A fun Whitewater Canoe trip - Harpers's Ferry Area -

marko · May 4, 2020

If you put in at Millville and pulled out at Brunswick that is one heck of a canoe trip! I've done it many times, the Autumn was my favorite for scenery. SPRING is time for canoeing and fishing.
You'd need to be a Class III canoeist to do this trip, not for novices.
So you put in at Millville, WV. It's the Shenandoah river.
A mile smooth float until the first drop which is class 2. I never caught fish in this bumped up area. then over the Class III Bull Falls. The classic drop is 3rd chute from the left, keep your ass end of the canoe as far right as you can.
Same with a raft.
This drop will whip your butt around left into a broach and a dunking if you don't keep your ass tucked up on that right rock.

After that, you think you are a champ there is one rock going to dump you right below, so lean dowstream.
I use to catch fish galore under that drop. Cast after cast. 50+ a day.
Probably 100. Some big bass.

NOW THE 'famous' Shenandoah Staircase! Which is pretty cool technical canoeing,
the level is too high now but it is a really cool canoeing/ kayaking spot..
you weave and shuck and jive and staircase and whirl and horshoe down endless choices of paths - I can't speak - just a maze of
canoeing choices - after the Staircase, you canoe down to Brunswick, watch out for the White Horse rapids on the left after you hit the Potomac..
(you could hug the FAR shoreline to avoid Whitehorse - I have done that at very high river levels)
Then bouncy fun down to Brunswick...
The fishing can be very good. If you have live crawfish on a 2/0 hook I guarantee a fish on every cast.

I should add I only camped once along this stretch, and it was not a good site. Other spots on the Potomac have great sites.

outrider58 · May 5, 2020

Brings back fond memories. Spent a lot of days on that stretch.

danimalw · May 5, 2020

Agreed! Have a bluehole sunburst2 with a silverhill saddle (and Yakima foot braces) that saw that stretch many times. And have a perception slasher c-1 with gyromax saddle that has seen bull falls and staircase a few times as well. Both are available to anyone who's interested.

marko · May 5, 2020

There used to be a guy in Millville with a blue Toyota pickup that for $5 would drive you down to your takeout at that Fireworks/ gas station on the corner in WVA, before the bridge.
The canoe carry from the river up was a really steep slope and you only needed one car for the trip, there were like 6 parking spots at that place.
Otherwise I would put in at Millville solo, then pull out at Harper's Ferry, river left, hide my canoe, and jog back to my car. I was young then.
Great fall scenery. I did this dozens of times, often with friends or groups. Fishing is no where near what it was in the 90's.

tallen702 · May 5, 2020

Definitely a fun run. I have buddies who guided for River Runners for years, so I know it well.

A little further away but still a blast is the Cacapon from Capon Bridge down to Forks of Capon. Lots of nice Class I-II rock gardens and gravel bars punctuated with three great river-wide ledges, the last of which is easily an 8' drop in two steps. No guide or WW specialist needed as they're easy to self-rescue from, but they make great waves in higher runable levels.

My old Go-To around here was Goose Creek over in Leesburg. Park at Belmont Ridge Rd. W&OD parking area and hump your 'yak or canoe up the trail and across the bridge to the trail system on the other side that leads down to where Sycolin Creek empties into Goose Creek. Put in on Sycolin (easier as the banks there are less steep) and enjoy the two rock gardens that act as the warm-up to the solid Class III - III+ "Golf Course Rapid" which is a combination of an old mill/lock diversion dam (breached, easy Class I-II) followed by two big holes caused by partial ledges and boulders down stream. If you're chicken, you can pull out at the mill dam and portage on river left through the ruins of the old Goose Creek and Little River Navigation Company locks and mill race and put back in below. From there it's flat water to the old Rt. 7 bridge piers where there's a small gravel bar and then more flat water to the Riverside Parkway bride that marks the start of the Elizabeth Mills rapid which is formed by yet another old diversion dam (breached) which makes a straight-forward class II drop that makes a nice surf spot during decent flows. After that, there's more flat water until a big Class II rock garden which can dump you pretty quickly if you can't pick your way through well enough. From there, you eddy out at the end of the rapid and take out at the old Kephart Bridge landing where you can see the old stone abutment on river right. The parking lot there acts as your shuttle point. Good day trip even if you do have to hump your kayak 1/4 mile or so to get the the put-in.

Antietam creek is also a nice run (Devil's Backbone to Burnside Bridge or the day-long trip to the Potomac) lots of small Class I and IIs with a II+ if you go all the way to the Potomac when you hit the furnace works at the "town" of Antietam right before the C&O crosses over.

Antarctica · May 6, 2020

tallen702 said:
Definitely a fun run. I have buddies who guided for River Runners for years, so I know it well.

