Ashtabula Scenic River
Designated on October 30, 2008; 46 continuous river miles on three stream segments:
- Ashtabula River – from the confluence of the East Branch and West Branch of the Ashtabula River at river mile 27.54, downstream to the East 24th Street Bridge crossing at river mile 2.3 (25.24 miles)
- East Branch of the Ashtabula River – from Pennline Fen at river mile 12.0, downstream to the mouth of the East Branch (12 miles)
- West Branch of the Ashtabula River – from the North Richmond Road (County Road 302) bridge crossing at river mile 9.05, downstream to the mouth of the West Branch (9.05 miles)
Ashtabula County, also home to Conneaut Creek and Grand scenic rivers, is the only county in Ohio to have three state designated scenic rivers.
photo courtesy of Mike Mainhart
Located in northeast Ohio, the Ashtabula River watershed supports an exceptionally beautiful river system. High-quality natural features include an outstanding wooded riparian corridor and diverse populations of wildlife and plants. Unique recreational opportunities combine with pristine natural qualities to illustrate the importance of protecting the Ashtabula River as an Ohio Scenic River.
The Ashtabula River watershed features a variety of plant communities including Great Lakes hemlock-beech hardwood forest, Lake Plain swamp forest, mixed oak, rich shrub fen, emergent deep marsh and northern rich mesic forest. Nearly 40 rare plant species have been documented in the area surrounding the Ashtabula State Scenic River.
The name Ashtabula (Hash-tah-buh-lah) is thought to be Algonquin, meaning "river of many fish." Eighty-eight (88) species of fish have been documented in the river. The river is also home to rare animals including black bear, bald eagle, Indiana bat, Northern harrier, osprey, spotted turtle, queen snake, Northern brook lamprey and least brook lamprey.
Many fishermen take advantage of the excellent water quality found in the Ashtabula. The Ashtabula has a great rainbow trout (steelhead) fishery, with 4 river miles of public access in the Ashtabula Township Park (Indian Trails). For avid paddlers, seasonal opportunities are available to canoe or kayak class I, II and III waters through remote ravines. Water levels must be closely watched and are usually only floatable from late fall to early spring.
The Ashtabula River qualified for scenic river designation as direct result of the exceptional stewardship by area landowners. Local landowners along the river have maintained wooded riparian buffers with widths of at least 120 feet along the river bank. Maintaining wooded buffers is key to protecting the high water quality of the Ashtabula River. |