Get Rolling on the Rivers of Dayton, OH

When it comes to outdoor recreation and entertainment, Southwest Ohio goes with the flow.

By Cary Estes on June 20, 2023

Jeff Adkins

Across the Dayton region, a river runs through just about everything. From major waterways such as the nearly 300-mile Great Miami River Watershed Trail that passes through downtown Dayton to smaller tributaries such as the Auglaize River that produces postcard settings in the town of Wapakoneta, rivers (and lakes) provide the area with abundant opportunities for water recreation and community gatherings.

“Rivers create a vibrancy that brings added joy to people’s lives,” says Brent Anslinger, outdoor recreation program manager for Dayton’s 16,000-acre Five Rivers MetroParks. “This area offers a lot of opportunities to get out and enjoy the water in a variety of settings.”

The most obvious of these is the Great Miami River Watershed Trail, which combines its namesake river along with the Stillwater and Mad rivers. Not only is this the largest water trail system in Ohio, it also is one of only 22 trails to receive a designation as a National Water Trail System.

“That’s the backbone that runs through the entire community,” Anslinger says. “There are plenty of rural stretches, but it also comes through downtown Dayton.”

The city has taken advantage of this water accessory with the formation of RiverScape park, a hub of entertainment in the heart of downtown. Whitewater features attract paddlers and river surfers, while cyclists and hikers are drawn to the adjacent Miami Valley Trail, which at more than 350 miles is the longest paved trail network in the country.

“One of the beauties of downtown Dayton is you have all this recreation right alongside the river, and then access to the river itself,” Anslinger says.

Of course, the river fun extends far beyond downtown Dayton. There are several other metro parks where you can canoe, kayak or paddleboard, including Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, Huffman MetroPark and Island MetroPark.

Particularly popular is the 7-mile River Run paddle from Eastwood MetroPark on the Mad River through downtown to Carillon Historical Park and the University of Dayton.

Jeff Adkins

Rowing and Going

Plenty of other cities throughout the region also utilize their proximity to water. In Hamilton, for example, the Great Miami Rowing Center offers youth, collegiate and adult programs in the sport of rowing. The programs have been so successful that teams from the center won gold medals at the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships and Beach Sprint Finals.

Watercraft of a different sort can be found at the Cardboard Boat Regatta on Oeder Lake in Morrow, while Celina hosts the annual Lake Festival on the shores of Grand Lake St. Marys. And a nearly 100-mile stretch of the Great Miami River is used for the Great Miami Riverway Smallmouth Bass Fishing Challenge.

North of Dayton, the city of Wapakoneta holds a weekly Friday night Party in the Park summer concert series at Heritage Park along the edge of the Auglaize River, which cuts through the downtown area.

“There is nothing quite like sitting and listening to music as the sun is setting over the water,” says Jackie Martell, executive director of the Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce. “It’s just a laid-back atmosphere along the river to get the weekend started right.”

The Auglaize River also provides a picturesque backdrop for the city’s annual Summer Moon Festival, a six-day event that includes kayak and canoe races as well as a children’s fishing derby. Martell says that is one of the numerous ways the city benefits from having a river attraction in town.

“As a small community, the river is a significant part of our footprint,” Martell says. “There are park areas on both sides of the river, so people can easily walk from park to park. There is a boat launch right in the downtown area at Belcher Park. People will get out on kayaks and canoes and even personal watercraft.

“All this leads to people gathering downtown quite a bit. There’s a natural beauty to a free-flowing river, and it is such an asset to the community to have that right in the heart of our city. It’s such an enjoyable part of enhancing our quality of life, and it brings a lot of people here to enjoy it as well.”