A. Acme to
Laurelville 4.5 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
IV 125/164 Tiny
(30/50) A-B/A zero-.5
3 mile@140 estimate streamside
34"-24"
Freemans Falls
Topographic Maps: Mammoth
County Maps: Westmoreland
Description: Jacobs Creek rises in the farmland on the crest of Chestnut Ridge and blasts 500-plus feet down to the valley floor in a little over 4 miles. You have probably seen the creek; it shares its tiny valley with the Pennsylvania Turnpike just west of Donegal. The Turnpike is not intrusive; you are too busy with the stream to think about it.
The drop is spread out fairly evenly, so the creek is almost continuous Class III water studded with concentrated descents of 4 to 6 feet or more, sometimes in the form of ledges with chutes, sometimes as cascades, and sometimes simply as steeper places. Some of these are complex enough to be rated Class IV, but the creek also earns a Class IV rating for being continuous whitewater without any pools and with very few eddies. With more water, it would probably become Class V.
From the canoeist's eye level, the stream often disappears from sight--downward. It drops away so fast that you can not see the bottom of a descent until you are halfway through it. And this happens too often to scout. The most amazing thing about this little creek is that it is runnable at all. Few other runnable rivers have a sustained gradient even approaching the 140 ft/mile, and they are all described as Class V or VI for only the most expert canoeists. Jacobs Creek is nothing to take lightly, but if the fallen trees were cleared out it would be delight for the intermediate closed boat paddler. [Checked 2003]
Difficulties: Surprisingly few, considering the gradient. Fallen trees are the biggest problem. With low water, one can pull out and carry around, but higher water could make this a real problem. The river falls away from the paddler so fast that the best course is sometimes hard to spot, but the creek is so small that there are not many choices. There is usually an eddy at the end of each big descent, but there are no pools.
There is a waterfall, Freeman Falls (unrunnable), and a dam (runnable) just before the creek crosses under the Turnpike from north to south (this is the put-in). There is a dam (unrunnable) where you first encounter houses at the foot of the ridge. The pool for the dam has silted up and is non-existent. Take out as soon as you reach the houses.
Shuttle: From Donegal, exit 91 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, go west on State Route 31. For the put-in, turn right at Acme (Freeman Falls Road), cross the Turnpike, find the creek in about 0.25 mile. Both the dam and the waterfall are on private property and have been posted. To put in, park on the south side of the turnpike overpass and hike the short distance to the creek of ask the owners for permission to put in below the waterfall. For the take-out, follow State Route 31 to the Laurelville bridge.
Gauges: Minimum level is 34 inches below the crest of the dam at Freeman falls, or 0.9 feet at the Mennonite Church Camp. Appreciably more water could drastically change the character of the run. We estimate that 1.0 foot would make the run Class V. The creek rises after a day of rain. Check along the Turnpike east of New Stanton to decide whether you want to run it.
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. Laurelville to Scottdale 10.0 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 12/76 Small (60/100) A-B/A-B
estimate
Topographic Maps: Mammoth,
Mt Pleasant, Connellsville
County Maps: Westmoreland, Fayette
Description: Jacobs Creek has a mile or so of Class I-II whitewater below State Route 31 before entering two braided sections followed by what are different forms of wetlands (swamps and marshes) stretching most of the way to US Route 119. There are good passages among the islands in the braiding sections. Next comes the silted remains of an old lake that is now revegetated as a grassy wetland. The dam is breached with only a small riffle at the dam site. After a drop under an old bridge, the creek enters the short pool of the present Bridgeport dam (3 feet high). The rest of the distance to US Route 119 is a marsh with some trees and one low bridge obstruction. Below US Route 119 the stream reenters a conventional channel and heads for Scottdale among homes and varied industry. [Checked 2003]
Difficulties: The first mile below State Route 31 has Class I-II rapids. Plan to carry around the Bridgeport dam.
Shuttle: Take State Route 31 into Mount Pleasant and State Route 819 to Scottdale. Continue through Scottdale on State Route 819 to the bridge about 0.25 miles past the cemetery.
Gauges: None available.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.
C. Scottdale to Chaintown 5.0 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
B 4/4 Small (80/133) C/B
estimate
Topographic Maps: Connellsville,
Dawson
County Maps: Westmoreland, Fayette
Description: This is a lazy moving section through mixed farm and woodlands. Occasional homes dot the hillsides.
Difficulties: none
Shuttle: To get to the take-out, go west on State Route 819. Go 2.0 miles and bear right onto State Route 1006. Twist and turn for 2.2 miles and then turn right/north onto State Route 1041. Drive about 1.0 miles to the Chaintown Bridge.
Gauge: None available.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.
D. Chaintown to
town of Jacobs Creek 7.1 miles
at Youghiogheny River
D. Chaintown to Youghiogheny River
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
II-III 32/41 Small
(95/158) B/B 4.7-6.9
Jacobs
Creek Connellsville
Topographic Maps: Dawson
County Maps: Westmoreland, Fayette
Description: The stream starts out trashy but cleans up after the first 2 or 3 miles. The creek is flat and flowing for the first couple of miles. Shortly after the second railroad bridge it picks up real rapids and an unrunnable waterfall (see difficulties). After the waterfall it is Class II-III rapids separated by short pools. The rapids are open, with maneuvering and waves but nothing long or terrifying.
The waterfall would be beautiful if it had not been defaced by painted graffiti (this area has been known as Blue Hole to generations of high schoolers). You may find the ruins of a mill where you put in below the waterfall and the ruins of an iron furnace (Alliance Furnace) about 2 miles above the town of Jacobs Creek. The iron furnace is on the left shortly after a strip mine on the right descends to river level. If you walk up the hill from the furnace you may find coal works and ruins of a road and building. The historical marker for this furnace is along the shuttle route. If you are into ruins, stop on the way home to see the coke ovens visible from the road between Jacobs Creek and Smithton. [Checked 1988]
Difficulties: Waterfall on a blind left-hand bend after the second railroad bridge. After passing this bridge always have an eddy in sight that you are 100 percent sure of making. As soon as rapids start, more than just riffles, get out on the left side and scout. The portage is on the left. If the water is low enough, you can carry on top of the berm of the former mill race. In higher water you will have to haul the boats up 50 feet up the hill to a jeep trail around the falls.
Shuttle: Take State Route 3073 north out of Chaintown for 3.5 miles. Turn left onto State Route 981, then left again onto State Route 3035, left onto State Route 3033 and a final left onto State Route 3029 to the river. Follow a dirt road on river right upstream for about 100 yards to the take-out at the old bridge abutment.
Gauges: On the old bridge abutment on river right about 100 yards above the road bridge in the town of Jacobs Creek, ignoring the concrete slab on top, seven blocks should give a good run. There is a staff gauge bolted to a tree on river right about 0.2 miles upstream from the take-out, just upstream of a small island. This gauge should read above 2.2 feet. The Connellsville gauge on nearby Youghiogheny River will probably read between 4.7 and 6.9 feet.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.