A park naturalist provides nature programs year-around including hand-feeding of hummingbirds during the summer months. Programs are offered 5 days a week during the summer months and weekends throughout the rest of the year.  Lake Hope State Park program schedules are posted monthly during the summer and weekly during the off-season. Over 26,000 acres of the rugged Zaleski State Forest surrounds the park.

The land in and around Lake Hope State Park was once an iron furnace community.  Remnants of an old cemetery, an iron furnace and hints of a ghost town still linger along the trails thick with trees and wildlife. Local legend states the iron furnace is haunted by the spirit of a watchman who fell into the fiery furnace over a hundred years ago. He is said to be seen with an orange lantern strolling across the top of the furnace on rainy evenings.