A. Forest Service
Road 128 6.8 miles
to Forest Service Road 145
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 43/89 Tiny (40/67) A/A
estimate Cooksburg
Topographic Maps: Lynch, Mayburg, Marienville West
County Maps: Forest
Description: Although one of the smallest Class III streams around, don't let the steep gradient fool you, this is not a screamer! It's like a swamp trip confined to a very narrow channel with plenty of small rocky drops above Forest Service Road 216. The scenery includes mature hardwoods, hemlocks, brushy shores, meadows, and micro-canyons. At Forest Service Road 128 the stream is very small. An alternate put-in at Forest Service Road 216 eliminates 2.8 miles of the smallest and steepest parts and most of the trees. Above Forest Service Road 216 the run is totally within the National Forest. Below, it plays with the boundary and some development is evident. [Reported 1999]
Difficulties: Alder bushes; trees in short, steep rocky drops.
Shuttle: The put-in is reached by taking Forest Service Road 128 from the center of Marienville. The take-out is reached from Marienville by taking State Route 66 southwest and following State Route 3004 toward Muzette. Forest Service Road 145 leaves this road to the right about 1.5 miles from State Route 66.
Gauges: Cooksburg. This gauge on nearby Clarion River will probably read above 8.0 feet. Note this gauge is not very close to this stream, so it should be used as a guideline only. Plenty of rain is needed in the area in order to run this headwater stream. Check the put-in for enough water.
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. Forest Service
Road 145 to Kellettville 7.1 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
II 25/42 Tiny (55/92) A/A Cooksburg
mouth
of stream
Topographic Maps: Marienville West, Mayburg, Kellettville
County Maps: Forest
Description: The stream is within the National Forest throughout the run and enjoys a mixture of mature forests, occasional meadows, beaver dams and a small canyon. It is very small at the put-in and trees and brush can be problems early on. Below Little Salmon Creek the size is adequate to eliminate all but obstructions from major tree falls. This run has a whitewater section that is out of place in this part of the state. The first hint is "Shark Rock", aptly named and requiring paddlers to journey past the jaws to continue downstream. This starts a series of rocky, Class II rapids intermixed with long sections of easy water. A more difficult rapid appears with no obvious outlet. This requires a 50-yard carry on either shore, or Class IV skillful eddy-hopping to a short left side lift over. The final drop here is unrunnable as the small size flows through and under large boulders choked with trees. The difficulty dissolves below here with occasional small rapids. Forest Service Road 145 is never far away through the most difficult parts. [Reported 1999]
Difficulties: Trees and some brush above Little Salmon Creek. One unrunnable rapid.
Shuttle: Forest Service Road 145 parallels the run. Forest Service Road 127 completes the shuttle for the last mile into Kellettville. Take-out at the Corps of Engineers campground with 150 yard carry from stream to the campground, or along the river road on right side of the island in Tionesta about 1.5 miles below the mouth of Salmon Creek, or on Forest Service Road 145 about 1 mile above the mouth of Salmon Creek where Forest Service Road 145 is very close to the stream (best take-out).
Gauges: Cooksburg. This gauge on nearby Clarion River will probably read above 8.0 feet. Note this gauge is not very close to this stream, so it should be used as a guideline only. Plenty of rain is needed in the area in order to run this headwater stream. Check the put-in for acceptable conditions.
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.