With population of 11,689,100, Ohio is the 7th largest state among U.S. 50 states, and OH is the two letter abbreviation for Ohio. Here, we provide a list of major rivers and mountains in the state of Ohio.
Rivers in Ohio
Ohio River
The Ohio River is an approximately 1,579 km long tributary of the Mississippi, which flows through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois. The Ohio River is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny River and Monongahela River near the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Ohio River flows near the city of Cairo in the state of Illinois in the Mississippi. It is noteworthy that the Ohio River is the larger of the two rivers when it flows into the Mississippi. In the past, the Ohio was the lifeline for many Indian tribes that settled in the areas around the river.
Later, during the westward expansion of the United States, the river became a major player in east-west transportation.
The Ohio River is also considered an extension of the Mason-Dixon line, which separates the northern from the southern states. Thus, an escape across the Ohio River was a worthwhile goal for many slaves.
A special feature of the Ohio River is that it forms the border or part of the border of 6 US states, between the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.
In Indiana, the Ohio River forms the entire southern border with the state of Kentucky. The Ohio River flows from east to west through several major cities such as Cincinnati, Evansville, Huntington, Louisville, Owensboro, Parkersburg, Pittsburgh, Weirton-Steubenville and Wheeling. It is also noteworthy that in 1999 a world record was set for the largest caught blue catfish.
The fish caught in the Ohio River weighed 47.2 kg.
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is an approximately 137 km long river in the northeast of Ohio. The name of the river comes from the Iroquois language and means something like curved river. This is not surprising, since after the confluence of the East Branch Cuyahoga River and West Branch Cuyahoga River, which thus form the Cuyahoga River, the river flows south-west to the city of Akron.
There the Cuyahoga River turns north and flows to Cleveland where it flows into Lake Erie.
The development of Ohio into an important industrial region and the associated pollution of the river led to its surface becoming flammable. There were also several fires on the river, for example in 1952 when the largest fire on the Cuyahoga River caused more than $ 1 million in damage. Wastewater treatment plants are now operating on the banks of the Cuyahoga River and the water quality has improved significantly.
Great Miami River
The Great Miami River is an approx. 257 km long tributary of the Ohio River. The Great Miami River runs in the southwestern part of Ohio and is named after the Miami tribe. The river rises from Indian Lake and flows from there towards its mouth in the Ohio River. The mouth is about 26 km west of Cincinnati at the point where the states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky meet. Through the Miami and Erie Canal, which was completed in 1845, the Great Miami River is connected to Lake Erie and used to be the most important transportation route in western Ohio.
Maumee River
The Maumee River is an approx. 210 km river in the northwest part of Ohio and in the northeast part of Indiana. The river is created by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys River near the city of Fort Wayne. The river flows into Lake Erie near the city of Toledo, Ohio. In the past, the river was also known as the Miami River, which shows contracts with the area’s natives. Every spring there is a hike in the Maumee River that is unparalleled east of the Mississippi. So glass perch make their way to Lake Erie and ensure one of the largest fish walks.
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River and is approximately 179 km long. The Muskingum River flows in the eastern part of Ohio. The Muskingum River is formed by the confluence of the Tuscarawas River and Walhonding River and basically flows south towards its confluence with the Ohio River near the small town of Marietta. In the 19th century the Muskingum River was an economically important transport route and between 1812 and 1861 the Muskingum River served many escaped slaves to get from the south to the north as quickly as possible. The Muskingum River State Park on the western bank of the river is also an hour’s drive northwest of Marietta.
Sandusky River
The Sandusky River is an approximately 241 km river in northern Ohio. The Sandusky River originates from Walton Lake and flows principally north towards its mouth at Sandusky Bay into Lake Erie. The last section of the river, between the city of Fremont and Sandusky Bay, has been a State Scenic River protected area since 1970.
Scioto River
The Scioto River is an approximately 372 km long tributary of the Ohio River and runs in the central part of Ohio. The Scioto River basically flows in a southern direction. The source of the Scioto River is near New Hampshire and the confluence with the Ohio River is at Portsmouth. Like the Muskingum River, the Scioto River also served many escaped slaves as an escape route to the north.
Wabash River
The Wabash River has a length of approx. 790 km and flows from northeastern Indiana to the most southwestern point of Indiana. The source of the Wabash River, which is a tributary of the Ohio River, is near the Fort Recovery community in western Ohio. After about 140 km the river is dammed up at the city of Huntington. On its further course there are no more dams and with that the Wabash River with approx. 661 km is the longest dam-free river east of the Mississippi. After the city of Terre Haute, the Wabash River forms the border between the states of Indiana and Illinois.
The river changed course over time, but Indiana and Illinois still consider the middle of the river as their limit. The confluence of the Wabash River and the Ohio River takes place at the most southwestern point in India near Evansville. The name of the river originally comes from the language of the Miami Indians and means something like water over white stones.
This is probably due to the fact that in the source area of the river the river bed mostly consists of white limestone and this was previously clearly visible due to the fairly clear water. During the late 19th and 20th centuries, the route from the mouth of the Wabash River to the Terre Haute was used by steamers. Furthermore, the Wabash River, due to the fact that it is not stowed over a long distance, is a popular fishing area where you can fish for carp, catfish and zander. Perch, trout, crayfish, vulture turtles, box turtles and the water moccas are also found in and on the river.
Since the Wabash River flows through much of the state of Indiana, it is the official state river Indiana and is prominently featured in Paul Dresser’s official state song “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away”.
Mountains in Ohio
The landscape of Ohio is flat in the northwestern part of the state and rises to the southwest and southeast and becomes more hilly because the Appalachian Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains begin here. Despite this mountain range, the state has no distinct mountains, and ironically, the state’s highest peak, Campbell Hill, is in western Ohio.
Campbell Hill
With a height of approx. 472 m, Campbell Hill is the highest elevation in Ohio. The mountain is named after Charles D. Campbell, who previously owned the surrounding area.
Lakes and Reservoirs in Ohio
Lake Erie (Lake Erie)
With an area of approximately 25,745 km², Lake Erie is the fourth largest of the large lakes. It is the southernmost of the Great Lakes and represents the border between Canada in the north and the USA in the south. The maximum depth of Lake Erie is 64 m. The inlet into Lake Erie is through the Detroit River from Lake Huron and its outlet is the Niagara River, which forms the Niagara Falls, into Lake Ontario. The lake is named after the Indian tribe of the Erie who lived on its banks.
The area around the lake is a popular wine-growing area. On the American side of the lake, the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Michigan are in the west. In winter there is so-called lake effect snow, which makes the surrounding area the snowiest in the USA. The lake is very popular with visitors because it offers numerous activities. The numerous shipwrecks offer excellent diving opportunities and the many parks and islands also invite you to switch off.
Clendening Lake
The Clendening Lake is located in eastern Ohio near the city of Cambridge. Clendening Lake has been dammed up since 1933 and is the largest lake in Ohio whose banks have not yet been used. In addition to a scout camp in summer, you can enjoy solitude on and around the 7.3 km² lake.
Grand Lake
Grand Lake is located in western Ohio near the city of Lima. The Grand Lake covers an area of approximately 55 km², making it the largest inland lake in Ohio. However, with an average depth of approx. 2 m, the Grand Lake is a very shallow lake. The lake is a popular local recreation area and is very well developed through the Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.