Casselman River

A. US Route 40 Grantsville, Md. to Salisbury, Pa. 6.7 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

I 15/23 Small (63/119) B/A
Grantsville Grantsville

Topographic Maps: Grantsville, Avilton, Meyersdale

County Maps: Garrett, Somerset

Description: This is an easy stretch with Class I riffles running through a beautiful hemlock woods. Much of this river is stocked with trout. In April you can expect to see 10 to 15 fly fisherman in the Grantsville section. [Checked 1994]

Difficulties: There is the remains of an old mill dam just upstream of the Interstate 68 bridge. There is a very low dam at the River Road bridge, one mile downstream of the Interstate 69 bridge. When the stream is not in flood, you can cross both with too much difficulty.

Shuttle: East on US Route 40 then north on US Route 219 to Salisbury.

Gauges: Grantsville. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. The Markleton gauge further downstream will probably read above 2.8 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to 830 cfs. If you can paddle the first riffle below the put-in, you will be okay for the entire run.

Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early March through mid April.

B. Salisbury to Garrett 15.0 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

I 6/7 Small (125/208) B/A
estimate Grantsville

Topographic Maps: Meyersdale

County Maps: Somerset

Description: This stream flows through farm country with occasional towns and some strip-mined areas. [Checked 1981]

Difficulties: None.

Shuttle: Along US Route 219. This section could be split into two trips at the halfway point of Meyersdale. On the edge of Garrett, US Route 219 takes a sharp turn at the intersection of State Route 653. Turn onto State Route 653 and go four blocks and turn left/southwest crossing over the railroad tracks. Follow this road 3 blocks to where it crosses the river. Just after crossing the bridge turn right onto a dirt road. The road ends in about a quarter mile at the bicycle trailhead parking lot. The take‑out is along this road. As this is an access road to the trailhead and some private homes, do not block the road as you unload. After unloading park the cars in the trailhead parking lot.

Gauges: Grantsville. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. The Markleton gauge further downstream will probably read above 2.7 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to 730 cfs.

Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from late December through late May.

C. Garrett to Rockwood 7.5 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

I-II 15/20 Medium (250/417) A/A 2.1-3.8
estimate Markleton

Topographic Maps: Meyersdale, Murdock, Rockwood

County Maps: Somerset

Description: Once you leave Garrett, the only sign of civilization is the railroad track that runs alongside the creek. The first half of the trip has almost continuous rapids of Class I and easy Class II. After 3 miles or so the gradient tapers off and flowing water carries you into Rockwood. [Checked 1990]

Difficulties: Canoeists with no whitewater experience should take along someone with experience. Paddlers comfortable on the Middle Yough should have no trouble. Beware of poison ivy at the Rockwood access point.

Shuttle: To reach the put‑in, head for Garrett on US Route 219. At the edge town US Route 219 takes a sharp turn at the intersection with State Route 653. Turn onto State Route 653 and go four blocks and turn left/southwest crossing over the railroad tracks. Follow this road 3 blocks to where it crosses the river. Just after crossing the bridge turn right onto a dirt road. The road ends in about a quarter mile at the bicycle trailhead parking lot. The put‑in is along this road. As this is an access road to the trailhead and some private homes, do not block the road as you unload. After unloading park the cars in the trailhead parking lot. To reach the take‑out, return to State Route 653 and turn left/northwest. After going through the town of Rockwood, State Route 653 turns right at Bridge Street. You should turn left/south onto Bridge Street. Go two blocks and cross the river. The take‑out is a similar situation to Garrett. After crossing the bridge turn right/west on a dirt road. The put‑in is along this road. As this is an access road some private homes, do not block the road as you unload. After unloading park the cars in the trailhead parking lot.

Gauge: Markleton. This gauge should read between 2.1 and 3.8 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 390 to 1,770 cfs.

Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early December through late May and it has no season when it is too high. The Markleton gauge is above 2.1 feet 46% of the time and above 3.8 feet 8% of the time.

D. Rockwood to Markleton 7.0 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

II-III 20/38 Medium (325/542) A/A 2.0-3.6
Markleton Markleton

Topographic Maps: Rockwood, Markleton

County Maps: Somerset

Description: At Rockwood the Casselman picks up from an easy Class I‑II stream to good intermediate whitewater. This is the easiest of the intermediate sections, with Fort Hill to Harnedsville somewhat more difficult and Markleton to Fort Hill requiring solid Class III skills. The river begins to take on the Casselman character here, with boulders forming eddies and occasionally blocking easy view of the channel and hydraulics good enough to stop and play. As the river passes Casselman, the three quarters point, the pace picks up as the rapids become somewhat steeper and more continuous. [Checked 2003]

Difficulties: Nothing you wouldn't expect from a Class II-III river.

Shuttle: Rockwood is easy to find on State Route 653. At the western edge of Rockwood State Route 653 takes a sharp turn. Turn away from State Route 653 onto Bridge Street (State Route 2016) towards the river. Cross the bridge and make an immediate right. Put in downstream of the bridge on river left. Follow signs to the Allegheny Highlands Bicycle Trail. Do not park along the put-in road, but instead use the lower parking lot of the bicycle trailhead. To get to Markleton, you can return to State Route 653, then go south on State Route 281 through Kingwood. About a mile after Kingwood, turn left on State Route 3011, which goes to the river.

A shorter but slightly trickier route is available on the put-in (east) side of the river. From Rockwood go about a 0.25 miles east on State Route 2016. Turn right on State Route 3011, and continue to Markleton. At Markleton on river left downstream of the bridge is an official put-in. It has plenty of parking, a portapotty, and a changing room stockade. Although the area is maintained by the PA Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, it is owned by Somerset County. The county has stipulated that no boat registration is required, however every once in a while the fish guys will put up signs, which the county takes down.

