Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer
Ready to float?
It’s no secret that Ohio has hundreds of creeks, rivers, lakes and ponds to float around, and more and more people are enjoying them by kayaks than ever before. While there are various types of kayaking – recreational, touring, whitewater, etc. – statistics show that thousands are picking up the hobby each year.
According to a 2016 Topline report that drew its information from a Physical Activity Council survey, there was a 5 percent increase in the number of people who regularly kayaked recreationally between 2006 and 2015. With sea/touring kayaking, there was an 8 percent jump during that same time period, and whitewater kayaking saw a 10 percent spike.
cleveland.com searched online forums like TripAdvisor and Reddit, as well as state resources from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), to see where kayakers and canoers like to go. This collection of those answers (plus a few more) will hopefully give you a place to paddle across the state.
By Jane Morice
Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Vermilion-Lorain Water Trail - Lorain County
The Vermilion-Lorain Water Trail is one of 10 waterways designated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The 27-mile water trail includes portions of the Vermilion and Black rivers in Lorain County; the rivers' connecting section is a stretch of Lake Erie.
The trail is classified as Class I+ to II, according to a system called the International Scale of River Difficulty. This scale helps paddlers figure out how tricky their trip will be. This water trail is safe enough for beginners and novices, the ODNR says.
One place where you can rent a kayak for your Lorain County paddle is LoCo Yak Shak. The rental company has a brick-and-mortar stand under the Bascule Bridge in Lorain, but it still offers a mobile rental option.
"Think food truck concept, but kayaking instead," their website says. They pull up at three different locations per week to encourage kayakers to try different routes. You can also take organized trips with the company. To learn more, click here.
Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer
Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Summit County
The 100-mile-long Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was offered up as a suggestion on Reddit, and that's no surprise. The National Park Service recently finished installing three paddler access sites along the Cuyahoga River in the park – the Boston Shore Visitor Center, Red Lock and Station Road Bridge Trailhead – "as part of a pilot study to look at recreational use and educational programming" on the river, the park's site says. The river is open to the public, but paddlers are warned that the waterway isn't for the inexperienced.
In Summit County, Cuyahoga Fall's Burning River Adventures offers kayak rentals, as well as guided tours along stretches of the river. All river trips start at Water Works Park in the city, the group's website says. For more information, click here.
John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Put-in-Bay - Ottawa County
Kayaking around Put-in-Bay, on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, was another suggestion from Reddit.
“Kayaking in the bay and around Gibraltar Island is awesome,” Reddit user ibikeiruniswim wrote on a message board last year. “There are some great little caves and rocks to jump off on the north side of [the island].”
TripAdvisor gives Kayak the Bay, a kayak rental company at Put-in-Bay, 4.5/5 stars. Kayak the Bay was also named one of the best kayak rental spots by Lake Erie Magazine in 2013. Kayak the Bay also organizes guided tours – one around Gibraltar Island on Wednesdays and another at sunset past limestone cliffs on the west shores of the island. For more information, click here.
Dale Omori, The Plain Dealer
Rocky River Reservation - Cuyahoga County
The Cleveland Metroparks’ Rocky River Reservation, anchored by the Rocky River, weaves through the southwestern suburbs of Cleveland and ends near the river’s mouth into Lake Erie. The Rocky River’s waters are a popular place for casual paddlers.
41° North Coastal Kayak Adventures’ Yak Shack in the reservation offers kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. It’s a 1-mile journey from the rental site up the Rocky River and into Lake Erie, according to the group’s website. 41°North also offers a variety of guided trips, including day-long trips to Kelley’s Island and the Bass Islands.
For more information, click here.
"Our Old Covered Bridge" by Jack Pearce is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Mahoning River Water Trail - Trumbull County
This waterway is another one of the ODNR's designated water trails. The 23-mile path is designated as a Class I, meaning it's easy enough for beginners to navigate.
The Mahoning River has paddling access points at several Trumbull County MetroParks sites, as well as at city parks in Newton Falls and Warren. Anyone with questions about a good place to rent a canoe or kayak should call the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau at 866-360-1552.
