Mad River - Southwest Ohio
Thomas P. Martin, Ph.D., FACSMMad River Map - if you have
difficulty viewing with Internet Explorer - try Netscape
The vast majority of information on this map is correct, however, it does not yet
include the August 2006 updates.
A 2x3 foot (poster size) color map of the Mad River is available from the author.
Link to Little Miami State and National Scenic River (Ohio) Web Site
Waypoints Updated August 2006
- Waypoints were revisited and their descriptions updated as of August 2006. This was done in order to update the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Watercraft, pamphlet/maps titled "Boating on Ohio's Streams: Northwest & Southwest Regions" 05/06. The access points highlighted in this report are located on public property. However, be aware that most of the shoreline - and the river bottom - are privately owned. Therefore, only exit your boat in places that are known to be public property.
MAD RIVER REPORT
Introduction
During July of 2001, Tom Martin, an Ohio Division of Watercraft Volunteer and professor at Wittenberg University in Springfield Ohio, collected information, canoed, and drove to bridges and access points along the Mad River in southwest Ohio. Tom and Tom Stafford took three days to canoe the 50.7 miles from West Liberty to the confluence with the Great Miami River in Dayton Ohio.
![]() Tom Stafford Tom Martin
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The purpose of this project was to correct and update the information on the Mad River contained in the Ohio Division of Watercraft pamphlet "Boating on Ohios Streams: 2 Southwest Section," which was last published in 10/95. The project was expanded to include additional information on river miles, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, access points, and canoe liveries.
The river miles used in this report are those established by the Miami Conservancy District, 38 E. Monument Ave., Dayton Ohio 45402, (937) 223-1271. They were obtained from the following two maps: Dayton Springfield #30588 and Springfield Zanesfield #30589, dated 8-24-84. The river miles begin at the point where the Mad River enters the Great Miami River and proceed upstream. River miles for access points and dams are presented in red. River miles for other waypoints (e.g. bridges with no access, creeks entering river, etc.) are presented in blue.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) data in this report was collected with a Garmin GPS 12 Personal Navigator. This unit used WGS 84 map datum. Bridge measurements were taken in the middle of the upstream side of each bridge. Launch site measurements were taken at the launch site at rivers edge. Ninety five percent of the site measurements were checked on a second or third day to insure accuracy.
Canoe liveries paddle from river mile 45.8 (Lippincott Road Access) to river mile 20.1 (Aarons Canoe & Kayak Center, formerly Morgans). The liveries attempt to keep this segment of the river clear of dangerous strainers, however, there is no guarantee that the river will be clear. Each storm can add or remove strainers from the river.
![]() Tree Across River
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![]() Blow Down
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![]() Trees Across River
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River miles 50.7 (West Liberty) to 45.8 (Lippincott Road Access) and 20.1 (Aarons Canoe & Kayak Center) to 0.0 (Deeds Park in Dayton) are not cleared by liveries. Therefore, scouting and additional precautions should be used when paddling these segments of the river. There are strainers and debris build up on these sections of the river (particularly on curves and against bridge abutments) and paddling skills are necessary to negotiate passageways and/or move to the riverbank for portage.
The recreational canoeist should read related literature, check with liveries, and personally check the section of river to be paddled before embarking on a canoe trip. River level should be checked and the weather forecast taken into consideration before embarking on a river trip. Extended rain and storms can raise the river to a dangerous level. One river livery will not rent canoes/kayaks when the flow rate exceeds 500 cfs (cubic feet per second). Also, keep in mind that each storm can add or remove strainers (i.e. logs/trees across river) from the river. Strainers are dangerous and should be avoided. A float plan including put-in and take-out points should be left with a responsible person along with an estimated time of return.
Ohio boating law requires that there be a properly maintained Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) for each person on board. The PFD must fit the person for whom it is intended and children under 10 MUST wear their PFDs at all times. It is recommended that all paddlers wear their PFDs whenever on or near the water.
Many access points are in secluded areas. Be sure to lock all valuables in your trunk or take your vehicle to a secure area before launching your boat. There have been many documented vehicle break-ins at access points along the river - so take reasonable precautions.
This report describes waypoints as of August 2006. Keep in mind that, over time, bridges, dams and/or access points will be constructed as well as removed from the river.
Note - River Miles are given for each waypoint, that is, water distance from the mouth of the Mad River to that waypoint. River Miles to each Access Point and Dam are given in red. River Miles to other waypoints are given in blue (e.g. bridges with no access, creeks, etc.).
