The Ohio River Recreational Trail will receive planning assistance from the National Park Service from the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.
ORRT is a collaborative group from several river communities that seeks designation by the National Parks Service of a 250-mile stretch of the Ohio River and its banks as a National Water Trail.
David Wicks, co-director of the Ohio River Recreational Trail initiative, said the assistance is great news.
“The National Park Service has tremendous experience in guiding the development of water trails throughout the country, and to receive planning assistance from them is quite an honor,” Wicks said. The Ohio River Recreational Trail starts at Portsmouth, Ohio and ends in West Point, Kentucky, with Cincinnati as the halfway point. Local communities which are recommended stops along the trial include Maysville, Augusta and Vanceburg.
Those three communities were stops along the first tour held in June 2018.
“We’re trying to connect all of the river towns,” Wicks said during the stop in Maysville. “There are a lot relationships already and we’re not trying to duplicate anything or say another program isn’t as good. We’re trying to find those kindred spirits in all these river towns who have a passion for recreation.”
“One of our goals is to create the resources people need to explore and enjoy the Ohio River valley, its beauty, towns, history and people,” said Brewster Rhoads, trail co-director. “This award will help us create a trail that will ultimately be recognized by the National Park Service as a National Water Trail.” The ORRT will be a focal point in connecting with other National Park Service designated National Water Trails in the Ohio River basin.
The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program recipients are selected following a competitive process.
“Unique to the Ohio River Recreational Trail project is the multi-state focus of this trail,” said Russel Clark, landscape architect with the National Park Service. “There are three states involved in this project, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. As such, we will have two National Park Service offices working on this project, one in Ohio and one in Kentucky.” The National Park Service will provide expert consultation to help spur local recreation, conservation and economic development opportunities.
“Anytime we can get on a tourism or outdoor recreation lists, it’s good,” said Mason County Judge Executive Joe Pfeffer. “Tourism dollars are important.”
Pfeffer said they tour’s stop in Maysville last summer was successful.
“I think they were very pleased with Maysville,” he said.
The trail will be usable from both land and water and will be supported by an on-line digital guide developed by Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Regional Council of Governments. The digital guide will contain the information and resources needed for either land-based or water-based tourism. The guide will provide details about the Ohio River such as marinas, locks and dams, weather and water condition information, as well as information on hiking and bicycling trails located along the river. In addition, it will have links to river community websites and social media pages where local points of interest and amenities including lodging, restaurants and shops can be posted.
More information is available on the Ohio River Recreational Trail FB page or visit the web page: https://ohioriverrecreationtrail.org/ .
