A. Fish Road to Shadeland 8.5 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
I-B 8/10 Tiny B/A
Topographic Maps: Harmonsburg,
Conneautville, Beaver Center
County Maps: Crawford
Description: The creek is tiny at Fish Road, but contains sufficient water and is reasonably clear of fallen trees. The stream passes through wooded areas until Conneautville, where after a passage of backyards it enters farmlands to the take-out. [Reported 2001]
Difficulties: None
Shuttle: To reach to put-in, take State Route 18 south from Conneautville about 0.5 miles to Canal Road. Turn right/west and follow Canal Road for about 1.5 miles to the first dirt road on the right side, which is Fish Road. Turn right/west, cross the railroad tracks and put in at the bridge. To reach the take‑out, return to Conneautville. Continue north on State Route 8 for about 4 miles to Shadeland Road (State Route 4012). Turn left/west and go about 0.5 miles to the bridge.
Gauge: None. Check for water at the Mulberry Street Bridge in Conneautville.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is tiny, it should normally be runnable only after a heavy rain or during spring snowmelt.
B. Shadeland to Keepville 7.2 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
B 4/6 Medium A/B
Topographic Maps: Beaver
Center
County Maps: Crawford, Erie
Description: This is a mixed woodland and farm fields run on a creek which doubles back on itself often. A lot of fallen trees and debris piles to portage. Plenty of wildlife is visible. Because of the numerous fallen trees we do not recommend this section even though it has enough water to be canoeable. [Reported 2000]
Difficulties: Check all strainer piles. If the water is more than Class B, it could be dangerous. Steep mud banks. One fallen tree zone, a half mile up from the Keepville bridge, is a quarter mile long. It is so dense you can not see the creek flowing under it.
Shuttle: To reach the put-in, start in Conneautville. Go north on State Route 18 for about 4 miles to Shadeland Road (State Route 4012). Turn left/west and go about 0.5 miles to the bridge. To get to the take‑out, return to State Route 18 and turn left/north. Go about 4 miles on State Route 18 to Keepville. Turn left/west on Carter Road (State Route 3004). GO 2 miles to the river.
Gauge: None. Check for depth and water speed at the put-in.
Normal Wet Period: Spring time or after a heavy rain.
C. Keepville to Cherry Hill 17.5 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
B 2.8/4 Small B/A
Topographic Maps: Beaver
Center, East Springfield, Albion
County Maps: Erie
Description: After you do the first five miles of this creek you will understand why we do not recommend upstream of Keepville. Numerous downed trees, some creating large strainer piles, require portage or climbing over, sometimes in deep water. As you reach the junction of the East Branch, the strainer piles get further apart. Finally you break out into open water. Farmland can be seen occasionally as the creek wanders through wooded flat country. Wild life is abundant along this section. [Reported 1992]
Difficulties: Strainer piles in deep water with steep clay-sand banks. Fish hooks hanging from tree branches. Run it at a low level. It could be dangerous with higher, faster flowing water.
Shuttle: Put-in is at the Carter Road Bridge (State Route 3004), which is about 2.0 miles west of Keepville. To get to the take out, continue west on State Route 3004 for about 1.5 miles to State Route 3003. Turn right/north on State Route 3003 and go about 3.5 miles to the creek.
Gauge: None. Check the shallows upstream of the Carter Road bridge. If this is scrappy, but passable then there is sufficient water for this section.
Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable through late May or after a rain.
D. Cherry Hill to Conneaut, Ohio 26.5 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 9/15 Small (152/253) B/A
Pa-Ohio
border Streamside
Topographic Maps: East Springfield, Conneaut (Ohio), North Kingsville (Ohio)
County Maps: Erie, Ashtabula (Ohio)
Description: This stream cuts through the glacial ridge as it heads west to Kingsville, Ohio and then loops back to Conneaut. Very little evidence of civilization is seen as you travel between high shale cliffs and forested flats, through rapids and around islands. The gradient is very evenly distributed in many short riffles over small rocks. This all combines to make an excellent stream for learning to canoe easy white water. The creek above Cherry Hill is mostly deeper water and thus flatwater paddling. About 1 mile beyond Furnace Road you will pass under a covered bridge on Middle Road, which is now closed, to traffic. [Checked 1992]
Difficulties: At low levels some problem may be experienced just below the bridge on Horton Road and again just before reaching the bridge on Interstate 90. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reports the following hazards on this stream: a broken weir dam under Center Road bridge south of Farnham, dam only extends on left side, is runnable; two broken weir dams about 1.0 and 1.5 miles further, portage right, or take center chute on both; a broken weir dam at Locust Lane Campground in Kingsville, the center chute is open; a broken weir dam upstream of the Center Road bridge in Conneaut, take the center chute with care; a broken weir dam at Old Main Road bridge off of Woodworth Road in Conneaut, the center chute is open.
Shuttle: The 26 miles of river can be divided into a number of different sections. The uppermost put-in is at the covered bridge on Barney Road (State Route 3003). From Cherry Hill go one mile east on State Route 3002, then turn left/north on State Route 3003 and proceed 0.75 miles to the bridge. The Farnham take-out/put-in is on the left bank below the concrete arch bridge on Center Road. The Kingsville take-out/put-in is below the bridge on the left bank. In Conneaut proceed north from the bridge a short distance to the ball field.
Cherry Hill to Farmingham 9.5 miles
Farmingham to Kingsville 7.5 miles
Kingsville to Conneaut 9.5 miles
When planning your day do not expect much push from the current unless the river is really high.
Gauges: Painted gauge on left/south abutment of bridge at Cherry Hill. If the creek looks floatable from the old bridge on Center Road to the new bridge upstream at Ohio Route 7 this trip should be okay. Painted gauge on the right/north abutment of the old concrete arch bridge on Center Road at Farnham. Painted gauge on right/east abutment of the bridge at Kingsville. Minimum level for this trip is about 1.5 feet. These gauges were installed and are currently maintained by the Ohio-Penn Paddlers Canoe Club.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.