River Waypoints
51.2 West Liberty Park Access, entrance 0.5 mile
east of US 68 on SR 245 (Baird St), enter park, go to west side of baseball fields,
access river left where Onion Creek enters Mad River
GPS N 40o 15.260 W 83o 44.861
Parking Lot
Picnicking
Restrooms
Water
51.1 SR 245 (Baird St) bridge in West Liberty,
roadside access river left
GPS N 40o 15.134 W 83o 44.963
Roadside Parking
50.7 US 68 bridge in West Liberty,
roadside access, river right
GPS N 40o 14.950 W 83o 45.309
Parking Lot
49.4 Old farm road bridge
GPS N 40o 14.186 W 83o 45.601
48.9 Farm road bridge
GPS N 40o 13.776 W 83o 45.762
48.8 ConRail railroad bridge
GPS N 40o 13.736 W 83o 45.829
48.2 Sullivan Road/Mennonite Church
Road (Upper Valley Pike), roadside access
GPS N 40o 13.359 W 83o 46.391
Roadside Parking
47.9 Upper Valley Pike, roadside access
GPS N 40o 13.185 W 83o 46.670
Roadside Parking
45.8 Lippincott Road Access,
access river right
GPS N 40o 11.683 W 83o 47.803
Roadside Parking
Ramp
45.2 Macochee Ditch enters river left
GPS N 40o 11.206 W 83o 47.662
44.2 DAM (2 ft) - farm road
through river, approach with caution, portage on either side
Also, old farm road bridge across river immediately downstream
GPS N 40o 10.380 W 83o 47.743
Glady Creek enters river right just below dam
43.8 Old farm road bridge
43.4 Old farm road bridge
GPS - N 40o 09.760 W 83o 47.425
43.0 Kings Creek enters river left
GPS - N 40o 09.419 W 83o 47.216
42.8 SR 29/SR 296 bridge northwest of
Urbana, roadside access
GPS N 40o 09.310 W 83o 47.304
Roadside Parking
40.9 Birch Bark Canoe Livery Ltd. just
N of Millerstown Road on River Road northwest of Urbana, access river
right with permission. Muddy Creek enters river right at canoe livery
GPS N 40o 07.908 W 83o 48.587
Ramp
Canoe Rentals
Restrooms
Camping, primitive (fee)
Picnicking
Birch Bark Canoe Livery Ltd., 1455 River Road, Urbana, OH 43078, (937) 652-2663
www.birchbarkcanoelivery.com
GPS N 40o 07.810 W 83o 48.577
Roadside Parking
39.1 US 36 bridge Access, west of Urbana,
river right
GPS - N 40o 06.441 W 83o 47.951
Parking Lot
Ramp
39.0 DAM (2-3 ft) just downstream from US 36 bridge,
portage river right, ramp to put in is 10 yards downstream of dam
GPS N 40o 06.408 W 83o 47.956
Parking Lot
Ramp
38.6 Abandoned railroad (Penn Central)
bridge
GPS N 40o 06.062 W 83o 47.904
38.6 Dugan Run enters river
left just below RR bridge
GPS N 40o 06.039 W 83o 47.903
37.5 Old Troy Pike bridge,
roadside access
GPS N 40o 05.156 W 83o 48.074
Roadside Parking
36.4 Combined Nettle and Anderson Creeks
enter river right
GPS N 40o 04.214 W 83o 48.606
36.2 SR 55 bridge Access, southwest of
Urbana, river right
GPS N 40o 04.110 W 83o 48.624
Parking Lot
Ramp
35.1 Dallas Road bridge, roadside
access
GPS N 40o 03.172 W 83o 48.900
Roadside Parking
34.3 Stony Creek enters river right
GPS N 40o 02.459 W 83o 49.213
34.2 Bogles Run enters river left
33.4 Cedar Run enters river left just
upstream from County Line Road
GPS N 40o 01.738 W 83o 49.271
33.4 County Line Road bridge (Champaign
and Clark counties) north of Tremont City, roadside access river
left
GPS N 40o 01.694 W 83o 49.271
Roadside Parking
33.1 Storms Creek enters river right
GPS N 40o 01.462 W 83o 49.393
31.9 Tremont City Road bridge east of
Tremont City, roadside access river left
GPS N 40o 00.443 W 83o 49.393
Roadside Parking
31.8 Chapman Creek enters river right
GPS N 40o 00.356 W 83o 49.418
30.0 Moore Run enters river left
GPS N 39o 58.741 W 83o 49.213
29.7 Eagle City Road bridge Access, east
of Eagle City, river left
GPS N 39o 58.588 W 83o 49.337
Parking Lot
Ramp
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![]() Typical Strainer Against Bridge Abutment - CAUTION
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![]() Flood Stage - DO NOT ENTER RIVER
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28.8 St. Paris Pike bridge south of Eagle
City, steep access river left
GPS N 39o 57.854 W 83o 49.894
Roadside Parking
27.9 Pondy Creek enters river right
GPS N 39o 57.221 W 83o 50.404
27.4 Railroad bridge (ConRail)
GPS N 39o 56.823 W 83o 50.739
27.1 SR 41 (First Street) bridge west of
Springfield
GPS N 39o 56.659 W 83o 50.949
27.0 Launch site below SR 41 bridge,
river left. Take US 68 S entrance ramp off of SR 41 and immediately turn
right onto Universal Dr. and then turn left onto W First St. and
continue to parking area near river. Forever Sports Mad River Canoe Rental,
2237 W. First Street, Springfield, OH 45504, (937) 325-0115
Forever Sports Mad River Canoe Rental is located Ό mile E of river.
