As the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Ohio River towns are celebrating their own role in the country’s history. The river has long reflected the complexity of the American story as a channel for commerce, culture, migration, conflict, and change through the heart of the country. As the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Ohio River towns are celebrating their own role in the country’s history. The river has long reflected the complexity of the American story as a channel for commerce, culture, migration, conflict, and change through the heart of the country.  From fireworks on the riverbank to paddling and passport trails through historic towns, we rounded up some celebrations to partake in the action.

One year ago, the Ohio River Way was officially designated a National Water Trail, recognizing 308 miles of the Ohio River and its communities as a nationally significant destination for outdoor recreation, conservation, and river-based travel. Since then, we’ve continued working with partners across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia to explore, protect, and promote recreation along the Way.

We completed two weeks of our longest Ohio River Way Challenge yet — and while the journey has been incredible, Mother Nature had other plans for the final stretch. After carefully reviewing the last week’s forecasted conditions, we made the difficult decision to postpone the third leg of the 2026 Ohio River Way Challenge — from Louisville, KY, to Evansville, IN — until September.

The Ohio River Way Challenge has taken us through some of the region’s most vibrant river towns, where we’ve met with elected officials, environmental leaders, researchers, tourism partners, and community champions who share a vision for a healthier, more connected Ohio River. Along the way, local media outlets have helped shine a spotlight on the people, places, and progress powering this movement.

The Ohio River is an incredible place to paddle, but it’s also a working river with changing currents, commercial traffic, shifting weather, and plenty of conditions that can change quickly. To prepare, we encourage you to brush up on some boating and paddling safety tips before the busy summer season begins. 

It’s finally the spring equinox, and while we don’t want to jinx it, maybe — just maybe — we’re in the clear for warmer days ahead. Like many of you, we’re more than ready to trade gray skies and extra layers for longer days, greener views, and more time outside.

Women have played an important role in shaping Ohio River history and continue to shape its future. Though it would be impossible to name all of the incredible women who have advocated and led the charge on its currents, here are just a few stories in honor of Women’s History Month.

We’ve spent the first part of February doing a lot of the same thing you have: watching a frozen Ohio River. It wasn’t the coldest stretch on record, but it has been a while since we’ve seen frozen layers of ice form across its banks. Weather aside, we’re prepping for an epic Challenge season, exciting events, like the CORA Bike & Trail Expo, and a whole lot of positive momentum on new initiatives. Float on in.

Despite the deep freeze, January is already off to a strong start: new faces joining the team, a fresh strategy guiding the next 3–5 years, committees mapping out what’s ahead, and some exciting events on the horizon. Dive in.

The Ohio River Way is proud to announce the winners of its inaugural 2025 Fall Photo Contest! The winning images capture the beauty, character, and everyday moments that make the Ohio River corridor shine…

Ohio River Way is pleased to announce the hiring of Molly Pope as its new Deputy Director, effective February 9, 2026. The new position marks a significant milestone in the organization’s continued growth and capacity to support recreation-based economies throughout Ohio River towns.

The vast Ohio River Basin is poised for a multi-year ecological restoration after years of industrial pollution, but only if Congress decides to fund it. Forest Clevenger leads a nonprofit called the Ohio River Way. He's excited about an idea to protect the wetlands, rivers, and streams that make up the entire Ohio River Basin through investments in...

Even though the year is winding down, things are anything but quiet along the Ohio River Way! We’ve set the dates for our most ambitious Ohio River Way Challenge yet, launched a camping partnership with Hipcamp, and are ramping up for a festive season with non-stop river town events.

We’ve officially launched the Ohio River Way Collection on Hipcamp — a curated set of campsites and small campgrounds located near the National Water Trail. Instead of searching across multiple websites or relying on word-of-mouth, travelers can now browse a single collection that updates automatically as new hosts list their properties. Whether you’re planning a two-day paddle, a week-long ride, or a multi-town road trip, the collection makes overnight planning much simpler.

