Muskingum River
About
From Coshocton to Marietta, 112 miles of flatwater paddling follow the nation's only hand-operated lock system still in use. The Muskingum carries 7,991 CFS average flow (optimal 5,000-25,000) through Coshocton and Washington counties as a designated water trail. Lock 11 to Lock 1 preserves the historic navigation corridor completed in 1841 as the Muskingum River Improvement. Between 1812 and 1861, this waterway served as an Underground Railroad route. The Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandot peoples called this valley home before European contact. In 2001, the lock system received National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark designation as the First Navigation Historic District in the United States. USGS gauge 03150000 tracks flows that determine lock operations and paddling conditions.
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and access points may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level.