a) Heritage Park (or Blue Rock Rd) to Obergiesing Soccer Complex (Formerly Dravo Park)

The Great Miami (Heritage to Dravo) run is the classic dependable "whitewater" run in the Cincinnati area.  Having larger volume than its Little Miami east-side brother, the Great Miami can serve up waves and easy play when nothing else is running.  The run includes probably 3-4 Class I rapids with about a half dozen or more rips and ripples. During the spring, summer, and fall, the Cincypaddlers run the river weekly on Thursday nights.  Check their Yahoo Groups page ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cincypaddlers/) for dates and times.  The weekly paddle does get cancelled from time-to-time for inclement weather or low water levels. This section of the Great Miami River is run at a variety of levels from 500 cfs to 5000 cfs+.  The cut off listed is 5000 cfs, not necessarily because of increased danger, but because the rapids generally are flushed out.  Death Hole appears to be playable past this point, maybe up to around 7000 cfs.  Incidentally, if the river is rocking above 5000 cfs, there are probably better whitewater options available in the area.  Somewhere around 8000 cfs, paddlers probably want to stay off the river due to the presence of wood and other floating paddling buddies. Many whitewater boaters will forgo the first couple miles of mostly rips and ripples and put-in at the Blue Rock Road bridge (parking is on East Miami River Road, north of the bridge).  This gives boaters all the fun without the flatwater paddling.  Most of the rapids have been named after paddlers in the Cincypaddler group, although some are referred to by different names.  I've included both names in the rapid descriptions so that people can easily identify where they are on the river. The other thing to note about this run is that it is constantly changing.  Features that were there last year are no longer there.  Features that were terrible for play are now decent.  Rocks are constantly shifting and moving, so the desriptions offered in the rapids section may not reflect the current situation.  Additionally, some features come in at higher water and some come in at lower water.  Please use the comment section if there are major changes to the river so that paddlers know what the current run is like. The run is appropriate for almost every skill level of paddler at most daily water levels.  Around 3000 cfs, the river gets a little fast and the average rec boater and novice whitewater paddler might find the eddylines tricky.  Having competent paddlers in the group should overcome those issues. Put-In: Heritage Park, located off of East Miami River Road about 2 miles north of the Blue Rock Rd intersection. (Approx. a 4.35-mile trip) Alternate Put-In: On East Miami River Rd just north of the Blue Rock Rd intersection. (Approx. a 1.6-mile trip) Take Out: Obergiesing Soccer Complex (formerly Dravo Park), located off of East Miami River Rd. 1.6 miles south of Blue Rock Rd. Other related or nearby streams: 50 Hole, Great Miami, Ohio (Class I), about 11 miles Southwest (downstream).  This runs only at lower water levels and is good if someone just wants a park and play session.