Ohio Scenic Drives: Ohio River Scenic Byway

The Ohio River Scenic Byway follows the Ohio River, so you can enjoy majestic river views for the entire drive. The Ohio River is a historical American icon. Native Americans and early European settlers used it heavily, especially to access the West. It marked the boundary between the North and South during the slavery era and was later the gateway to freedom for many slaves. The river was also the means of progress for industrialists and merchants.

Archaeological Qualities of Ohio River Scenic Byway

Several archaeological sites and museums are found along the Ohio River Scenic Byway. These include several Native American cultural sites in Tiltonsville, as well as the Mound Cemetery.

The town of Portsmouth, which hosts the Southern Ohio Museum and Cultural Center, is where many travelers learn about the history of this area. There are also Native American cultural sites near here.

Qualities of Ohio River Scenic Byway

The Ohio River has been a center of human activity for centuries and, therefore, is a cultural hotbed. Academic and historical organizations recognize this fact and have made the river and the immediate area the focus of their cultural studies. One such organization is the University of Kentucky's Ohio River Valley Series. This intercollegiate project specifically studies how the state's history has been affected by the social use of the Ohio River.

Qualities of Ohio River Scenic Byway

The region's rich history includes the migration of people along the river into the states that border it, as well as the those states that are located within the river's basin. The industry and technology of the area were important to the river as well. They changed the river's influence on the region through the development of steamboat travel and shipping, the creation of locks and dams, the establishment of industries such as steel and coal plants and their associated landing docks, and the development of large chemical and electrical power generating facilities.

Qualities of Ohio River Scenic Byway

This byway contains many natural features that surround both the Ohio River and the forests along the byway. Many native animals and plants add to the scenic quality of the byway. Natural sites along the byway include Fernwood State Forest, located near the Mingo Junction on State Route 151; the Quaker Meeting House, located near Mount Pleasant on State Route 647; and Bark-camp State Park. This park has historical significance and is located by a lake just off the byway turning from Bellaire on State Route 149. Campsites are available.

Qualities of Ohio River Scenic Byway

Several state forests and parks along this byway offer opportunities for outdoor recreation. Camping is available at the Bark-camp State Park, in the Forked Run State Park near Belpre, and in the Shawnee State Forest near Portsmouth. The Wayne National Forest begins near the town of Gallipolis and ends near Hanging Rock along the byway. You can camp at the Vesuvius Recreation Area in the forest as well.

Find more useful information related to Ohio's Ohio River Scenic Byway:

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Length: 452 miles

Time to allow: Two days

States it runs through: Ohio

Cities it runs through: Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Marietta, East Liverpool

Considerations: Although flooding along the Ohio River is a rare event, it is most likely to occur between November and April, and the byway route could be affected. In addition, short sections along the route may experience annual or biannual flooding, including the portion of U.S. 52 east of Cincinnati known as Eastern Avenue. Snowstorms are possible, particularly from mid-December through mid-March, and can cause road closures.

Highlights of Ohio River Scenic Byway

Ohio RIver Scenic Byway byway leads travelers through the colorful tapestry surrounding the Ohio River and also through many national and state parks. During the fall, the golden leaves of the forests reflect in the shining waters of the Ohio River, giving travelers a sense of serenity as they drive the byway. Families coming in the summer feel the energy of nature's fresh, green growth as their children play along the banks of the Ohio.

Starting from North Bend, you can travel alongside the Ohio River without flood walls obstructing your view.

North Bend: Your first stop is at the nation's great monument, the Harrison Tomb, located off Cliff Road, west of U.S. 50, North Bend. The 60-foot marble obelisk in this 14-acre park pays tribute to William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president.

Cincinnati: Continue to Cincinnati, and visit the historic Harriet Beecher Stowe House. It was here that Stowe learned of the injustices of slavery and wrote her famous novel, Uncle Tom's cabin.

Point Pleasant: Point Pleasant is the birthplace of the 18th U.S. president, Ulysses S. Grant (U.S. 52 and State Route 232): a one-story, three-room cottage.

Georgetown: Follow Grant's life back on U.S. 52, heading north, taking State Route 231 to historic Georgetown, where you can visit Grant's boyhood home on Grant Avenue. From Georgetown, head south again on State Route 68 to State Route 62, back to U.S. 52.

Ripley: Stop in the town of Ripley, and visit the Ripley Museum and Rankin House. Abolitionists John and Jean Rankin hid some 2,000 escaped slaves in this way station on the Underground Railroad. The Parker House, also in Ripley, was another home involved in the Underground Railroad.

Portsmouth: Continue on U.S. 52 to the town of Portsmouth, a traveler's delight. Here you'll see artistic flood-wall murals that beautify the byway and protect the city from the rising waters of the Ohio River.

Gallipolis: Continue to the French Art Colony of Gallipolis. Here, you can learn about the rich history of the local area and state. While traveling through, note the French-style homes along the riverbanks.

Pomeroy: The city of Pomeroy has been featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not for its unusual courthouse, which is built into the side of a cliff and is accessible on all three levels from the outside.

Marietta: The early days of Marietta are remembered at the Campus Martius Museum, which offers displays of riverboats and other antiquities. You can also stop at the Ohio River Museum next to the Campus Martius Museum.

Steubenville: Heading north up the river, you run into the town of Steubenville, where you witness the Old Fort Steuben reconstruction. Demonstrations, land office tours, and food are available here. In downtown Steubenville, you'll see murals depicting the 1850s and 1920s city life of the town. The murals are painted on the sides of many of the buildings in the area.

Wellsville: Continuing on State Route 7, you come to Wellsville and the Wellsville River Museum, a three-story building constructed in 1870. Period furniture and paddlewheel displays are featured in the various rooms.

East Liverpool: Continue on the byway to the Museum of Ceramics in the town of East Liverpool. The town has been called Crockery City and is known for its artistic place settings. The city's ceramics museum operates out of the former post office. From here, you can continue following the byway into Pennsylvania if you wish.

Including the birthplaces of three U.S. Presidents, the Ohio River Scenic Byway is ripe with history and culture, sharing the story of centuries of human activity in the area.

Find more useful information related to Ohio's Ohio River Scenic Byway:

Ohio Scenic Drives: Ohio River Scenic Byway is just one of the scenic byways in Ohio. Check out the others.
Cincinnati, Portsmouth, Marietta, East Liverpool: Find out what there is to do in these cities along Ohio River Scenic Byway.
Scenic Drives: Are you interested in scenic drives beyond Ohio? Here are more than 100 scenic drives throughout the United States.
How to Drive Economically: Fuel economy is a major concern when you're on a driving trip. Learn how to get better gas mileage.