Gauge: Markleton. This gauge should read between 2.0 and 3.6 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 340 to 1,630 cfs.

Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early December through early June and it has no season when it is too high. The Markleton gauge is above 2.0 feet 50% of the time and above 3.6 feet 9% of the time.

E. Markleton to Fort Hill 6.0 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

III 29/36 Medium (382/661) A/A 1.9-3.6
Markleton Markleton

Topographic Maps: Markleton, Confluence

County Maps: Somerset

Description: This, the most difficult section of the Casselman, is a classic Class III drop-and-pool river. The rapids range in length from 50 yards to a third of a mile with continuous maneuvering at low to moderate water levels. They are, however, separated by good pools. Some require one or two specific moves to be in the one right place; others are long rock gardens with many routes. Intermediates should plan for a full (long) day the first time to allow for scouting and playing. The world's finest lunch rock, the lunch rock that defines the standard for all lunch rocks, is about a third of the way down, just above the railroad bridge. It has ledges and benches of natural rock, a good spot to play, good boat access, and plenty of room to sun. [Checked 2003]

Difficulties: The second rapid after Markleton comes up quickly as the river squeezes right and then bends left. It should be scouted at least the first time. There is a large nasty rock with accompanying hole on the right side. It can be totally avoided by running far left. About 3 miles into the run and just into a bend, the river appears to be dammed up by boulders. This is a complex drop and could be tricky to the inexperienced. Stay to the far left if in doubt, but remember that it will still be a double drop. In very high water a sneak route exists on the far right. At any level, the more entertaining descent is through the center and this requires a sharp right-hand turn. The Railroad Rapid (you can not see the railroad bridge until you are into the rapid) is a long turn to the left. The sneak route is on the inside of the curve, on the left. As you approach the second railroad bridge, avoid the extreme left as there are some keeper-sized hydraulics there in very high water. In low water it is a sharp, dry drop. There are several other rapids that require scouting as the course is not obvious from the top. Toward the end of the trip there is a large boulder garden. At high levels, most of the rapids have fast-flowing pools alongside the main rapid. Only the boulder garden is unavoidable.

The rock structure of this section of the river is such that it grabs and bends canoe poles.

Shuttle: Both Markleton and Fort Hill are on side roads off State Route 281. Look for signs at the intersections with State Route 281. Markleton is on State Route 3011, Fort Hill is on State Route 3001. At Markleton on river left downstream of the bridge is an official put-in. It has plenty of parking, a portapotty, and a changing room stockade. Although the area maintained by the PA Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, it is owned by Somerset County. The county has stipulated that no boat registration is required, however every once in a while the fish guys will put up signs, which the county takes down.

Gauges: Markleton. This gauge should read between 1.9 and 3.6 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 290 to 1,630 cfs. The bridge at Fort Hill should show between 10 and 3 bricks.

The following graph shows the correlation between the 7:00 AM reading for the Markleton gauge with the level later in the day at the Ft. Hill bridge during the 1988 canoeing season. Values for Markleton are in feet; values for Ft. Hill are in "bricks" -- the number of bricks showing above water level on the bridge pier on river right. For example, readings of 2.6 at Markleton corresponded to readings of 6 and 7 bricks at Ft. Hill. There is more variation in this correlation than in correlations between Corps of Engineers gauges because the readings are taken at different times of the day and the count of bricks is accurate to only about half a brick.

If this section is too high, try nearby Laurel Hill Creek.

Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early December through early June and it has no season when it is too high. The Markleton gauge is above 1.9 feet 55% of the time and above 3.6 feet 7% of the time.

F. Fort Hill to Harnedsville 5.7 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

II-III 24/33 Medium (425/708) A/B 1.9-4.2
estimate Markleton

Topographic Maps: Confluence

County Maps: Somerset

Description: This section is mostly fast-flowing water, with some ledges and fairly open rapids. The scenery is good, giving way to more settled farm land. Most of the rapids occur at wide places in the river and many are straightforward, open descents. A few more are like larger rock gardens, but not requiring too much maneuvering, There are only two or three potential trouble spots. [Checked 1989]

Difficulties: No really difficult spots below Fort Hill unless you choose to make it so. About midway there is a nice rapid that turns sharply to the right as a beautiful waterfall enters the stream from the left. The river is divided by a large boulder at this point. An easy, but wavy, run to the right, an interesting fandango on the left!

Shuttle: From Fort Hill go west to State Route 281, then south to Ursina. Cross and follow the signs to Harnedsville, which will turn you left, back across the Laurel Hill Creek. At Harnedsville the take-out is on the right side of the river with parking on the left.

Gauges: Markleton. This gauge should read between 1.9 and 4.2 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 290 to 2,330 cfs. The bridge at Fort Hill should show no more than 10 bricks. If the Fort Hill to Harnedsville section is too high, try the Laurel Hill Creek.

G. Harnedsville to Confluence 3.5 miles

Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level

I 7/10 Medium (590/983) A-B/B 1.9-4.2
Markleton Markleton

Topographic Maps: Confluence

County Maps: Somerset

Description: This is a pretty section of river except for the last 0.6 miles, which is flood controlled by a levee. [Reported 1989]

Difficulties: There is an easy ledge a short distance below Harnedsville. The rest of the river is just fast flowing water.

Shuttle: To get to the take-out go west on State Route 523 and park in Confluence about 30 yards south of the bridge over the Laurel Hill Creek. Upon entering Laurel Hill Creek at the end of the Casselman, paddle a short distance up Laurel Hill Creek to the take-out.

Gauges: Markleton. This gauge should read between 1.9 and 4.2 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 290 to 2,330 cfs.