Photo Credit: Stark Parks and Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District
Many years of hard work and planning are finally paying off in eastern Ohio with the state’s designation of the Tuscarawas River Water Trail. The Tuscarawas River has always been special to those who live in the communities around the river, and now it will be shared with paddlers from around Ohio and surrounding states.
The river is a 130-mile-long tributary to the Muskingum River. Beginning in Stark County near Hartville, the river flows north into Summit County, where it becomes wide enough for a boat, and the official water trail begins. The river then turns south, flowing through Stark, Tuscarawas, and Coshocton counties before joining the Walhonding River near the city of Coshocton to form the Muskingum River. The Tuscarawas River Water Trail takes paddlers through the center of urban living to peaceful rural escapes while passing historical sites and natural landscapes. Whether paddlers are looking for a quick jaunt between towns or a longer trip through quiet stretches of nature, the Tuscarawas River has it all. Paddlers seeking overnight trips or longer can find over 200 miles of designated water trail, with camping options along the way. The 112.5-mile-long Tuscarawas River Water Trail meets up with the 112-mile-long Muskingum River Water Trail for a total of 224.5 miles of designated water trail.
The Tuscarawas River was named after the Native American village of Tuscarawi, located near present-day Bolivar. The river was an important passageway and trade route for the Delaware Tribe and later settlers. The river offered travelers a convenient route that ran north and south and was part of the first water passages from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Canoes, ferries, and even steamboats have navigated the Tuscarawas at some time in the past few centuries. The Tuscarawas River was also a feeder to the Ohio and Erie Canalway that operated from 1827 to 1870. Today, the river is a popular place for recreation, most notably paddling and fishing. The river has always provided important habitat for abundant wildlife. Fish species that can be found in the Tuscarawas include catfish, bluegill, carp, crappie, and northern pike, plus smallmouth, largemouth, and rock bass. White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, beavers, blue herons, and a variety of turtles sunning on rocks are a common sight while floating down the river. Migrating and nesting birds can also be found along the waterway throughout the year, and the river is home to several bald eagle nests.