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Licking River
The Licking River in Black Hand Gorge State Nature Preserve
Origin	Newark in Licking County
Mouth	Muskingum River in Zanesville
Basin countries	USA
Source elevation	800 ft (244 m) [1]
Mouth elevation	680 ft (207 m) [2]
Basin area	779 mi² (2,018 km²) [3]

Map of the Muskingum River watershed showing the Licking River

The Licking River is a tributary of the Muskingum River, about 40 mi (65 km) long, in central Ohio in the United States. Via the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.

The Licking River is formed at Newark in Licking County by the confluence of its north and south forks:

• The North Fork Licking River, about 35 mi (55 km) long, rises in southwestern Morrow County and initially flows generally east-southeastwardly through Knox County, past Centerburg, into Licking County, where at Utica it turns southwardly and flows past St. Louisville. In Licking County the North Fork collects the Otter Fork Licking River, which rises in Knox County and flows past Hartford; the Lake Fork Licking River; and the Clear Fork Licking River. The Lake and Clear forks both flow for their entire lengths in Licking County.
• The South Fork Licking River, about 30 mi (50 km) long, rises in southwestern Licking County and initially flows southeastwardly past Pataskala and Kirkersville and briefly enters Fairfield County, where it turns northeastwardly back into Licking County and flows past Heath.

From Newark the Licking River flows generally eastwardly through the Black Hand Gorge State Nature Preserve into Muskingum County, where it turns southeastwardly. It joins the Muskingum River at Zanesville; the confluence of the two rivers is spanned by a Y-shaped bridge.

Upstream of Zanesville, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam causes the river to form Dillon Lake, along which an Ohio state park is located.

According to the Geographic Names Information System, the Licking River has also been known as:

• Licking Creek
• Nepepenime Sepe
• Pataskala Creek
• Pataskala River
• Salt Lick Creek

• Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for Licking River
• DeLorme (1991). Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-233-1.
• GNIS entries for USGS GNIS: Licking River, USGS GNIS: Clear Fork Licking River, USGS GNIS: Lake Fork Licking River, USGS GNIS: North Fork Licking River, USGS GNIS: Otter Fork Licking River, USGS GNIS: South Fork Licking River

• List of Ohio rivers

• Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve website
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website for Dillon Lake
• Dillon State Park website