GPS N 39o 56.620 W 83o 50.949
Parking Lot
Ramp
Canoe Rentals
Restrooms
Picnicking (with permission)
Water
Food Snacks
GPS N39o 56.038 W 83o 51.092
25.8 US 68 bridges and ConRail railroad
bridge
GPS N 39o 55.775 W 83o 51.281
25.6 US 40 bridges (3)
GPS N 39o 55.547 W 83o 51.240
25.5 Buck Creek enters river left (Ohio
Edison plant)
GPS N 39o 55.465 W 83o 51.105
25.4 ConRail railroad bridge
GPS N 39o 55.383 W 83o 51.063
24.7 Mill Creek enters river left
GPS - N 39o 54.925 W 83o 51.106
24.6 US 68 bridges
GPS N 39o 54.917 W 83o 51.190
23.9 ConRail railroad bridge
GPS N 39o 55.038 W 83o 51.993
23.5 Lower Valley Pike bridge (emergency
access), Rock Run enters river right
GPS N 39o 55.341 W 83o 52.163
23.1 Old Mill Road bridge
GPS - N 39o 55.138 W 83o 52.569
22.7 Lower Valley Pike bridge
access river right
GPS N 39o 54.927 W 83o 52.837
Roadside Parking
21.6 Erie-Lackawanna railroad bridge
GPS N 39o 54.451 W 83o 53.761
20.8 Abandoned railroad bridge
GPS - N 39o 54.327 W 83o 54.585
20.1 Aarons Canoe & Kayak Center
(formerly Morgans) on Old Lower Valley Pike east of Springfield,
access river right with permission Aarons Canoe & Kayak Center, 5605 Old Lower Valley Pike,
Springfield, OH 45502, (937) 882-6925, www.aaronscanoe.com
GPS N 39o 54.011 W 83o 55.198
Ramp
Canoe Rentals
Restrooms
Camping - fee
Picnicking - with permission
Water
Food Snacks
19.0 Enon Road bridge, access river left
GPS N 39o 53.506 W 83o 56.125
Roadside Parking
18.8 SR 4 (Business I 70) bridges
GPS - N 39o 53.515 W 83o 56.310
18.7 Minich Ditch enters river right
GPS - N 39o 53.560 W 83o 56.486
17.8 Donnels Creek enters river right
GPS - N 39o 53.228 W 83o 57.398
16.9 Snider Road bridge, emergency access
only
GPS - N 39o 53.139 W 83o 57.992
16.5 Jackson Creek enters river right
14.9 Spangler Road bridge south of
Medway, roadside access river right off Union Rd upstream of bridge
GPS N 39o 52.511 W 83o 59.703
Parking Lot (across Union Rd)
12.7 I 70 bridges
GPS - N 39o 51.880 W 84o 01.160
11.1 Osborn/Medway Road
bridge, emergency access only
Bridge is at Clark and Greene County line
GPS N 39o 50.976 W 84o 02.187
10.7 Sign across river states STOP - DANGER DAM AHEAD Take Out Now On Right!
10.6 DAM/ROAD "Haul Road"
in-water concrete road on top of
culverts
Road is 3-4 ft above normal summer flow level
Road is for trucks working quarry/concrete plant
Portage river right
GPS - N 39o 50.784 W 84o 02.619
![]() View from Upstream
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![]() View from Downstream
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Fatal rafting accident here on 7/29/01 when water level was 3 feet over top of road (i.e. 6 feet above normal summer flow level) due to over 3 inches of rain the previous day.
10.2 Mud Creek enters river right
GPS - N 39o 50.938 W 84o 02.921
9.8 SR 235 bridge, emergency access river
right
GPS N 39o 50.588 W 84o 03.037
Roadside Parking
U.S. Air Force Installation property; sign reads: "It is
unlawful to enter this area without permission of the Installation Commander."
