It is very important to treat the river with respect as the Kokosing can be a wild ride. Last year, the Knox County Park District initiated “ACT NOW”. This acronym is designed to raise awareness of river safety practices. 

A = Always wear a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) C= Check flow rates before entering the river by clicking on the link at the bottom. Scroll to the bottom of the USGS stream flow page and look at the box labeled, “most recent instantaneous value.” Perfect conditions for a float are between 100-300 cubic feet per second (CFS) of flow, though lower conditions permit a fun experience if you don’t mind dragging through riffles T=Take water and air temperature into consideration. The two combined should be at least 120 degrees F. N=Never, ever swim, tube, kayak or canoe alone,  O=Observe the river for fast flowing currents and murkiness. W=Watch for hazards such as fallen trees, large rocks and debris. 

While visiting this site, notice the huge, hand-hewn sandstone blocks. These blocks were used to form the abutments for a bridge that used to stand at the site. The bridge was originally constructed in 1874 before the flood of 1913 wiped out the east span. In 1914 the span was replaced. According to the National Park Service publication, Historic American Engineering Record, “The Howard Bridge, a double-intersection Pratt through truss is an example of David H. Morrison’s Patent Wrought Iron Quadrilateral Truss Bridge.” David Morrison, founder of the Columbia Bridge Works, was an important Ohio engineer.

Before you leave the site, take a selfie at the ACT NOW sign and post it on your log on geocaching.com, take a selfie at each site for a free backpack!