Peggy Turbett, The Plain Dealer
Hinckley Lake - Medina County
This 90-acre lake sits within the Hinckley Reservation, a part of the Cleveland Metroparks system. People flock to the reservation to hike and see the annual Return of the Buzzards, but the lake is a hotspot for fishing and paddling.
The Hinckley Lake Boathouse is the hub for the park’s paddle sports and rents out not only kayaks and canoes but also paddle boards, pontoons and other motorized boats. The boathouse has a public launch ramp so you can bring your own boat too.
There are also organized boating events on the lake, including thrice-daily voyageur canoe paddles and youth and family kayaking events. For more information, click here.
Lynn Ischay, The Plain Dealer
Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park - Lake County
Fairport Harbor Lakefront Park is a one-stop shop for those wanting to paddle in the Lake Metroparks. As its name implies, the park sits on Lake Erie’s shore, making it a great place for amateur and experienced boaters.
The park offers sit-on-top ocean kayak rentals and private kayaking lessons for paddlers of all experience levels. Public events, like a Friday night sunset paddle, are also offered through the park, but advanced registration is usually required.
For more information on rental and event pricing, click here.
Photo provided by Stark Parks
Stark Parks - Stark County
The Stark Parks system advertises three ideal kayaking spots in its system – Deer Creek Reservoir in Lexington Township, Sippo Lake in Canton and Walborn Reservoir in Alliance.
Sippo Lake and Walborn Reservoir have marinas where paddlers can rent a kayak from May through October. The parks system organizes kayaking events (with limited availability), like a 6-mile trip down the Tuscarawas River.
Another fun event is a Poker Paddle, where kayakers paddle around the Walborn Reservoir and find playing cards along the shore to put together a poker hand. Once back on shore, paddlers show their hands and have the chance to win a prize.
For more information, click here.
John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer
Cuyahoga River, Lake Erie junction - Cuyahoga County
This area to paddle came highly recommended on social channels like Reddit.
“In Cleveland’s Flats you can rent a kayak or jet-ski and go through the Cuyahoga River or to Lake Erie,” commenter praterstern wrote. “I can envision a trip: stay at Aloft Hotel in Flats East, take the water taxi across the river, pick up [a] kayak and tour for the day.”
Another commenter, c64fan, gave another route suggestion: “Put in at the beach in Wendy Park (just east of Edgewater Park), paddle on the lake for a bit, then turn into the Cuyahoga River, through the Flats, and into the downtown area.”
Boaters looking to rent in the Flats can head over to the West Bank and stop into Great Lakes Watersports. The rental facility has more than 15 single kayaks and 10 double kayaks, its website says. For more information, click here.
Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer
Upper Cuyahoga River - Portage County
The entire Cuyahoga River is protected by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by its designation as an American Heritage River. Additionally, a particularly pretty 25-mile portion of the river – part of the Upper Cuyahoga River – is a designated State Scenic River.
Sitting within this stretch of the river is Portage County's Camp Hi Canoe & Kayak Livery. The family-owned business offers boat rentals as well as guided trips that vary in times and experience levels. The livery's location is also a bonus – it's only about 45 minutes from Cleveland, Akron or Youngstown, according to its website.
For more information, click here.
"HPIM5497" by rayb777 is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Hocking River - Hocking County
The Hocking River, which winds through Fairfield, Hocking and Athens counties, comes highly recommended. In fact, the state's website included it in a 2014 list of the top 5 places to kayak and canoe.
On the river, paddlers can catch a different glimpse of the same scenery hikers find on the Hocking Hills State Park’s trails. A popular place to rent a kayak is the Hocking Hills Canoe Livery.
The livery offers two organized trip options, both of which are good for beginners, its website says. For more information on pricing and trips, click here.
"L1060190" by Aryeh Alex is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve - Licking County
The paddle path on the Licking River through the Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve was recommended through a TripAdvisor message board. The park's "prime feature" is, of course, the gorge, cut by water into sandstone.
On the ODNR webpage about the preserve, a park moderator responded to a commenter’s kayaking question by saying that there isn’t a place to rent kayaks on-site and there are no nearby liveries.
