The Licking River is formed at
Newark in
Licking County by the confluence of its north and south forks including many other small fishable streams. • 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
Dillon State Park is located. ==Flow rate==