The aquatic environment of the lake combined with the surrounding woodlands gives 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. Red-headed Woodpeckers can often be found on the edge of the golf course at Punderson.

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 that was formed when a large block of ice broke off the glacier creating a depression that filled with meltwater. Punderson is the largest and deepest kettle lake in Ohio.

The aquatic environment of the lake, combined with the surrounding woodlands, gives 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.

Punderson State Park Trails
There are approximately 11 miles of trails included on the seven hiking trails and one multi-use at the park offers.

Beach Trail – 0.5 miles – Easy
Cayuga Trail – 2 mile – Easy (Multi-use trail)
Whitetail Trail – 0.1 miles – Easy
Erie Trail – 2.2 miles – Moderate
Huron Trail – 1.3 miles – Moderate
Iroquois Trail – 0.75 miles – Moderate
Mohawk Trail – 1.1 miles – Moderate
Mushers Trail – 1.2 miles – Moderate

Descriptions and maps of hikes using trails at Punderson State Park are on the AllTrails website.