Kokosing River

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Kokosing River
The Kokosing River in Mount Vernon
The Kokosing River in Mount Vernon
Origin Morrow County, Ohio
Mouth Walhonding River, western Coshocton County, Ohio
Basin countries United States
Length 57.2 mi (92.1 km)
Basin area 482 mi² (1248 km²).
The Kokosing River as viewed from the Kokosing Gap Trail near Gambier
The Kokosing River as viewed from the Kokosing Gap Trail near Gambier

The Kokosing River (ko-KO-sing) is a tributary of the Walhonding River, 57.2 miles (92.1 km) long, in east-central Ohio in the United States. Via the Walhonding, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 482 square miles (1248 km²).[1]

The Kokosing River rises in Morrow County, northeast of Mount Gilead, and initially flows southwardly. It turns eastwardly near Chesterville and flows through Knox and Coshocton Counties, passing the communities of Mount Vernon, Howard and Gambier. In western Coshocton County the Kokosing joins the Mohican River to form the Walhonding River, about 2 miles (3 km) northwest of Nellie.[2]

Upstream of Mount Vernon, the Kokosing collects its largest tributary, the North Branch Kokosing River,[3] which rises in Morrow County and flows southeastwardly through Knox County, past Fredericktown.[2]

Between Mount Vernon and Howard, the river is roughly paralleled by a rail trail, the Kokosing Gap Trail.[4]

[edit] Variant names

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Kokosing River has also been known historically as:[5]

  • Kokoshing River
  • Kokosing Stream
  • Owl Creek
  • Vernon
  • Vernon River

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ohio Department of Natural Resources. A Guide to Ohio Streams. Chapter 10: Major Ohio Watersheds (pdf)
  2. ^ a b DeLorme (1991). Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-233-1
  3. ^ Geographic Names Information System entry for North Branch Kokosing River
  4. ^ Kokosing Gap Trail website
  5. ^ Geographic Names Information System entry for Kokosing River