Muskingum: Culture, Nature and Ways Along the River
Accommodation in Muskingum
Muskingum combines an impressive river history with museums, hiking trails and expansive nature experiences. For planning your trip, it is worth choosing your preferred focus first: Would you like to explore historic sites and art, travel by canoe or kayak, or discover varied trails through landscapes with very different characteristics? A vacation apartment or vacation home in Muskingum can serve as a base for your personal combination of culture, activity and nature.
River Landscapes with History and Waterways
The Muskingum River Water Trail is 112 miles long and is considered the longest navigable river located entirely within Ohio. Between Dresden and Marietta, the Muskingum River can be traveled by canoe or kayak. Along the Water Trail, you will find campgrounds, picnic areas, restrooms, parking areas, boat launches, drinking water, boat ramps, access for privately owned boats, fueling facilities, bird-watching trails, parks and dining options. Canoes, paddleboards and kayaks can be rented at Dillon Lake.
The river's historic side is also remarkable. The Muskingum River Parkway includes ten hand-operated locks, recognized as an outstanding engineering achievement. The navigation system was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in July 2001. The Muskingum River Navigation Historic District is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Anyone interested in engineering, transportation routes and the development of a river region will find a distinct way to engage with history here.
Museums and Memorial Sites for Curious Explorers
In Zanesville, the Zanesville Museum of Art offers a collection of more than 8,000 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative art objects from many cultures. Admission is free. The museum also hosts more than 170 public education programs, including lectures, concerts, art classes, workshops and summer camps. This makes it possible to shape a cultural day in many different ways, from quietly exploring the collection to attending an event with an active program.
The Putnam Underground Railroad Interpretive Center is located in the Stone Academy in Zanesville. Stone Academy is a site of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and is among the oldest buildings in Muskingum County. The center is open from May through September during regular museum hours and year-round by appointment. The National Road and Zane Grey Museum complements this with the history of the National Road, a tribute to writer Zane Grey and historic regional pottery. A 136-foot-long diorama illustrating the development of the National Road is particularly vivid; one exhibition focuses on regional pottery, with an emphasis on Zanesville.
The John and Annie Glenn Museum offers a living-history experience: An interpreter in period clothing welcomes guests in the house. The John Glenn Boyhood Home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This allows you to learn about historical topics not only through collections, but also through personal life stories and engaging presentations.
Hiking Trails, Safaris and Excursions into Nature
For shorter walks by the water, the 0.53-mile publicly accessible Putnam Greenway runs along the Muskingum River in the Putnam Historic District. The Muskingum Recreational Trail comprises approximately six miles of paved trail and connects Dresden with Rock Cut Road in Muskingum Township. In Zanesville, Zane’s Landing Park is the starting point for the recreational trail used by cyclists and hikers. Those who prefer wooded landscapes will find nearly two miles of hiking trails at Collegial Woods Trails, passing through a wooded ravine with views of Joe’s Run Creek and several small wetlands.
Dillon State Park has designated hiking trails such as Blackberry Ridge Trail, Eagle Ridge Trail and Storybook Trail. There are also designated equestrian trails, including Big Run Loop Trail, Buckeye Loop Trail and North Shore Loop Trail. For families with different interests, this selection can help plan days at different paces without limiting the vacation to a single activity.
A special nature excursion leads to The Wilds. The facility opened to the public in 1994 and covers nearly 10,000 acres of reclaimed former strip-mining land in Muskingum County. On the open-air safari, you travel in an open vehicle along roads through expansive pastureland inhabited by rhinoceroses, giraffes and other animals. The Wilds offers tours and safaris in every season and is also open in winter; tours are offered from November 1 through April 30. The John McIntire Outdoor Classroom adds a monarch butterfly station with more than 30 milkweed plants from three breeding varieties to the nature experiences.
The Right Location for Planning Your Trip
Choose the location of your vacation apartment or vacation home based on the focus of your trip. For further detailed planning, you can visit the destination pages for New Concord and Dresden. This allows you to explore Muskingum step by step according to your interests—between river history, art, nature and active trails.
For the higher-level travel overview: Ohio.
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