Crooked Fork Creek, Tennessee, US |
|
| Usual Difficulty | III-IV (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 6.2 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 40 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 90 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMORY RIVER AT OAKDALE, TN | ||||
| usgs-03540500 | 3500 - 10000 cfs | III-IV | 00h45m | 1410 cfs (rc= -0.3 ) |
Lower Crooked Fork is a great intro-creeking run.
Many people who feel apprehensive about running the upper section choose to only run this
section while others choose to run both the upper and lower sections of Crooked Fork. The run
starts with an easy descent over Potter's Falls into a deep pool. You'll want to scout the next
rapid, Lower Potter's Falls, from here also. The next mile is class III with a few scattered
class IV rapids. Then, the next 2-miles is class II-III. But, don't think it's over because the
final mile begins to drop again with the river's final descent into the Emory River gorge. This
final section includes class III rapids with a few class IV's. The remainder of the run is a
2-mile paddle down the Emory River to the take-out at Camp Austin.
Creek-boats and open-boats are recommended for this plateau gem but, a play-boat could be an
option on a high flow day.
Articles and web links:
Potter's Falls made the front cover of the Summer, 1973 edition of American
Whitewater Magazine.
The Crooked Fork Tennessee
Paddle Page
Shuttle Directions:
The put-in is located at the Potter?s Falls Bridge. From Wartburg, Tennessee go south on Hwy 27 a
few miles until you see the Crooked Fork Bridge located at a sewage treatment plant on the right.
Cross the Crooked Fork Bridge going south 0.1 miles and make a right on the first road to the
right. There is an Armes Chapel Missionary Baptist Church sign at the road.
Go 0.9 miles and make another right, which is the first blacktop road on the right. There is an
Armes Chapel Missionary Baptist Church sign at this road also. Go another 0.8 miles and turn
right at the next road.
The Potter?s Falls Bridge and put-in is 0.4 miles down the hill.
Put-In to Take-Out at Camp Austin:
Go back across the Potter?s Falls Bridge and up the hill 0.4 miles and make a left. Go 0.8 miles
and make the next left. Go 0.9 miles till you come to US Hwy 27. Turn right and go south 4.8
miles to the junction of S.R. 328. Make a right following the signs to Oakdale.
Go 3.7 miles and make a right on S.R. 299 at a convenient store.
Go down the hill 0.2 miles and make another right just before you cross the Emory River Bridge in
Oakdale.
The Take-Out at the Camp Austin Bridge over the Emory River is 5.3 miles.
There used to be an alternate shuttle route to the Camp Austin takeout but it is now
blocked.
Camping Options:
Camping can be found in the nearby Obed Wild and
Scenic River area at the Rock Creek Campground located at the Nemo Bridge. This is the
take-out for the Lily to Nemo
section of Clear Creek and the Obed
Junction to Nemo section of the Obed River.
Probably the closest campground is found in Frozen Head State Park. It's only a few
miles away offering not only campsites but also hiking trails to some cool waterfalls.
For more information please click on the link below:
http://www.waldensridgewhitewater.com/tellico/conasauga.htm
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EMORY RIVER AT OAKDALE, TN | ||||||||||||
| usgs-03540500 | 3500 - 10000 cfs | III-IV | 00h45m | 1410 cfs (rc= -0.3 ) | ||||||||
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Potter's Falls | III+ |    |
| 0.1 | Lower Potter's Falls | IV |    |
| 0.2 | The Next Mile | III+ | |
| 2.0 | The Class II Section | II | |
| 3.0 | The Surprise Hole | III+ | |
| 3.1 | Rollercoaster | III | |
| 3.9 | Divided Highway | III | |
| 4.0 | 3ft Ledge | III | |
| 4.1 | The Last Ledge | IV | |
| 4.2 | Confluence with the Emory River | II+ | |
| 6.2 | Camp Austin Bridge Take-Out | I |  |
Tera running Potter's FallsThis 15ft waterfall is one of the easiest to run in the Southeast. Though it can be ran most anywhere, the common line is run in the center over a small curler which lines you up for a rock finger. The extreme right side of the landing zone is shallow. Caution: The center line is easy to boof so watch your landing.
Other information on Potter's Falls.
Lower Potter's Falls at 5 ft
The Last Ledge
reach
state
reachlink
Potter's Falls to Camp Austin (Lower), Crooked Fork Creek Tennessee, US (mobile)
User Comments
low you will be doing some knuckle walking, but still worth it if you've never done it before.
4.0-4.3 is a good level for the intermediate first timer. The river at the put-in bridge gauge is
very narrow and a few inches on the gauge don't make much difference at Potters Falls. The highest
I've run it is maybe 4.4' on the upper part and 5.5 on the lower part. We have run it as low as 3.4
more than once.
<br>
Karl Whipp 2005-01-17 15:54:31<br>
"Exiting the pool (below Lower Potters), stay river left and catch an eddy. You?ll see a big
boulder in the center of the river half way through the next drop with a big pillow on it. You want
to peel out of the eddy ferrying right, into the center and across the face of the pillowed rock
into an eddy. This is a pretty cool move. I think the rock may be undercut, so don?t take it too
lightly."<br>
<br>
Not only is this undercut, but its actually 2 rocks forming a sieve with wood jammed in it. There
is a third boulder as well, just to the right and it is undercut in a BIG way!<br>
<br>
Be careful out there.<br>
<br>
the eddy on the brink of the drop for a cheap thrill and then carry through the woods, lower your
boat 10' or so, then scramble down holding on to roots. This sets you up to walk under the
waterfall. When your under there notice the crumbly layer of oil shale that erodes much faster than
the harder rock overlay, creating the undercut. Cool!<br>
The huge rock monolith down stream of the plunge pool was once the top of the falls. During the
flood of March 1929 (195,000cfs@Oakdale) the rock broke off and was hurdle downstream and burried
in the gravel, pointing to the sky and leaning slightly upstream as if bracing against the
flood.<br>
Enjoy the scenery here. The rock garden below is a mess of breakdown detrius that has no rythm or
reason.
<br>
Crooked Fork - Us 27 to Camp Austin, III-IV (V)<br>
<br>
We ran this fun little stream on 12/15/02. The US27 bridge gauge was about 4.2. This was a fun
level, but I would like to see it at about 4.5 - 4.7. 4.2 was a little bony with lots of screw-ya
rocks in the boulder gardens below Lamance Falls and I would have liked to see a little more
cushion at Lower Potters Falls. Other than the above mentioned, it was a pretty good level.<br>
<br>
If you don?t already know this, the water quality pretty much blows on this creek. Just a heads-up
and a plug for Coca-Cola. Coke will kill darn near anything you may swallow.<br>