Maumee River Water Trail

The trail connects five Metroparks (Bend View, Farnsworth, Middlegrounds, Providence, and Side Cut), three state parks (Independence Dam, Mary Jane Thurston, and Maumee Bay), three wildlife areas (Meyerholtz, North Turkeyfoot, and Van Tassel), as well as 15 other publicly owned parks. In total, the trail can be accessed at 39 locations with a variety of activities and amenities found at each location.

For the complete Water Trail experience, visit our Water Trail microsite here.

The Maumee River and its Rich History

The Maumee River, named by the Miami Indians, was designated a State Scenic River on July 18, 1974. Located in the northwestern part of Ohio, the Maumee flows northeasterly through portions of Paulding, Defiance, Henry, Wood and Lucas counties.

The historic and cultural heritage of this section is of major state and national significance, making it worthy of designation. In the era when wilderness reigned supreme and travel was by foot or water, the river constituted one of the chief modes of transportation. During the late 17th and 18th centuries, the Indian people moved southward and westward into the Maumee River Valley because of tribal warfare and the pressures of the European settlements. The Miami Indians were the predominant group; they settled at the headwaters of the river.

Many battles of the French and Indian War and the War of 1812 occurred in the river valley, which played a decisive role in the opening up of the "Northwest Territory" for settlement.

Once a part of the Great Black Swamp, underwent extensive drainage to yield vast, fertile, agricultural lands, a part of the landscape that remains today. Indeed, this major river of northwestern Ohio constitutes an important historical and cultural resource for the citizens of Ohio.