Conneaut Creek State Wild & Scenic River
Designated October 6, 2005; 21 miles scenic and 16.4 miles wild:
- Scenic from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border to Penn Central Railroad bridge in Conneaut
- Wild from state line to Creek Road bridge crossing.
 Conneaut Creek in Ashtabula County was officially designated a State Wild and Scenic River on October 6, 2005. The designation provides state protection to a 21-mile stretch of the creek from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border to the former Penn Central Railroad bridge in the City of Conneaut on the Lake Erie shore.
Of the 21 miles to receive State Scenic River designation, 16.4 miles, from the state line to the Creek Road bridge crossing, received the additional State Wild River status. Only two other stream segments in Ohio -- portions of the Grand River in Ashtabula County and Little Beaver Creek in Columbiana County -- are so listed.
Conneaut Creek offers an exceptional diversity of habitats that support outstanding wildlife populations. The stream corridor is home to 78 fish species and 32 species of amphibians and reptiles. The heavily wooded watershed harbors more than 30 unique plants and plant communities, many of which are listed as threatened or endangered.
 With its headwaters in western Pennsylvania, Conneaut Creek has a drainage basin of only 190 square miles, 40 of which are in Ohio. Flowing through wooded and urban areas, the stream has a shale streambed and has cut deeply into Ohio's glaciated plateau, forming a narrow valley covered with hardwoods and conifers.
In places, the stream can be about 40 feet wide and at other times narrows to 15 feet. Many riffles and bars are present. With a fairly constant gradient, the stream drops and turns against sharply cut shale banks, but occasionally wanders through wide, sunny openings.
Water flow levels in Conneaut Creek can fluctuate throughout the year, with spring and early summer offering excellent canoeing opportunities. The stream passes beneath several picturesque covered bridges and some of its tributary streams feature waterfalls.
It's a popular destination for anglers, particularly for its quality steelhead trout fishing. It also supports a variety of other fish, including smallmouth bass, walleye, and northern pike.
Conneaut's name comes from an Indian word for "place of many fish" or "place where snow lays in spring." |