Muskingum River Parkway

About Muskingum River Parkway

The Muskingum River Highway, a system of locks and dams stretching 112 miles southeast of Ohio, is considered one of America's greatest engineering achievements. To date, it has helped open the state and the entire Midwest to trade and development. In July 2001, it was declared a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Today, it caters for more than 7,000 recreational boaters who come to the picturesque Muskingum Valley to play. The confluence of the Walhonding and Tuscarawas rivers forms the Muskedum River near Coshocton, Ohio. It crosses a picturesque, hilly landscape and covers a total of 112 miles before finally emptying into the Ohio River in Marietta. From there it flows south to Zanesville, where it flows into the Licking River, and then north to its final destination, the Delaware River.


Dense thickets line the banks of the river, and the wooded banks are shared by a variety of bird species and mammals. The rich floodplains along the Musingufer provide a natural habitat for a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Musclellum offers remarkable fishing opportunities, including the capture of giant shoveled catfish.

The mighty muscle lung of Ohio was once rich in water, but its population has declined in recent years and it is no longer present on the Musingufer River.

The mussel and its tributaries have long supported a large and diverse population of freshwater mussels. The Muskingum River system supports the remaining mussel population and a number of rare fish species share the water. These shells use dissolved limestone from the river to build their shells and the shells themselves.

The Muskingum River plays an important role in Ohio history because of its size and location. It is the largest river in Ohio and drains one-fifth of the entire state. Missionaries settled at the source of this picturesque river of missionaries in 1761 and it is one of Ohio's most popular tourist attractions.

In 1788, the first permanent settlement in Ohio was founded in Marietta by the Muskingum Indians, a group of Indians from the eastern part of the state.

In 1824, steam-powered paddle wheels joined flatbed quills, boats and traders, generating public support for river shipping. The Muskingum River was recognized for its ability to transport raw materials to eastern markets and shipbuilders from New England were called in. In 1841, when a system of 10 dams and 11 locks connected Marietta to Lake Erie, the Ohio State University College of Engineering graduate designed the first public and private river system in the United States. This system, which opened in 1841, provided a navigable waterway from Mariatta and Lake Ontario to the Great Lakes and the rest of the U.S. East Coast.

Campsites are planned for Lock Route 11, and a campground is planned on the west side of the river at Muskingum River Parkway, near the intersection of East Main Street and West Main Avenue. For more information about the park and its amenities, visit www.com / muskingumsriverparkway.

It is recommended that boaters contact the park office before sailing down the Muskingum River to check the conditions at the lock. There are no restrictions on the number of pets at Ellis Campsite, and pets are not allowed at Ellis Campsite. The river can be navigated from the lock route 11 at any time of the day or night to the Ellis campsite, except during daylight hours.

Private ramps are located at locks 2, 7 and 10, and public launch pads are planned for locks 4, 5, 6 and 11. A public launch pad is planned at lock 4 and 5 and a private launch pad for lock 6.

The Muskau is navigable from Dresden to Marietta, but the river between Dresden and Ellis is not marked and according to the Ministry of Transport difficult to navigate.

The Licking River, which flows into the Muskingum River near Zanesville, is accessible only by canoe or rowing boat. The tributaries that flow in and out of the Musky Gardens are navigable for short distances and offer excellent fishing opportunities. Information and navigation maps are available from the Parkway Office, as well as a map of all river crossings.

Some of the tributaries also contain perch, and the river is populated by spotted moles and other fish species such as white perch, redfish, bluefish, yellow-beak, black perch and white tarpon.

Fishing is prohibited within the lock walls, but is allowed on boats near the locks and locations, and a valid Ohio fishing license is required. There are no restrictions on fishing in the Muskingum River or any of the tributaries of the river, except for the validity of Ohio fishing licenses.

Visitors are requested to light a fire and properly dispose of garbage only on the provided barbecue area. The Muskingum River Parkway barbecue area serves food and drinks such as hot dogs, hamburgers and hot dogs.

It is located about six miles from the mouth of the Licking River and is just a few miles from Philo and Rokeby, both on the east side of the Muskingum River Parkway, about three miles east of Lick. It is located about four miles north of Pemberton and about three miles south of Portage City, Ohio, and it is near Philosboro.

The Wilds, located about 17 miles southeast of Zanesville, are just a few miles from the mouth of the Muskingum River, about three miles east of Lick. Entrance required, opening hours depending on the season, daily from 10 am to 4 pm.