The U.S.Army Corps of Engineer's Pleasant Hill Dam is right in the middle of two major recreation areas; Mohican State Park and Mohican Memorial Forest below the dam and MWCD's Pleasant Hill Lake Park, created by the dam, above it.    The dam and lake are located on the Clear Fork branch of the Mohican River, 6 miles west of Loudonville and 20 miles southeast of Mansfield, Ohio, in Ashland County.     Pleasant Hill Dam was constructed for flood reduction, recreation and fish and wildlife management, it was complete in 1936.     The dam is made up of rolled earth fill with an impervious, water proof, core of clay. It is 113 feet high, 775 feet long, with a top width of 30 feet, and a base width of 550 feet.     A unique feature of this flood control structure is the 'Morning Glory Spillway', one of only two dams built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with this type spillway.     Refer to the photo section for pictures of this unique feature.     For tours of Pleasant Hill Dam, the Intake Structure, and Flood Control Facilities contact the USACE, Pleasant Hill Dam Office at (419) 938-5785.     The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers provides a lovely Day Use Area adjacent to the dam with public restrooms, picnic tables, grills and a shelter, as well as water fountains and a kiosk with information of interest to visitors to the area.    The rest rooms are open on a seasonal basis (April -October).         The U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Pleasant Hill Dam, is responsible for two short trails that connect to the more extensive trail system managed by the Mohican State Park and Forest. 

The lake provides 800 surface acres of water with unlimited horsepower. There is no boat launch at the U.S.Army Corps of Engineer's Pleasant Hill Dam.  The closest public launch ramp is in MWCD's Pleasant Hill Lake Park near the marina.  Contact them for more details at (419) 938-7884 or visit their web site at mwcdlakes.com.  For those of you who like canoeing, you're just a 20-minute drive from Pleasant Hill Dam to the town of Loudonville and the Mohican River. The Mohican River is considered by some to be one of the finest canoeing rivers in Ohio. The canoe outfitters are easy to locate in the Loudonville area or contact Loudonville-Mohican Area Tourist Association @ (800) 722-7588 for more information. You can also visit their web site at www.mohicancountry.org.

The U.S.Army Corps of Engineers permits fishing on federal government property which is immediately above and below the dam.  Access is from the Pleasant Hill Dam Day Use Area where there is a lighted parking lot, restrooms, (on a seasonal basis) and an attractive picnic area.   The main trail to the river below the dam starts out with old concrete steps, is very steep, please use caution.  The access to the lake immediately above the dam is also steep but there is a gravel roadway which makes it easier to walk.  MWCD permitts fishing in and around the lake, contact them for details by calling (419) 938-7884 or visit the web site at www.mwcdlakes.com. Mohican State Park also permits fishing in the Mohican river below the dam, contact them for details at 419-994-4290 or visit their web site at www.dnr,state.oh.us.\parks. 

The only trails managed by the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Pleasant Hill Dam, are two short sections from the Day Use Area on top of the dam to the more extensive trail system, managed by Mohican State Park. below the dam.  One of those trails is very steep as it is on the 100+' face of the dam.  The other one leads into the woods from the area beside the kisok and includes fine scenic vistas.   Mohican State Forest and the State Park manage miles of trails that wind throught the forest below the dam.  Two of them are Big Lyon’s and Little Lyon’s Falls trails.  The access to their trails is at the Covered Bridge crossing over the Clear Fork River.  Also near the Covered Bridge is a river side trail that, once you get on it, follows the river along a nearly level roadway, it is also a lovely place to walk.  There is a very nice trail map in the kiosk in the Day Use Area, however, the colors that represent the various trails does not match the colors the state used to mark their trails.we are hoping to fit this problem in the near future.  There are extemsive trails in the Mohican Memorial Forest.  For more trail information contact the following agencies: Mohican Memorial State Forest at (419) 938-6222. and Mohican State Park at (419) 994-5125, with the parks web site is www.dnr.state.oh.us.\parks .