New Welcome Center for campers and glampers alike at Tappan Lake

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio (WTRF) — It’s one of the most incredible places to see the leaves change in the Ohio Valley, and Tappan Lake is ready to welcome you to the fall.

The ribbon was cut at the new Welcome Center by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District to give campers a hub during their stay.

The 3,900-square-foot building allows for a new way to check in and out, shop for supplies and even get on the internet among 5,000 acres of parkland.

It’s the first step in the District’s plan to introduce playgrounds and bike tracks in the coming years that fit in among the wilderness.

“I remember as a kid going up to the Cleveland Natural History Museum and climbing on dinosaurs. Well, we’re going to bring that same idea back, but it’s going to be a black bear and it’s going to be a playground with rocks and nets to walk through. So we can’t wait.”

Peter Novotny, Chief of Recreation, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District

Novotny says most of the funding for the facility came from the District’s oil and gas revenue, which has helped provide more than $200 million for its park systems.

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