Hocking River
The 95-mile length of the Hocking River makes it Ohio’s 14th longest river. The river headwaters begin near Lancaster in Fairfield County and flow gently southeast near U.S. Route 33 through one of Southeast Ohio’s most popular travel and tourism destination regions -- the Hocking Hills -- and joins with the Ohio River at Hockingport in Athens County.
Ideally suited for paddlers of all experience levels, the Hocking River flows through an abundance of public lands and provides many recreational opportunities that include canoeing, fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing.
The average river gradient is 4.6 feet per mile. Measured river flows range from a low of 1,023 cubic feet per second to as much as 50,000 cubic feet per second during extreme flood conditions. For the most part, the river flow is smooth and gentle with few rapids.
The river is almost entirely free flowing except for several dam locations. These include a falls area that must be avoided near the Ohio Route 664 bridge in Logan, a dam that is located five miles south of Ohio Route 691 in Nelsonville, and the White’s Mill Dam that is located below the Ohio Route 56 bridge in Athens.
One commercial canoe livery and canoe ramp is located near Logan. Additional launch ramps are found in Coolville along Athens County Road 58 and at River Bend Park near Hockingport just off from Ohio Route 144. There also are a number of roadside parking areas and pull offs.
The Hocking River also is noteworthy for its fishing and its suitability for float fishing trips. The area between the confluence of Clear Creek, across from U.S. Route 33 near the Fairfield/Hocking County line south of Lancaster, and The Plains in Athens County offers excellent opportunities to catch smallmouth bass measuring 12 to 19 inches. Special bass fishing regulations are in effect for the Hocking River between the Ohio Route 328 bridge near Logan and the Route 278 bridge in Nelsonville. Rock bass and longear sunfish also provide good fishing action in this river.
As with any boating trip on a river, boaters need to know the locations and types of potential hazards to safe navigation. Life jackets should be properly worn at all times while boating. For more information on the Hocking River, visit ohiodnr.com or call the Division of Watercraft toll-free at 1-877-4BOATER.
The Hocking River is located near U.S. Route 33 about 35 miles southeast of Columbus. It’s terminus at Hockingport along the Ohio River is located 27 miles southwest of Marietta and 15 miles west of Parkersburg, West Virginia. |