Pymatuning Creek Wild & Scenic River

Designated December 17, 2018; 30.66 continuous river miles as state wild and scenic river:

Wild river designation from Ayers Road in Ashtabula County downstream to river mile 4.7 in Trumbull County for approximately 27.9 river miles

Scenic river designation from river mile 4.7 downstream to the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line for approximately 2.76 river miles.

Pymatuning Creek in Ashtabula and Trumbull counties was designated a State Wild and Scenic River on December 17, 2018. The designation provides state protection to a 30-mile stretch of the creek from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border to the Ayers Road bridge northwest of the city of Andover.

Located in northeast Ohio, the Pymatuning Creek watershed supports an exceptionally beautiful river valley and adjacent wetland complex system. Pymatuning Creek features superb natural characteristics and a variety of recreational opportunities.

Pymatuning Creek watershed has exceptional biological communities. Documented in the watershed are populations of 71 rare species including 26 Endangered and Threatened species. Documented populations include 44 mammals, 127 breeding bird species with an additional 53 migrant or wintering bird species, 50 species of fish, 26 reptiles and amphibians, 267 aquatic macro-invertebrates, 37 species of dragonflies and damselflies, 11 species of mollusks, and 219 plants (trees, shrubs, ferns, lichens, fungus, other plants, grasses & sedges).

Pymatuning Creek has an exceptional forested and wetland corridor, with a minimum depth of 300’ for 90% of its reach. It includes a unique recreational opportunity: The Shenango Wildlife Area, managed by ODNR Division of Wildlife and owned by US Army Corps of Engineers, offers approximately 19 continuous miles of protected public lands that can be enjoyed for hunting, fishing, bird watching, paddling and general nature watching.

The Pymatuning Creek corridor supports an exceptional variety of species and outstanding recreational fish populations, including northern pike and yellow perch, which are not common in Ohio’s rivers and streams.