KOKOSING & MOHICAN WATER TRAIL
About the Kokosing River Water TrailIn June of 2005, the Kokosing River was designated the first water trail in Ohio by the state. The park district provided demonstrable leadership in the designation process in serving as local sponsor and providing coordination between communities and government agencies that own or manage paddler access sites on the river. So what is a water trail? A water trail is similar to a bikeway or hiking trail, except that it occurs on a navigable stream or river and contains access sites where paddlers can launch and retrieve their boats. Access sites along the Kokosing occur at Riverside Park and Memorial Park in Mount Vernon; Kokosing Gap Canoe Access (Lower Gambier Road); Laymon Road Bridge and Big Run Road in Gambier; Pipesville Road Bridge in Howard; Millwood Road in Millwood, Riley Chapel Road at Bat Nest Road Access and at the confluence (Township Road 423) with the Mohican River. Miles to Next Takeout ALERT: As of 3/26/13 Kokosing Water Trail logjam: Avoid river right 1.9 miles downstream of the Stull Road bridge (upstream of the Pipesville Road Access). Stay to the left on the river as you approach the jam.
Want to know what current river flows are on the river? Visit the USGS stream flow data site. Scroll to the bottom of the USGS stream flow page and look at the box labeled, "most recent instantaneous value." Perfect conditions for a float are between 100-200 cubic feet per second (CFS) of flow, though lower conditions permit a fun experience if you don't mind dragging through riffles. Want to try an overnight trip on the river, rent a canoe or use a shuttle to return to your vehicle? Try a privately owned campground (near Millwood) on the Kokosing, Kokosing Valley Camp & Canoe. Need to rent a kayak, take a led tour in a kayak or use a shuttle? Try Kokosing River Outfitters. Camping is not permitted at any KCPD canoe access sites. You must adhere to the "leave no trace ethics" below while floating the river. Click here to download a map or guide of the 27.9 mile Kokosing River Water Trail from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources web site. The map contains all access sites and amenities found at the sites, and the guide provides fishing tips and boating safety practices. A large format map and guide to the water trail can be found at the information kiosks at the canoe access sites along the trail. A map guide can be mailed to you. Visit http://www.ohiodnr.com/watercraft/publications/tabid/3217/Default.aspx to request one. A float down the Kokosing River takes the user back in time. Paddling the upper end of the water trail takes the traveler through areas that were extensively glaciated beginning 100,000 years ago. Between Mount Vernon and Gambier, paddlers travel through the Kokosing Gap, a valley area with Blackhand and Logan sandstone. As the paddler progresses downstream of Millwood, a stunning narrow, boulder-strewn, sheer-sided valley known as the “Narrows” awaits. The Blackhand sandstone cliffs seen here are over 300 million years old.
Consider too, the ancient Mound builders and Delaware and Algonquin Indians who used the river as a major transportation route. Pioneers harnessed the river’s power, building mills to support the growing settler population. Evidence of a former mill site can be seen in the cut sandstone blocks south of the Big Run access. "Leave No Trace" - Keep The River The Way You Found It The following list is modified from the "Leave No Trace" Center For Outdoor Ethics Plan Ahead and Prepare |