From tree-lighting ceremonies and riverfront parades to cozy markets and festive events, Ohio River communities are gearing up for a full season of holiday cheer. We’ve rounded up dozens of celebrations along the river so you can plan your winter weekends and support local towns.

While experiencing the Ohio River Way National Water Trail from the water itself is unparalleled, there’s more than one way to travel along the river.  Recently, three avid cyclists, Volodymyr Golykov, Caitlin Sparks, and Braden Arestides, cycled from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Louisville, Kentucky, to mimic a section of the Ohio River Way Challenge by bike.  The two-day, three-state adventure followed the twists and turns of the river, winding through towns, small diners, and fog-draped mornings that make the route an unforgettable experience for cyclists.

It's been a heck of a month! We co-hosted the Ohio River Basin Confluence that brought together organizations, volunteers, and elected officials from across the region to share ideas and chart a course for the future of the Ohio River Basin. This month also brought the America’s River Roots Festival, one of the largest regional cleanups to date, as well as new ODOT funding. We've also launched our first-ever Fall Photo Contest and have growing seasonal events across our river towns. Dive on in.

Check out all of the fall events happening this weekend along the Ohio River.

The Ohio River Way has been awarded funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Pedestrian & Bicycle Special Solicitation to develop the Ohio River Trail Comprehensive Plan, a transformative initiative to create a safe, connected, and scenic cycling corridor along the Ohio River.

In the news: Louisville Public Media— A 308-mile stretch of the Ohio River earned the title of National Water Trail this summer. KyCIR’s Morgan Watkins rowed a slice of the path. Here’s what she heard.

We’d love to connect—whether that’s seeing you on-screen at the September Coalition meeting or catching up in person at America's River Roots Festival in October. Either way, we’re excited for all the collaboration ahead.

On behalf of our co-hosts—the Ohio River Basin Alliance, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, and the University of Louisville’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute—we are excited to share that registration is now open for the Ohio River Basin Confluence, presented by the Owsley Brown II Family Foundation. The Summit will take place October 16–18 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, KY.

As an aspiring Hospitality Management student hoping to work in Outdoor Recreation, I never expected to find my place—or my passion—right in the heart of the American Midwest. I’m so grateful to have been proven wrong.

Get updates for the American River Roots celebration, get your hands dirty (in a good way!) at one of our upcoming island cleanups, plus, a list of summer events, job opportunities, and other ways to stay connected to the Ohio River Way and the amazing communities along it.

In honor of Great Outdoors Month and National Trails Day, both in June, the Department of the Interior designated five trails in six states as National Recreation Trails. The Ohio River Way was born on a starry evening in 2019. During an overnight paddle from Cincinnati to Louisville, the volunteer crew of a 30-foot voyageur canoe started to splash around the idea of linking up sites along this stretch of river.

June brought historic momentum for the Ohio River Way and our partners, from proudly supporting the release of a landmark Ohio River Basin restoration plan to celebrating our official designation as a National Water Trail. We've also opened our call for proposals—for presentations, field trips, exhibitions, and more—for Ohio River Basin Confluence, our joint summit this fall. Submissions are due by July 1.

Lea and Chris set out from Portsmouth, Ohio, expecting to paddle, unplug, and spend time in the small towns tucked along the riverbanks. But halfway through their trip, the news came in: the Ohio River Way had just been named a National Water Trail. Without planning it, they had become the first paddlers to experience the route under its new designation.

The Ohio River Way, a trail connecting communities across Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, has officially been designated as a National Water Trail at the recommendation of the National Park Service. This rare recognition marks the largest addition to the National Trails System this year—out of 387 miles designated nationwide, the Ohio River Way accounts for 308 miles. 

The Ohio River Way proudly supports today's launch of a landmark restoration plan titled "Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities, Healthy Economies: A Collaborative Plan to Restore and Protect the Waters of the Ohio River Basin." This effort aims to significantly improve environmental health, community wellbeing, and economic vitality throughout the Ohio River Basin.