The Most Remote Island In Ohio Is A Must-Visit This Summer
By Sarah McCosham|Published July 12, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
There’s something about summer that stokes the appetite for adventure — especially on the water. While paddling down a river is my personal summertime recreation of choice, the Lake Erie Islands of Northern Ohio open up a whole new world of wonder — possibility. Paddling, boating, swimming… Ohio has over a dozen natural islands in Lake Erie’s Western Basin, but none capture the curiosity quite like Gibraltar Island. Remote and cloaked in mystery, here’s what awaits when you book a summertime tour of this Ohio island.
At just 6.5 acres in size, Gibraltar Island is by no means large. But what it lacks in stature it more than makes up for in mystery. See it looming there, up ahead?
Hailed as the Gem of Lake Erie, Gibraltar Island gets its name for its resemblance to the famous British fortress. Ohio's Gibraltar is no less captivating; the island was once a retreat for Sandusky native (and Civil War financier) Jay Cooke and his family.
Gibraltar Island is actually closed to the public for most of the year... but not during the summer. During the summer, science and history tours of Gibraltar Island are offered Thursdays at 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (or by appointment) June 16 through August 18.
These tours provide explorers with the rare opportunity to explore this remote and resplendent Ohio island, its glacial grooves and natural features as well as its historic homes and the iconic Cooke Castle.
While naturally beautiful and teeming with history, there's something a bit foreboding and ominous about Gibraltar Island... a place quite literally isolated from the rest of the world.
This summer, don't miss your chance to explore Gibraltar Island -- it's a place sure to get your your imagination running wild... in all the best ways!
Did you know about this remote Ohio island? Gibraltar Island is a real-life treasure that brings to mind Peter Pan and Neverland… and it’s just waiting to be explored! For more information on booking a summer tour of Gibraltar Island, visit the Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory website.
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