Welcome to Site #9 on the Knox County Park District Geotrail. We hope you are enjoying the sites along the State Scenic Rivers of the Kokosing and Mohican. “Bordered by steep wooded hills, the valley through which the Mohican flows bears little evidence of the activities of modern man, in some places so much so it is easy to imagine the view from one’s canoe differs little from that beheld centuries before from the dugouts of the Delaware’s and early white explorers”. 

In 2020, the Knox County Park District acquired a lease agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to lease Brinkhaven Park and wildlife area for a period of 15 years. It is our hope to offer a river access point at this location after the removal of the lowhead dam you can see from this location. Depending on the water level, this section of the river may be considered dangerous. Low-head dams can at times seem inviting and tranquil; however, moderate to high flows over dams can create strong turbulence and recirculating currents that can push victims underwater, and then pull them back to the face of the dam in a repeating cycle. Please see this short YouTube video from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 

The Mohican River wildlife area at Brinkhaven Park was originally acquired by the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District in the early 1960s with the purpose to provide angler access to the Mohican River. The river supports a good stream of fish as smallmouth bass, rock bass, suckers and catfish are the prominent species sought by anglers. The stretch of the Mohican which flows through the Wildlife Area averages over 100 feet wide and is comprised of relatively long, moderately deep pools with occasional riffles.  The deep, clear pools immediately below the whitewater riffles are excellent places to use spinners, night crawlers, and soft craws for smallmouth bass and catfish.  

Wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and gray and fox squirrels are the principal forest game species. The wildlife area consists of two separate units 5.5 miles from each other on the Mohican River covering an area of 474 acres. This area is managed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife to provide an area for public hunting and fishing. The Knox County Park District has some exciting plans to the property with the newly acquired lease.  

(Photo and source credits –
-(left)-Ohio Department of Natural Resources /Mohican River Wildlife Area Public Map Publication 5145)
-(center)-blacktailsangling Instagram photo 4/18/21 on Mohican River