooms, showers, potable water, a dump station, and pets welcome throughout. Book early for the riverfront spots, which fill first. Families get a playground, basketball court, and Saturday-night movies at the amphitheater, while day groups can rent a day lodge for up to 50 people — covered porch, fireplace, heating and cooling, and grills included. Entry is otherwise free, with the park open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
One of the nicest perks is walkability: a path along the old canal leads straight into the village of Grand Rapids for dinner or browsing shops, then back to your tent for a campfire and sunset over the water. Wildlife is everywhere too — white-tailed deer, beavers, turtles, waterfowl, and the occasional bald eagle overhead.
Why it matters: this is an easy, low-key add-on for roadtrippers between Fort Wayne and Lake Erie, or a weekend escape for Toledo locals who want water, woods, and fishing without a long drive. If you want another nature stop on the same route, Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area nearby offers trails, fishing, and birdwatching around a wooded lake. Original reporting by Islands.
