Within a 40-minute drive of downtown Cincinnati is a treasure trove of outdoor activities.
When we are craving a taste of nature, a visit to Morgan’s Canoe Livery at Ft. Ancient is our go-to fix in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. Not only can you take a kayak or canoe trip down the river, but they also have cabins, a campground, and a beautiful bike trail to fill up an entire weekend of relaxing outdoor fun.
It is important to note that, per their website, Morgan's Canoe requires reservations. There are three "vessel" options: an Old Town canoe; a single kayak; and a double kayak. The Old Town Canoe can fit three adults, or two adults and two children (which is what we selected for our last two trips). There are also two trip options - (1) the three-mile option that goes from the Livery to the Campground (around an hour/hour and a half); and (2) the six-mile option that goes from the Livery to Morrow (around two to three-hour trip).
The livery itself is a beautiful piece of history, having been the first of its kind built on the river in 1969 by Bob and June Morgan. Once parked, fill out your waivers and then check-in with registration where they will take the keys of your car as "deposit", provide you with a ticket for you to give to the staff member at the river for your boat, and direct you to the paddles and life jackets. The staff is very hospitable and it is an easy process to understand. There are also bathrooms here if needed before you get on the river.
Today we got on the river around 9:30 a.m. The weather was beautiful and there was little crowd.
We had a nice float to the campground where we took a snack break. It took us one hour and 15 minutes to get to the campground (which is the end of the 3-mile trip).
After our break, we got back on the river and headed towards Morrow. Both legs of the 6-mile trip are beautiful, but I enjoy the second leg the most. There are a few instances of low-level rapids, which is fun. The kids loved getting out on the sand bars and skipping rocks along the way as well.
We completed our route in almost exactly three hours. Once you make it to the end of the 6-mile trip, there is a school bus waiting to take you back to your car.
It is really a wonderful way to enjoy the beautiful Little Miami River. If you are looking to spend more time outdoors, we would recommend making reservations at Morgan's Riverside Campground. We have stayed in one of their small cabins before and it was very comfortable and fun. During that trip, we brought our bicycles and enjoyed a couple of hours of biking on the bike trail that runs alongside the river. It is nicely paved, so a perfect location for new bikers to practice developing their skills!
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