Great Parks Reaches Major Milestone on Sharon Lake Improvement Project

Great Parks closed the drain valve of Sharon Lake to allow the lake to begin refilling with water, a major milestone for the larger Sharon Lake Improvement Project. With the drain valve closed, water from natural sources will refill the basin, which Great Parks drained in spring 2024 to begin making a series of major improvements in the lake and surrounding amenities including parking, paddling access and trails.

Although the lake will begin to refill, the project is not yet complete, so the lake and surrounding amenities will remain closed. Guests can observe rising water levels from the overlook observation point in the Sharon Woods Harbor.

“This is an exciting development as we approach the finish line for the renewal of Sharon Lake,” said Todd Palmeter, Great Parks CEO. “We look forward to late February 2026 when we can reopen the lake and highlight all the new features, which will make it a true conservation and recreation treasure for the region.”

Construction fencing remains in place around the lake and the shared-use lake trail is still closed. After the lake refills, Great Parks will finalize the new boardwalks and install a new floating kayak launch and fishing piers, key additions included in the project. Great Parks will restock the lake with fish, although fishing will be prohibited for up to three years to allow the fish to repopulate. In the coming weeks, Great Parks will also be adding benches and other amenities around the lake.

In the summer of 2026, Great Parks will open a temporary boathouse on the east side of the lake at Lakeside Lodge, as the Sharon Woods Boathouse remains closed for the upcoming renovation of the harbor and boathouse area.

The Sharon Lake Improvement Project has been one of the largest in Great Parks’ history, as Great Parks worked to create improved recreational opportunities, new wildlife habitats and access to natural areas after repositioning a significant amount of lake sediment to optimize lake depth and create new wetland habitat. Great Parks also added rock weirs to control future siltation and mitigate future dredging work.

This project represents an investment of more than $15 million into the future of Sharon Woods. Great Parks secured multiple sources of funding for the project, including outside funding from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Dorothy B. Francis Charitable Foundation, Duke Energy Foundation, Land & Water Conservation Fund, and State of Ohio Capital Improvement Fund. This philanthropic support adds to project funding from Great Parks capital project funding supported by voter approved levies in support of public driven master plan priorities.

Great Parks will continue to update progress on this project on social media and at greatparks.org.

(Note: Valid Motor Vehicle Permits are required for every vehicle entering Sharon Woods. Information about purchasing MVPs, and accessing free or discounted MVPs, is available at greatparks.org.)