Located between Columbus and Mansfield, Mt. Gilead State Park provides the charm of a small, secluded park, while offering many of the amenities found at larger parks. Mt. Gilead's wildflowers, wildlife, and woodlands offer year-round wonder for hikers and nature lovers. The small lake is perfect for paddling or dropping a line to catch bass or bluegill. A picturesque gazebo and several shelters offer a perfect setting for weddings and family reunions.

The wealth of natural wonders found at Mt Gilead State Park can be traced back to the Ice Age -- a time when two-thirds of Ohio was frozen land covered with glacial ice, nearly a mile thick in places. During this age many changes occurred in the Ohio landscape: the stream systems were altered, topography changed and the Great Lakes were formed. The glaciers left Ohio a legacy of valuable natural resources.

In the vicinity of Mt. Gilead, three end moraines (linear ridges of glacial sediment deposited along the ice edge) converged and account for the rolling terrain of the park.

Today, Mt. Gilead harbors a beautiful stand of second growth beech-maple forest. The mature woodlands provide a glimpse of what Ohio looked like to early settlers. Wildflowers, such as wild geranium, hepatica, trillium and bloodroot, carpet the forest floor each spring. The leafy canopy is occupied by the wood thrush, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren and other songbirds. Skunk, raccoon, white-tailed deer and a variety of other mammals make this park their home.