Ohio River Way

A nonprofit organization

The Ohio River Way is America's newest and largest National Water Trail, spanning 308 miles along the borders of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we work with a broad coalition of 40+ river town communities and dozens of organizations, state leaders, and watershed groups to:

Celebrate and enhance the natural, cultural, historical, and recreational assets of the Ohio River
Facilitate a regional network to address common challenges and pursue shared opportunities
Identify and align resources to boost the tourism and the economic value of Ohio River towns.

Our Yearly Initiatives Include...

The Ohio River Way Challenge — a 23 day, 488 mile paddle from Huntington/Kenova, WV to Evansville, IN.
Ohio River Basin Hill Day — in 2025, members from our team participated in the Ohio River Basin Alliance Hill Day, where they joined congressional leaders in Washington D.C. to garner support for challenges and opportunities pertaining to the Ohio River Basin.
Ohio River Way Summit — an annual summit that brings together leaders, advocates, community members, and volunteers across multiple states to learn, plan, and build a diverse identity across our important river basin. Join us this year from Sept 30 - Oct 2 in Ironton, OH!
Educational Outreach — we host multiple outdoor programs throughout the year to help students learn about and experience the river first-hand.
Cleanup Events — we partner with ORSANCO to hold several cleanup events throughout the year, including our August Ohio River Island Clean Up initiative.