2025 Licking County River Round Up - Buckeye Lake Site

Licking County River Round Up is a volunteer-driven, county-wide, annual clean up event in the Licking River Watershed, Licking County, Ohio.

lickingswcd.com

The annual River Round Up event, hosted by the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District (LCSWCD), offers volunteers the opportunity to muddy their boots and clean the Licking River.

Saturday, Sept. 6, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will be treading the water and walking along the river bank to remove trash, scrap metal, tires and even shopping carts.

In 2023, the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District reported its 240 volunteers collected 25,320 pounds of trash, 120 tires and 1,160 pounds of scrap metal.

In 2024, they took 12,000 pounds trash to landfill, 124 tires, and 1,420 pounds of scrap metal.

This year, there will be a dozen work sites available for volunteer sign-up and the event is close to filling up. The locations range in difficulty: from wading through rough waters to taking on family-friendly land pickups. Additionally, there are other on-land tasks for those who want to offer their support while staying dry.

Registration for 2025 will open now until Sept 3, click here.

Look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday September 6, 2025!

Volunteer River Clean Up Locations

• Dawes Arboretum: Dutch Fork
7032 Licking Trails Road SE, Newark, OH 43056
Difficulty: Medium, ages 10+
Method: Walk
Time: 3 hours or less
Closed toe shoes required
1 of 40 slots filled

• Village of Hebron
119 W. Cumberland St., Hebron, OH 43025
Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Method: Walk
Time: 3 hours
Closed toe shoes required
3 of 100 slots filled

• Pataskala: South Fork
Foundation Park North Shelter House, 10255 McIntosh Rd., Pataskala, OH 43062
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Walk
Time: 2.5 hours
Closed toe shoes required
1 of 20 slots filled

• Newark: North Fork at Everett Park
170 Everett Park, Newark, OH 43055
Difficulty: Easy, ideal for young children
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 3 hours or less
Closed toe shoes required, waterproof shoes and long pants suggested
12 of 50 slots filled

• Newark: Riverview Preserve (On Land)
375 Ohio St., Newark, OH 43055
Difficulty: Medium, ages 10+ (stinging nettle, loose cobble)
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 2 hours
Closed toe shoes required, long pants recommended
7 of 10 slots filled

• Newark: Riverview Preserve (Canoe)
Carpooling: Riverview Preserve, 375 Ohio St., Newark, OH
Difficulty: Hard, ages 16+
Method: Canoe
Time: 4.5 hours
Closed toe shoes required
2 of 36 slots filled

• Heath: South Fork - 8a
Heath High School, 300 Licking View Dr., Heath, OH 43056
Difficulty: Medium/Hard, ages 15+
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 2.5 hours
Closed toe shoes required
2 of 20 slots filled

• Granville: Wildwood Park - 8a
Wildwood Park, 785 West Broadway, Granville, OH 43023
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 2.5 hours or less
Closed toe shoes required
3 of 20 slots filled

• Hanover: Rocky Fork
Steve Cost’s Home, 355 Darla Dr., Newark, OH 43055
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 4 hours
Closed toe shoes required

• Buckeye Lake
10780 Hebron Rd., Buckeye Lake, OH 43008
Difficulty: Hard, ages 16+
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 5 hours
Closed toe shoes required, waterproof shoes and long pants suggested
1 of 20 slots filled

• Newark: Ohio Street
Little Texas, Ohio St., Newark, OH 43055
Difficulty: Medium
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 3 hours
Closed toe shoes required

• Johnstown
Whites, 551 W. Coshocton St., Johnstown, OH 43031
Difficulty: Medium
Method: Walk and wade
Time: 2–3 hours
Closed toe shoes required