The 72-mile-long Mud River starts near Madison (Boone County) and flows through Lincoln County before emptying into the Guyandotte River near Barboursville. It's typically more like a large creek, unless there's flooding, which occurs frequently.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people used the river to float logs to mills. There were businesses like gristmills (to grind grain) and sawmills along its banks. Some people still farm along the Mud River, often growing tobacco and corn.

In the mid-1990s, a dam was built on the upper part of the river to help control flooding. This created a 306-acre lake near Spurlockville (Lincoln County) that’s popular for swimming and fishing.