A little further away but still a blast is the Cacapon from Capon Bridge down to Forks of Capon. Lots of nice Class I-II rock gardens and gravel bars punctuated with three great river-wide ledges, the last of which is easily an 8' drop in two steps. No guide or WW specialist needed as they're easy to self-rescue from, but they make great waves in higher runable levels.

My old Go-To around here was Goose Creek over in Leesburg. Park at Belmont Ridge Rd. W&OD parking area and hump your 'yak or canoe up the trail and across the bridge to the trail system on the other side that leads down to where Sycolin Creek empties into Goose Creek. Put in on Sycolin (easier as the banks there are less steep) and enjoy the two rock gardens that act as the warm-up to the solid Class III - III+ "Golf Course Rapid" which is a combination of an old mill/lock diversion dam (breached, easy Class I-II) followed by two big holes caused by partial ledges and boulders down stream. If you're chicken, you can pull out at the mill dam and portage on river left through the ruins of the old Goose Creek and Little River Navigation Company locks and mill race and put back in below. From there it's flat water to the old Rt. 7 bridge piers where there's a small gravel bar and then more flat water to the Riverside Parkway bride that marks the start of the Elizabeth Mills rapid which is formed by yet another old diversion dam (breached) which makes a straight-forward class II drop that makes a nice surf spot during decent flows. After that, there's more flat water until a big Class II rock garden which can dump you pretty quickly if you can't pick your way through well enough. From there, you eddy out at the end of the rapid and take out at the old Kephart Bridge landing where you can see the old stone abutment on river right. The parking lot there acts as your shuttle point. Good day trip even if you do have to hump your kayak 1/4 mile or so to get the the put-in.

Antietam creek is also a nice run (Devil's Backbone to Burnside Bridge or the day-long trip to the Potomac) lots of small Class I and IIs with a II+ if you go all the way to the Potomac when you hit the furnace works at the "town" of Antietam right before the C&O crosses over.

Wow - you hit tow of my old stomping grounds in one post. I grew up in Fairfax county and in high school my cousin and I would always head to Goose Creek reservoir (usually the second, older one, downstream) to fish and hang out. It was an incredibly beautiful area back then and seemed very remote - before it was overrun with development. I tried to go there again a few years ago but all access had been shut down.

After college, I lived on Burnside Bridge road - a hop skip and a jump from Antietem Creek. Another pretty area, thankfully it has seen far less development.

Bountied · May 6, 2020

New River. You can camp and they have some class 3 or 4 rapids, can't remember. Upper river is easy, lower is a lot more exciting.

Nay_sayer · May 6, 2020

When I was about 12 or 13 I attended a summer camp for white water canoeing out there and it was fantastic. I have always wanted to go back out there and do more river running.

I’ll never forget White Horse since the first time I ran it my canoe-mate (a cute girl) was too scared and made me drop her off on the shore. I was gonna be the big man and do it myself to prove my worthiness. As I paddled up and tried to position myself, I hit a rock and an eddy that spun me around backwards and left me no time to correct. I’m surprised I didn’t crap myself in the process but I did manage to run White Horse backwards on my first ever run without taking a swim. I still didn’t get the girl though.

Q94Richmond · May 6, 2020

I used to do that stretch late summer/early fall, but that was a decade ago. It was a blast.

marko · Jun 20, 2020

I'm gonna bump this, its about the right time, once the rain goes down....

marko · Jun 20, 2020

One thing, Tallen - I view class III as if you swim you have major trouble - either for a long way or cold water - I would not view Golf Course rapids as a class II unless in full flood.
And even my favorite Violets Falls is no class II unless levels get high.
Same with Bull Falls or Little falls at Chain Bridge. III and IV - no chance at low levels.
The water level is the issue. But the fishing is NO WHERE near as good as 20 yrs ago.

marko · Jun 20, 2020

I admit insensitivity and terribleness due to this statement -

but it is a really cool canoeing/ kayaking spot..
you weave and shuck and jive

I am not sure how I can redeem myself.

outrider58 · Jun 21, 2020

marko said:
I admit insensitivity and terribleness due to this statement -

I am not sure how I can redeem myself.

Atone sinner! :lol:

marko · Jun 21, 2020

May I re state my idea of class III. It think it means pretty dangerous, a long swim in cold water - dead.
I think it means mean rapids pushing canoes into rocks like the Nahanni does. Dodging boulders. Cold water.
Sure, Little Falls at Chain Bridge could be a 4 or 6 at super high water,
but most of the time its a II. If you dump - you go into smooth water.

