A. Coudersport
to Salamanca 78.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll. Level
A 3/11 Medium (248/464) A-B/A-B 3.1-??
Port
Allegany Port Allegany
Medium
(550/936) Eldred
Large
(1,608/2,777) Salamanca
Topographic Maps: Coudersport, Austin, Roulette, Port Allegany, Bullis Mills, Eldred, Portville (NY), Olean (NY), Knapp Creek (NY), Limestone (NY), Salamanca (NY)
County Maps: Potter, McKean, Cattaraugus (NY)
Description: At Coudersport, the river is about 15 feet wide, and access is limited by sheer concrete channel walls. The trip from Coudersport to Olean (56 miles) is a scenic run through rural flat country. There are good camping sites all along this stretch. The backwater of the dam fluctuates, but it will usually start a little below Salamanca. Coudersport to Port Allegany is a good trout stream. [Checked 1988]
Difficulties: None
Shuttle: State numbered highways run all along the river; use a road map.
Gauges: Port Allegany. This gauge should read above 3.1 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 300 cfs. The Eldred gauge also on this section, should read above 4.5 feet. This corresponds to a flow of 690 cfs.
Normal Wet Period: The Allegheny is normally canoeable downstream of Port Allegany until the end of May, and downstream of Olean until the middle of June. The Port Allegheny gauge is above 3.1 feet 45% of the time.
B. Salamanca
to Kinzua Dam 33.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A lake Large (1,608/2,777) A-B/A-B 4.0-??
Salamanca Salamanca
Large
(2,180/3,770) Kinzua
Topographic Maps: Salamanca (NY), Little Valley (NY), Red House (NY), Steamburg (NY), Cornplanter Run, Cornplanter Bridge, Clarendon
County Maps: Cattaraugus (NY), McKean, Warren
Other Maps: A map of the reservoir showing camping facilities, access points, etc. is available free from the Corps of Engineers, District Engineer, Pittsburgh District, Federal Building, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222.
Description: The Allegheny Reservoir, about 30 to 35 miles long, offers pleasant flatwater canoeing with a number of developed campsites for use by boaters. [Checked 2003]
Difficulties: The reservoir has numerous power boaters.
Shuttle: State numbered highways run all along the river; use a road map or get a National Forest map from Allegheny National Forest Headquarters, Warren, Pennsylvania 16365.
Gauges: Salamanca. This gauge should read above 4.0 feet. This corresponds to a flow of 1,639 cfs. This is for the upper reaches of this section. The lower reaches are in the lake and therefore no gauge is necessary.
Normal Wet Period: The Allegheny Reservoir is canoeable all year round.
C. Kinzua
Dam to West Monterey 120.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
B 3/3 Large (3,660/6,442) A-B/A-B 1.7-4.9
West
Hickory Franklin
Large
(5,982/10,550) Franklin
Large
(7,671/13,090) Parker
Topographic Maps: Clarendon, Warren, Youngsville, Cobham, Tidioute, West Hickory, Tionesta, President, Oil City, Franklin, Kennerdell, Eau Claire, Emlenton, Parker
County Maps: Warren, Forest, Venango, Butler, Clarion, Armstrong
Other Maps: A brochure called Allegheny River Access Sites covering this section of the river is available from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, 316 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222. Access points are also shown on the Pennsylvania Fishing and Boating Map published by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Description: The size of the Allegheny and the constant release of water from the dam make the river canoeable all year round. Scenery on this entire stretch of the Allegheny is generally pleasant and rural with mostly small towns and many clusters of vacation cottages. The stretch from Oil City to Franklin is somewhat less attractive than the rest because of the nearness of the highway and the refinery at Reno. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has a more detailed description of a trip from Franklin to Kennerdell. [Reported 1988]
Camping: Camping is possible on many of the islands of the upper Allegheny, at the Forest Service Buckaloons Campground, and at some commercial campgrounds. Island camping is primitive and campers should be prepared to bury human wastes so that late summer users of the islands do not find offensive conditions. Campgrounds offer flush toilets and some have showers.
Liveries: Several liveries along the upper Allegheny offer canoe rental and shuttles for paddlers without equipment. Their location as of 1988 has been shown in the list below. They may also be willing to accommodate the launch/take-out of a private trip, or to arrange a shuttle for you.