Wright Patterson Air Force Base
9.7 Mud Run enters river left
GPS N 39o 50.536 W 84o 03.006
6.5 Huffman MetroPark (Montgomery County
Parks), SR 4 to Lower Valley Pike/Huffman Dam Road in Fairborn, take road into
MetroPark, go to parking lot at end of road, access river right." There is an inlet between the Mad River and the Huffman Park ponds just downstream.
Therefore, you could also put-in or take-out on the bank of the pond.
This is the last take-out before the Huffman Dam portage.
GPS - N 39o 48.418 W 84o 05.234
Parking Lot
Ramp
Picnicking
GPS - N 39o 48.360 W 84o 05.246
5.8 DAM (73 ft) Huffman Dam in
Fairborn (Miami Conservancy Flood Dam), portage river right. Dam is
in Huffman Reserve MetroPark (Montgomery County Parks), Take-out river right well
before dam. The portage over the dam is about 0.2 mile up a steep incline, over
two guardrails, and down a steep incline. There are three chutes (conduits) going through the bottom of the dam.
It is illegal AND DANGEROUS to paddle through these chutes. All three of the chutes were
clogged with logs/debris (August, 2006)
GPS N 39o 47.841 W 84o 05.424
![]() View from Upstream
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![]() Chutes Blocked with Strainers
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![]() View from Downstream
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![]() Flood Stage - DO NOT ENTER RIVER
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5.6 SR 444 bridges
GPS N 39o 47.778 W 84o 05.595
5.2 DAM (8-10 ft) river
right stay far left, portage downstream side of dam
GPS - N 39o 47.586 W 84o 06.052
DO NOT continue straight (it is illegal to enter the Dayton
Well Field). Continuing straight leads to another DAM [GPS - N 39o 47.354 W 84o 06.684] and
then a
DANGEROUS SPILLWAY [GPS - N 39o 47.317 W 84o 07.311] with a
4 ft drop into a hydraulic.
![]() Dam and Falls
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![]() Spillway - DANGEROUS Hydraulic
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4.1 CAUTION - Large water pipe crosses
river at water level, portage either side
GPS - N 39o 47.586 W 84o 06.934
3.8 Harshman Road bridge Access river left from
Eastwood MetroPark
GPS - N 39o 47.318 W 84o 07.416
Parking Lot (in Eastwood MetroPark)
3.0 Eastwood MetroPark Lake Access
river right
Harshman Road entrance W of river - take park road 0.8 miles to barricade/parking. Sign states
"Kayak Park and Play;" 0.1 mile trail to access. Rocks in play area produce 1-2 ft drop in water level
GPS - N 39o 46.956 W 84o 08.285
Parking Lot
Ramp
Restrooms (0.25 mile)
Picnicking
Water (0.25 mile)
Additional access in Eastwood MetroPark - Harshman Road entrance E of river - take
park road 1.0 miles to parking lot. Access to river is by Buckeye Trail or steep access from shelter house.
2.6 Old Baltimore & Ohio
railroad bridge abutments
Creek enters river left
GPS - N 39o 46.822 W 84o 08.562
1.6 Findlay St bridge, access river left
under bridge Parking lot is at corner of Findlay St and
Monument Ave, 0.1 mile from bridge
GPS N 39o 46.511 W 84o 09.597
Parking Lot
GPS N 39o 46.154 W 84o 10.552
Parking Lot
Ramp
Canoe Rentals
Water
Whitewater Warehouse, 104 Valley St, Dayton, OH 45404,
(937) 222-7020
www.kayakdayton.com
0.6 Keowee St bridge
GPS N 39o 46.130 W 84o 10.616
0.5 Baltimore & Ohio railroad bridge
GPS N 39o 46.126 W 84o 10.709
0.2 Webster St bridge
GPS N 39o 46.109 W 84o 11.000
0.0 Mouth of Mad River, it empties into
Great Miami River in Dayton
GPS N 39o 46.011 W 84o 11.250
Steep embankment to Deeds Park Road at confluence, easier access at maintenance road about 0.2 mile upstream (right) on Great Miami River. Street parking is from 8am 10pm.
Additional Information:
Downtown Dayton RiverScape (formerly Van Cleve Park) is located about 0.2 mile downstream (river left) on the Great Miami River. It is managed by Five Rivers MetroPark (Montgomery County). The five rivers are the (1) Great Miami, (2) Stillwater, (3) Mad, (4) Wolf Creek, and (5) Twin Creek. Paddleboat, Bike and Roller Blade rentals are available. The Miami Conservancy District offices are located right across the street at 38 E. Monument Ave.Check the MetroParks Web Site www.metroparks.org for RiverScape hours, but generally the gate is unlocked from dawn to dusk.