A. Riceville to Centerville 4.4 miles
Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level
B 7/10 Small A/A Rouseville
Topographic Maps: Lake
Canadohta, Centerville
County Maps: Crawford
Description: 150 yards below the put-in, Bloomfield Run adds water, doubling the size of the creek. This is a wilderness area with many bends. Fallen trees are not too numerous, but that could change. This section ends in a pool created by a dam just downstream of the take out point. [Reported 2001]
Difficulties: Occasional fallen trees and mud banks. If the riffles at the put‑in bridge are wiped out, the water may be at a dangerous level for portaging. If you are extending the trip downstream, portage the Centerville Dam by landing on the left bank upstream of the bridge. Carry across the road and relaunch on the left side of the dam. Note: This is private property, so ask permission.
Shuttle: The put-in is on State Route 77, immediately west of the intersection with State Route 8. This point is about 11.5 miles north of Titusville. To reach the take-out, return to State Route 8, turn right/south. Follow to Centerville and in the center of town, turn right/west on Cooley-Centerville road (State Route 1022). Go a very short distance to the first bridge.
Gauge: Rouseville. No information on levels, check the riffles at the State Route 77 Bridge. If they are passable, the run should be okay.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.
B. Centerville to
Titusville 12.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 7/10 Medium (250/417) B/A 3.2-5.2
estimate Rouseville
Topographic Maps: Centerville, Titusville North
County Maps: Crawford
Description: This is a pretty section of river, but it needs a lot of water to be pleasant canoeing rather than hiking. It should be run only in higher-than-average spring water levels. Camping is possible along this section by permission only. [Reported 1999]
Difficulties: Fallen trees add difficulty to the first 3 miles.
Shuttle: Put in on East Branch of Oil Creek at the State Route 8 bridge, just south of Centerville. From there go south on State Route 8 to State Route 27 and turn right/west. The first bridge is the take-out.
Gauges: Rouseville. This gauge should read between 3.2 and 5.2 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 550 to 2,250 cfs.
Normal Wet Period: The Rouseville gauge is above 3.2 feet 29% of the time and is above 5.2 feet 4% of the time.
C. Titusville to
Rouseville 12.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 10/12 Medium (300/538) B/A-B 2.6-5.2
Rouseville Rouseville
Topographic Maps: Titusville South, Oil City
County Maps: Venango
Description: This section runs through Oil Creek State Park. The last 3 miles are "civilized" with some houses. No overnight camping is permitted along this section. The creek flows over a gravel bed down a wooded valley. The region is rich in the history of the early days of the American oil industry. [Checked 1999]
Difficulties: Near Drake Well the deepest channel is on the right. In medium or low water some difficulty may be experienced about 3 miles below Drake Well Park at the remains of an old logging dam. There is a drop of about 1.5 feet. Run through the center. About a mile above the State Route 8 bridge and below the former town of Petroleum Centre and present State Park headquarters, there is an ice breaker structure. It resembles a dam, but it lets water pass through. Its purpose is to break up river ice so it does not jam and cause floods in Oil City. This structure is not runnable. The main spillway on the left side may look tempting at high water, but there are a couple of ice-breaking piers inside the wave that would break boats as handily as ice. A portage trail runs on the left side of this structure. Note however, that the trail starts no more than 50 yards above the dam, and the cutout in the bank accommodates only a couple of boats at once. If the water is high and you have several boats, be sure they space themselves far enough apart to allow early arrivals to get out before late arrivals try to enter the eddy. Alternatively you can take out on the right about 0.2 miles above the structure.
Shuttle: Put in at Drake Well Park at the head of the bike trail or at the State Route 27 bridge west of Titusville. Take out at Rynd Farm Bridge (State Route 8) or at the picnic area about 0.5 miles upstream. An alternative take-out with convenient parking is the bike trail access park, just north of Petroleum Centre. Dropping a bike here, or renting one, would provide a one-motor-vehicle shuttle. There is a tourist train that runs from US Route 8 (Rynd Farm) to Titusville. They will take canoes (2001) and people. The distance from the station to the river is a haul, but the distance from the car to the train is okay. Call the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad (814) 676-1733 for schedules and availability. Last time we checked (2003) they only ran on weekends starting in May
Gauges: Rouseville. This gauge should read between 2.6 and 5.2 feet (2003 rating table). This corresponds to a flow of 300 to 2,250 cfs.
Normal Wet Period: The Rouseville gauge is above 2.6 feet 50% of the time and is above 5.2 feet 4% of the time.