Difficulties: The only real rapid on the Allegheny is the 0.2 mile stretch (Class II) between the two highway bridges in Oil City. The river drops several feet here, causing very fast water. When the river is high, this fast water forms large standing waves that could swamp a heavily loaded canoe; in low water, the channel narrows to the left and runs through a partially submerged rock garden of boulders at a fast clip. Inexperienced canoeists and those with heavily loaded boats should stop and scout (along the left bank). Lining is easiest along the right bank.
2/3 page in midst of Kinzua to West Monterey
Try to make this page odd if possible for shuttle notes
Shuttle: Numerous
public access points have been established for the use of boaters and
fishermen; The following established access points are available.
Access Point Owner/Operator River mile
Kinzua Dam Corps of Engineer 197 Left
Allegheny Outfitters Commercial 189 Right
(814) 723-1203
Clifford Betts Park Warren Boro 187 Right
Scenic Rivers Canoe Commercial
Crescent Park Warren Boro 188 Right
Starbrick Pa Fish and Boat 185 Right
Buckaloons All.
Nat. Forest 181 Right
(814) 968-3232
Cloverleaf Camp Commercial 174 Left
(814) 484-3353
Conklin Run Pa Game Comm (1) 174 Right
Indian Waters Livery Commercial 172 Left
(814) 484-3252
Perry Magee Run Pa Game Comm 171 Right
Bonnie Brae Pa Fish and Boat 169 Left
Tidioute Tidioute Boro 167 Right
West Hickory Pa Fish and Boat 158 Left
Eagle Rock Campground Commercial
153 Left
(814) 755-4444
Indian Valley Campground Commercial 153 Right
(814) 755-3578
Tionesta Pa Fish and Boat (2) 153 Left
Tionesta Island Private 152 Left
Outback Adventure (814 Commercial 152 Right
(814) 589-7359
Fox Run Canoe Livery Commercial 147Left
(814) 677-4092
President Semi-public (3) 145 Left
President Campground Commercial 144 Left
(814) 679-2935
Oil City Pa Fish and Boat (4) 130 Left
Country Pedalers Commercial
(4) 123 Left
(814) 432-8055
Samuel Justus Trailhead Public (4) 123 Left
Franklin Pa Fish and Boat (4, 5) 123 Right
Allegheny River Canoe Rental Commercial (4) 123 Right
Fisherman's Cove Pa Fish and Boat (4) 114 Right
Kennerdell Private (4) 108 Left
Emlenton (5th St) Emlenton Boro 90 Left
Emlenton (6th St) Emlenton Boro 90 Left
Foxburg Livery and Outfitters Commercial 86
Left
(724) 659-3752
Parker Bridge Redevelop. Authority 83 Right
West Monterey Semi-public (3) 79 Left
Note 1) Undeveloped, no markings, minimum parking.
Note 2) Turn at Highland Street in Tionesta, ramp is along side of the road on an island.
Note 3) The access points at President and West Monterey are "semi-public", and boaters should exercise special courtesy toward the residents when parking cars, changing clothes, etc. The ramp at President is close to the door of the church; don't disturb the services.
Note 4) There is a paved bike trail from Oil City through Franklin, Belmar, Brandon, Kennerdell, St George to Rockland (2003).
Note 5) Park on a side street downstream of State Route 322 Bridge.
Gauges: Franklin. This gauge should read between 1.7 and 4.8 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 600 to 8,300 cfs. The Kinzua gauge at the head of this section should read between 7.5 and 8.5 feet. This corresponds to a flow of 600 to 2,350 cfs.
Normal Wet Period: Since this section of the river is dam controlled and two of the purposes of the Kinzua Dam is low flow augmentation and flood control this section is virtually never too low; however, it is periodically too high. The Franklin gauge is above 1.7 feet 99% of the time and above 4.9 feet 43% of the time.
D. West
Monterey to Pittsburgh 79.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
A Pool Huge (8,389/13,290) B-D/B-C
Rimer Natrona
Huge
(8,973/15,490) Kittanning
Huge
(11,410/19,670) Natrona
Topographic Maps: Parker, Rimersburg, East Brady, Templeton, Mosgrove, Kittanning, Leechburg, Freeport, New Kensington East, New Kensington West, Braddock, Pittsburgh East, Pittsburgh West
County Maps: Armstrong, Allegheny
Other Maps: A set of detailed navigation charts is available for $7.00 (2003 price) from the Pittsburgh District Corps of Engineers. A brochure covering this stretch of the river is also available from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. See Appendix D for the address, telephone number and web site.