However, “paddlers who own their own kayaks are welcome to float the Licking River,” the moderator said.
For more information on the preserve, click here.
"Ohio State" by Navin75 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Olentangy River Water Trail - Franklin County
This ODNR water trail is a 9-mile stretch that runs through “the heart of Columbus, from the Broad Meadows pedestrian bridge downstream to the confluence with the Scioto River,” according to a water trail guide.
The river waters have been designated as Class I-II, meaning it’s safe for beginners and novices. A guide to the Olentangy River trail splits the route into three sections, letting paddlers know exactly what they’re going to encounter on their routes.
The trail’s Section A is a quiet portion of the waterway that flows through wooded parkland. Section B passes the Union Cemetery and the OSU Wetland, yet it also has three lowheaded dams that paddlers would have to navigate by taking out their kayaks and putting them back in the river where it’s safe. Section C is the urban section of the trail; kayakers can see parts of Ohio Stadium and downtown Columbus in this section.
For more information on the trail, click here.
Photo provided by Waters Edge Canoe Livery
Paint Creek - Ross County
Paint Creek runs through three counties – Fayette, Ross and Highland – and into Chillicothe, Ross County's seat. It was recommended as a relaxing place to kayak by Reddit commenter 2_4_16_256.
Waters Edge Canoe Livery in Chillicothe offers three organized trips on Paint Creek every day. The trips range from 2 hours to more than 8 hours. The trips must be reserved beforehand.
For more information about rentals and trips, click here.
Susan Glaser, The Plain Dealer
Mohican River Water Trail
The fourth ODNR water trail to make the list is the 28-mile stretch along the Mohican River in central Ohio. The waterway has been classified as Class I, meaning the waters are calm and easily navigable.
There are four main water access points along the trail and a number of kayak liveries in the Loudonville area, near the first access point at Mohican State Park.
"The Mohican-Loudonville area serves as the Canoe Capital of Ohio due to the more than 50 years of canoe livery operation, number of canoes registered in the area and concentration of paddling activities," a guide to the water trail says. A couple of those liveries are Mohican Adventures, Loudonville Canoe Livery and Mohican Wilderness.
For more about the route, click here.
"Kokosing River" by Austin Godber is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Kokosing River Water Trail - Coshocton, Knox counties
This mostly wooded and rural waterway is the fifth ODNR trail featured on this list, but it was the first stretch of river to be designated as a state water trail in June 2006, according to Plain Dealer archives. The 28-mile path has also been named a State Scenic River.
The trail starts in Mount Vernon and finishes where the Kokosing and Mohican rivers meet to form the Walhonding River. One of the only well-advertised liveries along the trail is Kokosing Valley Camp & Canoe, located about halfway down the trail.
For more information about the trail, click here.
C.H. Pete Copeland, The Plain Dealer
Big Darby Creek - Franklin County
This creek in central Ohio is "a perfect place to experience Ohio's incredible biodiversity," according to the state's list of the best places to kayak. That's because it winds through hundreds of acres with a host of different types of wildlife.
A popular livery in the Big Darby Creek area is Trapper John’s. One Reddit user said that “Trapper John’s… is fantastic. Not crazy busy and lots of fun little semi-technicals. There are public set-in and exit points if you have your own kayaks.”
The livery offers four different kayak and canoeing trips on a daily basis. For rental and trip information, click here.
"Muskingum River" by Paul Sableman is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Muskingum River Water Trail
The sixth ODNR water trail on the list is also the longest – it spans 112 miles from central to the southeastern edge of the state. It’s navigable from Dresden to Marietta, though the portion of the trail from Dresden to Ellis is “unmarked and difficult to follow,” a guide to the trail says.
There are eight carry-in kayak access points along the long river stretch. However, there are no well-advertised liveries along the route besides in Marietta, at the Marietta Adventure Company. Their website lists guided tours and kayak rental prices.
For more information on the whole water trail, click here.
"DSC_0036a2000" by Nick Trippe is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Lake Vesuvius - Lawrence County
This body of water, part of the Wayne National Forest, was recommended on Reddit.
