Millwood Landing is a very scenic location on the Kokosing River. This site serves as an easy access point to launch a canoe or kayak, swim, fish, or just lounge around. Downstream of this access site is the Factory Rapids. This section of the river has steep sandstone walls and the views are amazing. 

Here is a quick fact, the Kokosing River protects over 70 species of fish and 24 amphibians including the state-endangered Hellbender. The Eastern Hellbender is a salamander native to Ohio and can grow up to two feet long. Unlike other salamanders, Hellbenders are completely aquatic and need good water quality for them to thrive. 

It is uncertain how Hellbenders received their name, but one theory is that fishermen named them hellbenders because they look like”they crawled out of hell and are bent on going back.” They are also known as “mudcats”, “devil dogs”, and “snot otters.”

In 2016, the Kokosing River was the site of a Hellbender release. A conservation program called the Ohio Hellbender Partnership released over 250 of these slimy salamanders as they fled under the rocks and boulders of the river. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources intends to release enough self-sufficient hellbenders to repopulate and remove them from the state endangered species list. 

Their survival weighs heavily on the non-point or point source pollution in the water. As mentioned, Hellbenders need excellent water quality to survive as they are highly sensitive to pollution. For more information about the Ohio Hellbender Partnership, go to https://sites.google.com/site/greglipps/home

Koko the Owl wants to teach you to eat healthy as the hellbenders’ search for a healthy snack. Hellbenders enjoy small fish, especially crayfish and insects. Click the link below to see what Koko says is a healthy snack! Before you leave take a selfie at the River Landing Sign to receive a free backpack! Share the photo with your log on geocaching.com