State Route 130 to Darlington 10.0 miles
Class Grad
Size (Area/Volume)
Scene/Poll Level
1.8 mile III-IV
28/80 Tiny (39/65) B/A
8.2 mile I-II Darlington Kingston
Topographic Maps: Stahlstown,
Derry
County Maps: Westmoreland
Description: This heavily used trout stream is receiving increased pressure from permanent and summer home sites. Roughly the first third of the trip, above Bethel Church Road (State Route 2033), is a delightful mountain stream, cutting steeply through a wooded gorge with mixed softwood and hemlock cover. At low water levels this portion of the trip is a technical Class III, with almost continuous maneuvering to avoid shoals and get positioned for the runnable chutes in the small ledges; one significantly steeper section is mentioned below. At higher water levels this upper section becomes continuous Class IV with complex cross currents.
Below Bethel Church Road, it's a pleasant valley stream, passing behind summer homes and over low ledges that dam up small pools for the summer homes; much of the run is in a valley formed as the stream cut through the ridge. About a mile below Bethel Church Road the stream braids through an island complex in many small channels, providing ample opportunity for trees to partly or completely block the channel and requiring short carries or Class II maneuvering by paddlers. Several tributaries enter near Jefferson School Road (State Route 2008), and the creek continues from there relatively unobstructed for the last 6.2 miles into Darlington. [Checked 1994]
Difficulties: Trees could block the creek almost anywhere in the upper half. Several cables (fences and remains of foot bridges) cross the creek near water level. The steepest section is next to the foundations of a former mill about a 0.2 miles upstream from the concrete bridge on Hoods Mill Road. (This bridge is 0.9 miles south/upstream of the intersection of Hoods Mill Road and Bethel Church Road.) The gradient starts picking up as you approach the mill race, culminating in a 4- to 5‑foot sloping ledge beside the ruins of the mill and a pair of smaller drops below. The mill race is visible from both the creek and the road; it's easy to scout on the shuttle since the road runs within 30 to 50 feet of the river here.
Shuttle: Put in where Fourmile Run crosses under State Route 130, west of Stahlstown. The shuttle route roughly follows the stream on Hoods Mill Road (no state number), Bethel Church Road (State Route 2033), Fourmile Run Road (State Route 2037), and Darlington-Rector Road (State Route 2043). Take out at Idlewild Bridge near Darlington; this bridge crosses Loyalhanna Creek about 100 yards below (and well within sight of) the mouth of Fourmile Run. The shuttle route runs close to the stream, and intermediate access can be had at a number of bridges on or within sight of the shuttle route or at a few places where the shuttle road runs alongside the stream.
Gauge: There is no gauge on this creek. The Kingston gauge downstream on Loyalhanna Creek will probably be between 4.5 and 7.4 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to 1,000 to 3,700 cfs on the Loyalhanna. Drive upstream from the take-out and observe the level at bridges and along the roadside. Minimum level for the upper third is reached when the small rapids above and below the concrete bridge on Hoods Mill Road (the bridge near the former mill site) are runnable without scraping. A lake on Fourmile Run about 2 miles above the put-in may significantly affect flow on the upper third, so Kingston may not be a reliable indicator.
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.