“It’s a fun long lake that connects to the Ohio River if the water’s up enough,” commenter TypicalTyrian said. “There’s tons of cool shallow water locations with deeper sections adored with lily pads.”
Kayakers can either bring their own boats or go to Kountry Kayaks to rent one. They can use the lake's boat launch to set in, according to the Wayne National Forest's webpage on the lake.
For more information, click here.
Photo provided by Bellbrook Canoe Rental
Little Miami River - Greene County
The Little Miami River, which winds through four different counties, was been designated as a state scenic river in the 1960s. Paddlers interested in navigating the waterway have many options, including Narrows Reserve in Greene County.
Narrows Reserve is named for a "distinguishing feature of the river" where "steep, narrow banks of the Little Miami were created when a new stream flowed out of an ancient stream bed and carved its way through the Earth's surface," according to a park guide.
People interested in kayaking on the Little Miami can start at Narrows Reserve through a guided tour led by Bellbrook Canoe Rentals in Bellbrook. The trip is about five miles.
For more trip and pricing information, click here.
John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Ft. Ancient Gorge - Warren County
Fort Ancient Gorge, also located in the Little Miami River, was once home to the Hopewell Native American tribe known as the “Mound Builders.” One of the best known liveries in the gorge is Morgan’s Outdoor Adventures.
On the Morgan’s website, the family-owned rental facility writes that the founder, Bob Morgan, “chose this secluded section of river for its natural beauty and protected isolation (there are no towns within six miles), as well as being the best canoeing section on the Little Miami.”
Morgan's in the Fort Ancient Gorge comes highly rated on TripAdvisor. Commenters say that it's a great place for a family weekend trip, as Morgan's also has campgrounds where paddlers can pitch a tent.
For more information, click here.
Photo provided by Chris Jackson, Adventures on the Great Miami
Great Miami River Trail
The Great Miami River and two of its tributaries, Mad River and Stillwater River, have all been designated as ODNR water trails. The Great Miami is the longest of the three, starting up in Logan County and flowing down through the southwestern part of the state into the Ohio River near Cincinnati.
The ODNR water trail ends where the three rivers come to a confluence in Dayton. Along the way, there are various spots to rent a kayak and paddle on the river. In Troy, paddlers can get a kayak at Treasure Island through Adventures on the Great Miami livery.
Beginners beware, though: there are a couple of whitewater features along the water trail.
For more information on the trail, click here.
Photo provided by Birch Bark Canoe Livery
Mad River Water Trail
This tributary of the Great Miami also starts in Logan County, but it makes up the right "prong" of the trio of rivers that meet in Dayton. Most of the places to paddle (with a rented kayak) on the Mad River are in Champaign and Clark counties.
The Birchbark Canoe Livery in Champaign County boasts clear, calm waters with occasional “short, shallow rapids along the way [for] a pleasurable change of pace,” its website says. Trips for different skill levels and interest are also organized through the livery.
For more information, click here.
John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Stillwater River Trail
The final ODNR designated water trail on the list is the left “prong” of the trio of rivers in southwestern Ohio. The river begins in Darke County and, again, ends in Dayton in Montgomery County.
There are few liveries along the Stillwater River Water Trail; in fact, the trail’s guide online only lists one place to rent a kayak along the entire river. The West Milton Municipal Park in the city of West Milton offers rentals for interested paddlers.
However, boaters with their own watercrafts are welcome to navigate the river on their own by watching out for access point signs along the trail.
For more information on the trail, click here.
"Symmes Creek [upstream from Mollies Rock Road bridge, Muskingum County, Ohio, USA]" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Symmes Creek - Gallia, Lawrence counties
Symmes Creek was another Lawrence County suggestion on a Reddit thread.
“There’s a boat launch near Symmes Valley High School that you can take all the way to the Ohio River,” the commenter wrote. “It’s about a 17-mile journey from there but it’s worth it. Tons of beautiful country scenery, [and] you can take the creek out farther than that.”
This quiet waterway does not have any public kayak or canoe rental facilities, according to the ODNR. However, there are five places along the creek where kayakers can park and put in.
For more information, click here.
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