A. Laurel Hill
State Park 8.2 miles
to Whipkey Dam
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 31/50 Small (60/100) A/A 2.2-??
estimate Ursina
Topographic Maps: Rockwood, Kingwood
County Maps: Somerset
Description: This trip begins easy and ends easy, but in the center section there are some large ledges. The scenery is beautiful, especially as the trip starts in the state park. There are cottages along the shores as you approach Whipkey Dam. This dam backs up water for about 1 mile, almost to State Route 653. [Checked 1990]
Difficulties: The first ledge in this section is really a 4‑foot waterfall. It comes up suddenly around a left turn. There are also two fairly tight rapids that could be tricky in high water. Carry Whipkey Dam on the river right by taking out at the upstream end of the retaining wall, or on the embedded stairways in the wall. If you use the stairway, be careful to avoid the overflow spillway if it has flowing water.
Shuttle: Put in at Trent where State Route 3029 crosses the creek. From Trent, go east 2.5 miles to Posy's Corner Trailer Park. Turn right and follow State Route 281 south about 4 miles to 0.25 miles north of Kingwood. Turn right/west on the road to Scullton. Bear right at the fork 0.1 miles from State Route 281 and go 1.5 miles to Whipkey Dam. Take out after carrying Whipkey Dam, or put in and paddle the 50 yards to the bridge and then take out. An alternate put-in which avoids a mile of flat, flowing water is in the State Park. An alternate take-out which avoids the backwater of Whipkey Dam is at State Route 653.
Gauges: Ursina. This gauge should read above 2.2 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 620 cfs.
Normal Wet Period: This section does not have a season when it is normally runnable nor when it is too high. The Ursina gauge is above 2.2 feet 10% of the time.
B. Whipkey Dam to
Ursina 8.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 40/70 Small (121/266) A/A 2.0-3.3
Ursina Ursina
Topographic Maps: Kingwood, Confluence
County Maps: Somerset
Description: This section is a favorite trip for intermediate whitewater canoeists. A gentle start builds to four long challenging rapids in the middle section, which has large gradient and very few pools. The island after the first big rapids makes a good lunch spot, as does a large rock outcropping about 0.5 miles below this island. Allow time to enjoy the scenery. The last section braids into several channels winding around small islands. The easiest route is through the main largest channel. [Checked 2002]
Difficulties: Appropriate to a typical Class III stream. Every thing hard is around a left-hand bend. Downed trees block some of the braided channels near the end of the run.
Shuttle: From Whipkey Dam, go south and turn right/south onto State Route 281. About 1 mile further, take the right fork. Several take-outs are available. The favorite is the fishing access area about 3 miles upstream from Ursina. Another is near the covered bridge about 1 mile further downstream.
Gauges: Ursina. This gauge should read between 2.0 and 3.3 feet(2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 430 to 1,620 cfs. At 1.7 feet (300 cfs) this is more like a hike; at 3.6 feet (2,000 cfs) its holes will hold a canoe. It is still a delightful closed boat run up to 4.5 feet (3,000 cfs). On river right upstream from the bridge, the stone retaining wall has circular drains, roughly in rows. The first set of pipes is in approximately the 4th row of stones from the top. Second set is approximately 6 stones from the top. Water lapping into the first set corresponds to 2.1 at Ursina - marginally runnable. Water almost halfway up, sloshing in and out with waves is 2.3 at Ursina. Second set of pipes under water is 2.5 at Ursina
Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from early March through mid April and it has no season when it is normally too high. The Ursina gauge is above 2.0 feet 18% of the time and above 3.3 feet 1% of the time.