Chilo Lock 34 Park and River Museum
Overview
Chilo Lock 34 Park & River Museum
521 County Park Rd.
Chilo, Ohio 45112
513-876-9013
Set along the banks of the Ohio River, Chilo Lock 34 Park combines riverfront recreation, local history, and natural areas in one of Clermont County’s most distinctive park settings. The 39-acre park occupies the historic site of U.S. Lock and Dam No. 34, which served Ohio River navigation from 1925 until it was decommissioned in 1964. Today, the former operations building has been preserved as the Chilo Lock 34 River Museum, where visitors can discover the history of river transportation, historic floods, steamboats, and the people who lived and worked along the Ohio River.
Beyond the museum, visitors can enjoy scenic river views, a riverwalk, picnic areas, shelters, river access, and nearby natural areas. The park is also home to two yurts available for qualifying youth and civic groups, offering a unique overnight experience along the Ohio River.
Bring a picnic and spend an afternoon along the river, explore the history of Lock 34, or make Chilo a stop while traveling U.S. Route 52 and the Ohio River Scenic Byway. With history, recreation, and nature all in one location, Chilo offers plenty to discover during a day in southeastern Clermont County.
Picnic Shelter
Chilo Lock 34 Park features two picnic shelters, including one available for reservation. The reservable 20' × 30' shelterprovides seating for up to 50 guests and includes six 8-foot picnic tables, two 6-foot tables, a double grill, four trash cans, and electric service.
Reservations: Please call the Clermont County Park District office at 513-732-2977 to check availability and reserve the shelter.
River Museum
The Chilo Lock 34 River Museum preserves an important chapter of Clermont County's Ohio River history. The museum is housed in the former operations building of U.S. Lock and Dam No. 34, which was completed in 1925 as part of a system of locks and movable dams that helped provide dependable year-round navigation along the Ohio River.
Lock 34 was more than a working river facility, it was also home to a small community of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees and their families, who lived and worked alongside the river. The site witnessed decades of changing river transportation as well as historic events such as the Great Flood of 1937.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decommissioned Lock and Dam No. 34 in 1964 following the development of the modern Meldahl Locks and Dam. The Clermont County Park District later acquired the property and preserved the historic operations building, renovating it and reopening it in 2005 as an interpretive visitor center and museum.
With the theme “Living and Working with the Ohio River,” the museum brings the river's history to life through exhibits exploring Lock 34, steamboats, navigation, historic floods, and the people and communities whose lives were shaped by the Ohio River.
2026 Museum Hours
April 11 – November 21, 2026
Thursday – Saturday
10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Closed Sunday – Wednesday
Group Tours & Interpretive Programs
Groups can experience the museum with a staff member and learn more about the fascinating history of Lock 34 and the Ohio River. Requests for private tours or interpretive programs are available for groups of 12 or more and may be submitted by emailing cskiff@clermontcountyohio.gov. Availability is limited.
The Chilo Lock 34 River Museum occupies the former operations building at the Ohio River Lock and Dam #34. Although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decommissioned the facility in 1964, Clermont County Park District was able renovate the building in 2005 as an interpretive visitor center and museum. With the theme of “Living and Working with the Ohio River”, the museum offers an interactive glimpse into the history of steamboats, floods and working and living on the river.
Crooked Run Nature Preserve
Clermont County Park District manages this diverse habitat and popular birdwatching preserve. Bring your binoculars to a flat, enjoyable hike of a little over a mile, and stop to enjoy three wildlife viewing blinds along the Crooked Run Creek and Ohio River. More than 200 species of birds have been sighted in the preserve. The preserve is owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. It is Clermont County's only state-dedicated nature preserve. Check out our trail maps here!
Boat Ramp
Chilo features a ramp so that boaters are able to stop and enjoy the park or start their boating day at Chilo. The ramp is two lanes, with launching docks and 200 feet of courtesy docks.
Docks are open to the public from mid-May to Labor Day each year.
Yurts
Bring your youth group, church or other civic organization and enjoy a unique overnight stay in Chilo Lock 34 Park. Groups can tour the museum, book a naturalist presentation (program must be booked 6 weeks in advance), or take a self-guided tour through the adjacent Crooked Run Nature Preserve. Each yurt features electric heat, a nearby campfire ring and comfortably sleeps 20 to 25 people. Because they are heated, yurts make the ideal location all year long.
Yurts are only available for civic, church or youth organizations. Reservations can be made by calling the administrative offices at 513-732-2977 with a credit/debit card. A credit card fee will be assessed by the card company.
Rate: $75/night per yurt
Hours: Check-in at noon on the date of reservation, check-out at 10 a.m. the following day.
