White Star Park

CLICK HERE for 2013 Swim Beach Information!

797 Acres
Hours: 8:00 am - dark
Location: The park is located south of Gibsonburg on S.R. 300, S. Main St.
Operations Office: 901 S. Main, Gibsonburg, OH  43431
Main Entrance: 925 S. Main, Gibsonburg, OH  43431
Campground: 910 S. Main, Gibsonburg, OH  43431
Barn and Log Cabin: 5013 C.R. 65, Gibsonburg, OH 43431
Trail by the Tracks/Sledding Parking: 4899 C.R. 65, Gibsonburg, OH 43431
Horse Trail Parking Lot: 1146 C.R. 66, Gibsonburg, OH 43431
Doug Haubert Wetland Parking Lot: 1330 C.R. 66, Gibsonburg, OH 43431

       
    Quarry bottom 1975                 Quarry 1976                       Beach Area 1977                      Barn Area 1975
Description & History: White Star was a quarry operation for mining limestone. It was developed with Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund money and the sale of scrap metal from the site. The original 236 acres managed by the Park District was acquired in Jan 1975 through lease agreement with the state. The Park District took ownership in 1991.  Additional acres include: 336 acres acquired in 1995, 80 acres in 2000 with assistance of a donation from Don Miller of Fremont, 41 acres were added in 2002 with Clean Ohio Conservation Funds, and over 100 more acres were added in 2003 with Clean Ohio Conservation Funds.
White Star Park received the Outstanding Park Area Development Award from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association in 1981 and received the Lake Erie Buffer Award in 2002 from Soil & Water Conservation.

Facilities include play equipment, tables, grills, well water, restrooms (pit toilets), volleyball courts, playfield, nature trails, mountain bike trails, boat ramp, shelters, day camp area, accessible fishing platform, scuba diving, camping. Horse trails are located on CR 66 just north of CR 65. The public is allowed to walk anywhere on the grounds except during hunting season, when only hiking trails west of the railroad tracks are open.

White Star Quarry is 15 acres with an average depth of 40', the tunnel near scuba access is 80'. The quarry is available for non-gas-powered boating & fishing. Vessels must have a valid Ohio boat license. Ohio fishing laws apply. No ice fishing is allowed. Common fish caught: bluegill, bullhead, catfish, bass, trout, yellow perch.  
     
Scuba Diving Information: Contact Divers Incorporated, 419-637-DIVE, www.whitestarquarry.com 
White Star Swim Beach 2013 Season:
May 25-27, June 1-2, June 8-Aug 18, Aug 24-25, Aug 31-Sept 2 weather permitting. Hours are 12 noon until 8:00 p.m. daily. 
Season Passes may be purchased at the Beach House or at the Main Office in Fremont. Season passes are $35/Single Pass, Sandusky County resident; $40/Single Pass, non-resident; Family pass for Sandusky County resident is $50 for two people + $10 for each additional person (limit of 8 people total per pass); Non- resident family pass is $65 for two people + $10 for each additional person (limit of 8 people total per pass). 
Daily rates are 2 years and under free, ages 3-12 are $2.00, and ages 13 and up are $4.00 per day.
The beach house includes changing rooms and concession stand. Swim area depth is from 0 - 15'. Beach is NON-SMOKING area.

2013 Swim Lessons: July 8 - 19 (weekdays only)
Sign-up at the beach house.
Swim Lesson cost for Sandusky County residents: $20, non-residents: $25

What is allowed on the beach?
           YES: Coast Guard approved life jackets & vests; beach buckets, sand toys, noodles;
 coolers (with no glass or cans)
            NO: glass, no cans, no inflatable devices including floaties, balls, & rafts
Metal detectors on beach require special use permit for use on the sand (water entry is not permitted). Metal detectors may be used in all other facilities year-round without special use permit.

 Ready for a challenge? Try a tri...White Star Triathlon that is: http://whitestartriathlon.com/
Check out the FREE Triathlon Swim Clinic, Fri, June 14, 6-8 pm

Camping: White Star Campground is located across from the park's main entrance, open April 15-Nov 15 (new season dates since 2012). The campground is a self-registration system at the entrance. All sites are first-come, first-serve, no reservations taken.
"Primitive" sites (with no water or electric hook-up) are $15 per site per night. Campers are allowed up to 8 people per site, with 2 tents OR 1 camper & 1 tent per site. Sites with water hook-up & electric hook-up are $25 per site, per night. There are 21 sites with 30 amp service and those sites are 45' long and 15' wide. Site #26 and site #27 are pull-through sites with 50 amp service and those sites are 88' long and 15' wide. 
Each site includes a table and a fire ring.  Purchase firewood on site, $5 bundle.   Sandusky County youth groups camp free at primitive sites with two weeks notice by contacting the Park District Office in Fremont: 419-334-4495.
Mountain Bike Trails: Bicycles are allowed on the trails south of C.R. 65, east of railroad tracks. Access to these trails is best at the Trail by the Tracks parking lot on C.R. 65 or at the Barn/Log Cabin parking lot on C.R. 65.
Hunting: Hunting is permitted at White Star Park east of the railroad tracks. Ohio hunting laws apply. Permission to hunt is obtained by contacting the Park District Office: 419-334-4495 or by calling the Ranger on Duty: 419-355-7066.
Picnic Facilities
Grills and picnic tables are available throughout the park around the quarry area.  You may bring your own grill and chairs into the park, however,  vehicles are not allowed to drive into the main picnic area (except for Park District Operations & Rangers). Items must be carried from the parking lot. (wheeled carts, coolers, or little red wagons are helpful)
If someone in your group has limited mobility, the best facilities to rent are the shelter by the sidewalk (Sycamore Shelter), and the Barn or the Shed (where you may pull a vehicle right up to the door). 
Special use permits available for special events, day camps, etc. in the park.
   
        
Sycamore Shelter                  Oak Shelter (previously 'Chinquapin Oak Shelter')       Simcox Shelter
Reserve a Shelter:
Sycamore Shelter
- open sided, no electricity, next to the sidewalk (parking lot to shelter distance: 225 ft)
Oak Shelter - open sided, no electricity (parking lot to shelter distance: 235 ft)
Simcox Shelter - open sided with a small enclosed section, has electricity (parking lot to shelter distance: 640 ft)

All shelters are $40 Sandusky County residents, $50 non-residents. All shelters have a minimum of 10 tables, good for a group of approx. 60-80 people. When not reserved, shelters are on a first come, first serve basis.
Barn - $150 Sandusky County residents, $175 non-residents, 25 tables, approx. 150-200+ people, with electricity. 
Shed (small section of barn) - $50 Sandusky County residents, $65 non-residents, 15 tables, 90-120 people, with electricity. 
     
    
Shed & Barn                                      Barn (inside area)                     Barn (patio area)                                     Shed

Activities: Birding, Biking, Boating, Camping, Canoeing, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Geocaching, Hiking, History, Hunting, Metal Detecting, Picnicking, Picnic Shelters, Reservations Accepted, Scuba Diving, Sledding, Swimming

      
                        Campground                                                                   Log Cabins: Reineck Cabin & Schlea-Swartzlander Cabin
      
 

Click on the map to download a printable .pdf version.
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Hunting Map

 

 

 

Click on the map to download a printable .pdf version.
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