Lake Miola is a 200-acre reservoir built in 1957 about three miles north of Paola, the town's main outdoor recreation spot. The lake is stocked with crappie, bass, and catfish, popular with weekend anglers; pontoon and rowboat rentals are available at the marina. The shoreline has a swimming beach (lifeguarded in summer), shaded picnic shelters, walking trails, and a campground with tent and RV sites.
It is a calm, low-key place — locals rather than crowds, slow-moving boats, kids cannonballing off the dock. An entry fee applies for non-Miami County residents but is modest. The Lake Miola Days festival in early summer brings a fishing tournament, fireworks, and live music; otherwise it is the kind of place you go on a quiet weekend morning to watch the herons.