On a river in WVA (I think it's the Laurel Fork of the Cheat River, there is a Class V or VI run called little Splat, followed by Big Splat.
This is a serious drop.
I have the guidebook, and from memory -if you foul up the 1st drop this is no place to swim - and a terrifying description of the drop was told.
It looked - dangerous.

fscwi · Jun 22, 2020

Little falls at 3.65 ft and 4.35 ft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFf12qd4O_I

Mack C-85 · Jul 4, 2020

Anybody else go to Lil Aaron Strauss Boy Scout Summer Camp in the 60s - 70s? Was just west of Hancock and is now Camp Baker, a MDNG training center. The camp was on the west side of Sideling Hill Creek and on the MD side of the Potomac. You paddled about a 1/4 mile up Sideling Hill Creek to the Camp's landing. Summer camp was a week long canoeing trip on Upper Potomac from Cumberland back to camp. Camping on C&O canal camps. Mostly moving water through riffles and an occasional rock garden, depending on level a couple of Class I's

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BartExp · Jul 4, 2020

I was just canoeing on the Potomac 2 weeks ago. Brothers and Sons (12 of us) trip every year. Lazy drift down from Bonds Landing to Little Orleans. Drinking and a little fishing. Friday before Dads Day, river was at 5ft (Paw Paw) at 4pm. By 8pm it was up to 12ft. We canceled Saturday due to the high level and water speed. Played corn hole and can jam in the afternoon and Texas Holdem in the evening. Great annual trip.

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tallen702 · Jul 5, 2020

marko said:
May I re state my idea of class III. It think it means pretty dangerous, a long swim in cold water - dead.
I think it means mean rapids pushing canoes into rocks like the Nahanni does. Dodging boulders. Cold water.
Sure, Little Falls at Chain Bridge could be a 4 or 6 at super high water,
but most of the time its a II. If you dump - you go into smooth water.

On a river in WVA (I think it's the Laurel Fork of the Cheat River, there is a Class V or VI run called little Splat, followed by Big Splat.
This is a serious drop.
I have the guidebook, and from memory -if you foul up the 1st drop this is no place to swim - and a terrifying description of the drop was told.
It looked - dangerous.

So, officially classification for whitewater rapids is determined by the ability to self rescue combined somewhat with the difficulty of maneuvering. A short class II on a river with a long still pool with no current below it rapidly becomes a class III when it is followed up immediately by another rapid that would impair your ability to self-rescue. Similarly, a Class III on the upper New River Gorge like "Surprise" is solidly a III because the pool below is slow and calm and the rapid can easily be skirted river left by simply avoiding the ledge. Throw Surprise into a steep sided narrow canyon and suddenly it's now a III+ pushing a IV due to the difficulty of rescue. Tack another rapid on to it less than 50 yards down stream and it's a straight IV.

It should also be noted that most whitewater boating organizations also agree to err on the side of caution for the novice paddler when giving ratings to rapids. Prevents them from getting on a reach that would be over their heads by calling a potential III a II*

As for a Class VI, that means "un-runnable in an open boat" Once a rapid has been shot successfully, it's no longer a VI, but a five-point-something with each decimal place being one order of magnitude higher than a V. Example, a 5.1 is the same degree of difficulty higher than a five as it is from a IV to a V.

Golf Course at certain water levels is definitely a 3 and there's not much room to maneuver outside of portaging if you look to skirt it at higher water levels. AW has always rated it a III/III- and I tend to take Charlie Wallbridge's opinion on these things as fairly close to gospel.

I grew up on the NRG and Cheat BTW. Lower NRG has V's on it when the water level is right. Shoot, it's got two certifiable Vs when flowing normally. Upper Gauley during dam release is straight IVs and Vs without much room to swim if you're out of the boat. Cheat Canyon is fun, but with much longer pools than the Gauley. One of my favorites I ever ran was the Savage during dam release. Nothing bigger than a IV, but it's just continuous whitewater the whole way down. No slack water at all with few eddies to hold up in. Just constant Class II-III whitewater with a couple of big, gnarly Class-IV drops.

SummitCnty · Jul 6, 2020

Question about Antietam Creek.

I’m putting in on Saturday at Devils Backbone and was planning on floating to the take out at Burnside Bridge Road or the one on 34. Is there parking at either of those to leave a vehicle? I am driving there tomorrow after work to scout it out and can’t remember if you can park on the shoulder of 34 and I’ve never been to the take out just down from the bridge. I know there is a place just up the road on 34 that has a small parking lot with picnic tables and such.

F8L_Funnel · Jul 6, 2020

Love that area! I canoed a lot as a teenage with my old man in a whitewater canoe. Can't remember if it was there or a spot on the Susquehanna that while approaching a 2-3' drop about 2/3 through the formation, my dad yelled left when he meant right. :facepalm:

Man we broadsided that rock and flew out. He got a bad gash on his leg because he held onto the canoe through the rest of the rapid. I was in the bow and was thrown clear so I just floated through.

Good times! Just drove through Harper's Ferry last week. Lotta People on the river! I was jealous!

A fun Whitewater Canoe trip - Harpers's Ferry Area -

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