The Ohio River Is Now Ohio's Longest Official Water Trail

Here's a good one for a gray day: this month, the Ohio River itself — the big, working, barge-carrying river that gave the whole state its name — officially joined the family of Ohio Water Trails. A 167-mile stretch of the Ohio River was designated as the state's 18th Ohio Water Trail by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources — the longest water trail in the state. That means the river that defines Ohio's entire southern border is now formally recognized as a place to paddle, not just a thing to drive over.

What happened

The announcement came in early October. At Ohio River Way's annual summit in Ironton, Ohio, the state presented an official proclamation recognizing the Ohio River as the newest state water trail — starting at Ice Creek in Coal Grove just south of Ironton and flowing to Cincinnati's Shawnee Outlook Park. Outdoor News picked up the story in mid-October, noting that the Ohio River is now officially recognized as the state's 18th Ohio Water Trail, a designation that establishes the state's longest water trail at 167 miles.

One hundred sixty-seven miles. For scale, that's roughly the distance from Columbus to Cleveland and back halfway — except it's all moving water, river towns, and Appalachian hills sliding by on both banks.

Why it matters

A water trail designation isn't just a plaque and a handshake. It's the state saying: this is a route worth paddling, worth mapping, worth putting access points on. For generations, the Ohio River has been thought of mostly as industry — coal barges, locks, bridges. Useful, sure. Beautiful? People forgot to ask.

This designation flips that. It invites canoes and kayaks back onto a river that Shawnee, flatboat families, and steamboat crews all knew as a highway long before the interstates existed. And it puts the small river towns along the route — Ironton, Portsmouth, Ripley, New Richmond, and the rest — on the map for a new kind of visitor: one who arrives at three miles an hour, hungry, and happy to be there.

The river that named the state

There's something fitting about this being the eighteenth water trail. Ohio already had seventeen — the Mohican, the Kokosing, the Little Miami, and more — lovely rivers, every one. But the Ohio is the river. The state is literally named after it. Having the namesake finally join the official list feels like the family photo finally including the grandparent everyone's named after.

The southern stretch this trail covers runs through some of the most overlooked and most striking country in the state: steep wooded hills, old locks, towns where the main street still points at the water. If your picture of Ohio is flat cornfields, this trail is the correction.

It's the kind of thing we think about a lot around here — the specific, stubborn character of American places. It's the whole reason our Ohio collection exists.

What you can do about it

You don't need to paddle all 167 miles (though someone will, and we'd like to buy that person a sandwich). Here's the easy version:

Day paddle a section. Pick a river town near the route — the trail runs between the Ironton area and Cincinnati — and look for a local outfitter or livery. Fall water, fall color, big river. Hard to beat.

Visit the endpoints. Shawnee Outlook Park in Cincinnati makes a fine afternoon even without a boat. Watch the barges. Wave at Kentucky.

Support the river towns. Designations like this only mean something if people actually show up. Buy the coffee. Eat the pie. Tell them the river sent you.

And if you want to wear your allegiance while you're at it, the Ohio State Pride Tee travels well in a dry bag.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to paddle an Ohio Water Trail?

Generally, no permit is needed to paddle, but your canoe or kayak must be registered in Ohio. Check current ODNR watercraft rules before you launch.

Is the Ohio River safe for casual paddlers?

It's a big commercial river with barge traffic, so it demands more respect than a creek float. Stick with guided trips or experienced groups if you're new, wear a life jacket, and check conditions before you go.

Where exactly does the new water trail run?

The designated trail starts at Ice Creek in Coal Grove, just south of Ironton, and flows down to Shawnee Outlook Park in Cincinnati — 167 miles along Ohio's southern edge.

Reported by Outdoor News. Details as published at the time of writing.