Though we utilize the Muskingum almost exclusively for all our recreational boating, for the most part we actually only utilize just a few pools of it for our boating pleasure. But should time and opportunity present itself with a long weekend with fair weather for boating. A trip down the Muskingum to the Ohio River may be one of the best boating experiences to experience and enjoy and be had anywhere around. Though the River north of Zanesville is considered navigational to the Ellis Lock and Dam #11, the Ellis Lock has been closed for years and the word is that it’s highly unlikely to ever be reopened again. Due to the river from just a few miles north of Zanesville to the Ellis Lock containing so many navigational hazards and the complete lack of any channel markers what-so-ever, this area of the river is best left to the locals who know the river and its channel and the hazards well. So should you be a visiting boater planning on running the river you should consider concentrating your efforts from just North of Zanesville Lock #10 south to the Ohio River.

There are exceptions but for the most part the locks on the Muskingum are about 10 miles apart from one another, with each pool being unique in its own dignified way. Though there are some navigational hazards to be found, most will be marked with regulatory markers or buoys and sometimes the occasional Clorox jug. Unless otherwise marked a boater staying in the center third of the river will have and experience pretty clear sailing. Like any river though the Muskingum is a living and breathing body of water that is constantly changing with the influence of the seasons and the weather and the quantity of rainfall in its drainage area. Due to usually higher water flow during the winter months compared to normal flows usually experienced in the summer there is always noticeable features of the river that are always apparent the first few times out come spring boating season. Gravel and sandbars that may have extended well into the river the previous fall may be nonexistent the following spring, but usually with some observation you’ll see where the river deemed a more suitable place to put it. Maybe for me at least the life and living flow of the river rearranging its features to its satisfaction is what I find most appealing and keeps me in constant awe of its power and forces it’s capable of exerting along its course.


 Picture of some transit pontoon boaters who spent the night on a Muskingum River Sandbar

I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t enjoy a scenic cruise on the Muskingum, and enjoy all the ambulant surroundings to be seen and enjoyed everywhere as you pass by. Of every kind of boat can be seen plying its waters and utilizing this great resource by far the pontoon boat is the most common one to be seen on it. Though any of the common trailerable boats will not really encounter any real issues, should any owners of the larger houseboats and big cruisers that ply the Ohio river chose to boat the entire length prior arrangements may need to be made to have a bridge raised in the upper pool in Zanesville Oh. just north of the double locks. Fact is if you’re visiting and planning on passing through all the locks the Zanesville Yacht Club offers a nice frame able certificate free of charge you can proudly display of your excursion on this river. (See link by Map)

We’ve only owned pontoon boats ourselves and our passage has been exclusively with them. Our first pontoon boat was a gas miserly pontoon that was easily capable of running the entire length without any need for additional fuel. The pontoon houseboat we have now just doesn’t have a large enough tank to hold the amount of fuel needed to make this trip of this length. We were able to overcome this fact by packing additional fuel in gas cans to supplement our fuel needs. Fuel on the river itself is difficult to obtain and only ready available in a few places along its length and even at that you’ll need gas cans to pack it from gas stations on nearby roads back to your boat. The only dependable supply of gas on the river itself is in Marietta just right before you’d meet the confluence with the Ohio River itself on the Muskingum. If you should really desire to push, though I can’t really see why a person would really want to it’s possible to run the entire river in a single day, but with pontoon boats with smaller motors you’d want to stay with it and not fool around anywhere. When we go we usually allow about a day and a half more or less for the trip each way. This allows us to enjoy the scenery at a leisurely pace and stop and fool around some when we desire to, and as an added bonus it also saves us a lot of fuel in our boat.


This Picture shows DNR's listed fuel/gas and other resources as available on the Muskingum River

If you were to look at the available information through the Ohio D.N.R. sites you’d be led to believe that nice adequate facilities existed at almost all the locks throughout the lock system. In reality some resources do exist throughout the system for the most part they are woefully inadequate. The biggest obvious component missing is available docks in which to tie off your boat to use the areas. Years ago when we first started boating on this river there were numerous docks for transit boaters to use when utilizing this river system. On our recent trip to Marietta we only observed a single sixteen foot dock in areas that once had four times that amount. We did use one of the sixteen footers on the way down ourselves and found it extremely challenging to tie a thirty five foot boat to it securely. One can only hope the funding can somehow be found to correct this situation in the near future.

The best transit docks available on the river are located in Malta and in Zanesville just north of the double locks. The Malta docks are free for use with available power in a nice public park like setting with a free public shower house / bathroom that is close and convenient to the docks. There are also several nearby places to replenish anything you may need and several places to find food or drinks. There is no better place to dock available on the Muskingum anywhere as of this writing and it’s hard to believe in this day and age it’s still all free for anyone’s use. The public docks in Zanesville is called Zane’s Landing and are also free of charge for transit boaters use, but being I’ve not utilized that pool much myself I’m uncertain as to what resources are available. But I do know that almost directly across the river from it there is a bar and restaurant called Terries Tavern that has docking and are known for their good quality food that’s available. They’re said to be nice folks and who knows if you ask you may be allowed docking there for the night.


 Muskingum River Map with references to fuel/food/dockage Avl.
             
   For Shallow Water Navigation Form Pg 1 & 2 Click Here

The Ohio Parks Service does charge a usage fee for all boaters utilizing the lock system. They offer both season and weekend passes which can be purchased at any of the locks. The locks themselves are fairly easy to navigate through. They are all equipped with weighted cables spaced periodically down the length of the walls. When locking through you just need to navigate your boat close to one of the walls (put out your bumpers) in such a way that you have good purchase of at least two cables front to back of your boat. We utilize boat hooks ourselves in which to grasp and hold the cables while locking, others use heavy gloves or clips on ropes to fasten to the cable themselves but anyway it’s important to maintain your grasp throughout the locking process because the water can be quite turbulent and this varies depending on where your trying to hold your boat in the lock. The center third of the lock is usually the calmest least turbulent area and the best place to be if you have your choice and option when locking through.

Hopefully I’ve provided you with enough quality information about this great resource that’s available for your pleasure and enjoyment that you’ll be able to come prepared and ready to enjoy this great resource sometime. Maybe we’ll see you sometime on the Mighty Muskingum River. If you'd also like to view my Picasa Web Album of pictures taken of the scenery while boating the length of the River. Click Here

     Picture of the drainage area of the Muskingum River

Also feel free to come visit us anytime at our main site pontoonhouseboatoddysey.com

Other Links that may be of interest:

Cute Boating Story about the Muskingum:  Here

Port O' Morgan Boat Club:  Here

Zanesville Yacht Club:  Here

If you happen to have any questions about boating on the Muskingum River please log on to the comment area and we'll attempt to answer them for you.