Description: This section of the Allegheny, although closer to Pittsburgh, is generally less attractive for canoeing than the upper reaches; both the scenery and the water quality deteriorate as you approach the city, and the lack of any helpful current means that progress will be slower, especially with head winds. The Allegheny is held back in flat pools by eight dams with locks, to allow the passage of commercial barge traffic. Scenery is mostly B down to Freeport; below that the Allegheny is mostly an industrial river. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has a more detailed description of a trip starting and ending at the Deer Creek Access and circling Twelve Mile and Fourteen Mile Islands. See Appendix D for the address. In the Oakmont area and around Herrs Island you can sometimes see rowers in their narrow boats with the long oars. [Checked 2003]
Difficulties: Be sure you know where the dams are; they are fatally dangerous from either the upstream or downstream side, and it's easy to miss noticing them from upstream. To pass through a lock, approach it close to shore and keep clear of large boats to give them room to maneuver. Have a 50‑foot line available in each boat and follow the lockmaster's instructions. See more detailed instructions for lock passage under the write-up for the Ohio River on page Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found.91.
Barges are moving faster than they look, sometimes almost silently. Keep clear of large boats. They need lots of room to maneuver. Stay clear not only of the physical barge itself, but also of the very turbulent wake created by the push-boat. These boats not only make wake out the back, but some also have additional propellers pointed sideways, so that the wake may come straight out the side.
Power boaters are also a hazard in this section.
Shuttle: The charts mentioned above, as well as the topographic maps, show the navigable parts of the rivers labeled with the mileage from the Point at Pittsburgh. Access points and dams on this section of the Allegheny are listed on the next page with their mile numbers.
Gauge: Kittanning, Natrona, Acmetonia
Normal Wet Period: This section of the river is used commercially by barges, and is dam controlled. The Corps of Engineers operates its dams on the principal of low flow augmentation and flood control. This section is never too low to canoe. There are times when it is too high.
Location Owner/Maintainer River mile
West Monterey Public 79.0 Left
Limit of Navigation (9‑foot depth) 71.9
East Brady Pa Fish and Boat 69.5 Right
mouth of Red Bank Creek Pa Fish and Boat(6) 64.0 Left
Lock and Dam # 9 Corps of Engineers 62.2 Left
Rimer Public 60.1 Left
mouth of Mahoning Creek Private 55.4 Left
Templeton Pa Fish and Boat 54.5 Left
Lock and Dam # 8 Corps of Engineers 52.6 Left
Mosgrove (mouth of Pine Creek) Private 50.8 Left
mouth of Cowanshannock Pa Fish and Boat 48.5 Left
Lock and Dam # 7 Corps of Engineers 45.7 Right
Kittanning ramp Kittanning Muni 44.8 Left
Applewood, Pa Fish and Boat 43.9 Right
Manorville, Manorville Twp 43.0 Left
Mouth of Crooked Creek) Pa Fish and Boat 40.1 Left
Lock and Dam # 6 Corps of Engineers 36.3 Right
Clinton, abandoned ferry road Public 34.4 Left
Abandoned ferry road Public 34.4 Right
Lock and Dam # 5 Corps of Engineers 30.4 Right
Freeport ramp Freeport Boro 29.1 Right
Lock and Dam # 4 Corps of Engineers 24.2 Right
Tarentum Tarentum Boro 21.8 Left
Tarentum ramp Pa Fish and Boat 21.7 Left
Springdale east ramp Public 17.5 Right
Springdale west ramp Pa Fish and Boat 16.4 Right
Lock and Dam # 3 Corps of Engineers 14.5 Left
Harmarville ramp Pa Fish and Boat 13.3 Right
Oakmont ramp Oakmont Boro 12.0 Left
Lock and Dam # 2 Corps of Engineers 6.6 Left
David Lawrence Convention Center (8) 0.2 Left
Clemente Park City of Pittsburgh 0.1 Right
Point Park State Park (7,8) 0.0 Left
Note 6) Access not recommended. See Red Bank on page 295
Note 7) Has five to ten foot vertical walls
Note 8) No automobile access near the water's edge