Columbus Downtown Riverfront
Book online and then meet us at Bicentennial Park (233 S. Civic Center Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43215) for your paddle excursion. We are located on the grass lawn right along the river and the bike path. It is on the east side of the Scioto River, between Main Street and Rich Street. Look for a blue tent near the stone boat launch ramp.
Other close landmarks are the Milestone 229 Restaurant (at 229 S. Civic Center Drive) and the Scioto Mile fountain. Also, try searching "Windrose Outdoor" on Google and it marks our exact location.
Parking
**PLEASE allow plenty of time for parking.**
Parking meters/kiosks are located on the surrounding streets on both sides of the river. It is most convenient to pay meters/kiosks with the Park Columbus ParkMobile parking app (https://park.parkmobile.io/oh/columbus/parkcolumbus). Street spots may fill up, especially on weekends. There are also several parking garages within walking distance on both sides of the river.
Paddle Route
The paddle route starts at Bicentennial Park. We recommend to head north (up stream) for approximately 1 mile (to north Bank Park) and then turn around and head back to the start. This includes the most scenic view of the downtown skyline and the parks of the Scioto Mile corridor.
The area features a newly reclaimed section of the river, with natural vegetation and parkland stretching on either side of the the river. The area is home to many birds including white egrets and great blue herons, fish, turtles, and even a few beavers. Being in the heart of the city, you will also get a lovely urban vibe while traversing under a few bridges. It's a lovely outing for both the novice and the experienced.
The downtown segment of the Scioto River is typically calm in the summer (with a slow current). The depth is about 8-10 feet at the most, with many shallower areas near the banks and further upstream. We monitor conditions closely. In rare cases when the river gets too fast, we will have to cancel paddle excursions.
The section of river that is available for us to paddle extends for about 3 miles. To the north, you can paddle about 1 mile to North Bank Park, past which it gets too shallow. To the south, you can paddle about 2 miles to the Scioto Audubon boat ramp, past which there is a dam. We recommend the northern route because it is the most scenic.