Ohio River
Flows from Pittsburgh along the Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois borders past Wheeling, Huntington, Cincinnati, Louisville and Evansville to Cairo. It is a chain of navigation pools rather than a free-flowing river.
Course of the river, simplified. Map data from Natural Earth (public domain).
Weather at the Ohio River (National Weather Service) ↗
River facts
| Length | 981 miles |
|---|---|
| Source | Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Mouth | Joins the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois |
| States | Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia |
Twenty locks and dams, including McAlpine, Markland, Greenup, Cannelton and Smithland, divide it into 21 pools.
Boat ramps, launches and bait shops
Detailed ramp, bait shop and lock-and-dam listings for the Ohio River are coming soon. Until then, these searches open Google Maps along the river:
- Boat ramps on the Ohio River in Indiana ↗ · Bait shops near the Ohio River in Indiana ↗
- Boat ramps on the Ohio River in Kentucky ↗ · Bait shops near the Ohio River in Kentucky ↗
- Boat ramps on the Ohio River in Ohio ↗ · Bait shops near the Ohio River in Ohio ↗
- Boat ramps on the Ohio River in West Virginia ↗ · Bait shops near the Ohio River in West Virginia ↗
Fishing regulations
Check the state agency for river-specific rules, seasons and limits before you fish:
- Indiana: Indiana Department of Natural Resources ↗
- Kentucky: Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources ↗
- Ohio: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife ↗
- West Virginia: West Virginia Division of Natural Resources ↗
Lakes on or near the Ohio River
Lakes in our guide on or near this river:
Facts from Ohio River (Wikipedia) ↗