Crooked Fork Creek, Tennessee, US |
|
| Usual Difficulty | III-IV(V) (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 2 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 60 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 100 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1000 - 2500 cfs | III-IV(V) | cfs | |
| EMORY RIVER AT OAKDALE, TN | ||||
| usgs-03540500 | 3500 - 10000 cfs | III-IV(V) | 00h18m | 1410 cfs (rc= -0.3 ) |
Crooked Fork is a tributary of the Emory River on the Cumberland Plateau just south of Wartburg,
Tennessee. It is considered to be a part of the Obed River System.
If you are into waterfall creeking action, then the upper section of Crooked Fork is the run for
you. This section hosts one 20ft drop (Class V) with a mandatory line and one 15ft drop (Class
III+) which can be run almost anywhere. The rest of this run is class III-IV while the first mile
is class I.
Some choose to run both the upper and lower sections together while others
choose to run only the upper section.
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
Waldens's Ridge WhiteWater information:More web information
http://www.waldensridgewhitewater.com/obed_emory/CrookedFork.htm
Shuttle Directions:
Upper-Put-In to Take-Out at Potter?s Falls Bridge:
The Put-In is located at a sewage treatment plant a few miles south of Wartburg, Tennessee on US
Hwy 27. From the Crooked Fork Bridge on US Hwy 27, go 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, which is the Take-Out for Upper Crooked Fork
and the Put-In for Lower Crooked Fork is 0.4 miles down the hill.
Upper Put-In to Take-Out at Camp Austin Bridge on Emory River (Lower Section
Take-Out):
From the Crooked Fork Bridge on US Hwy 27, go south 4.8 miles to the junction of S.R. 328 and
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 Emory River is 5.3
miles. Park across the bridge on the left side of the road or if you have 4-wheel drive, turn
right at the end of the bridge and pull down next to the river (mud riding will be required).
There used to be an alternate shuttle route to the Camp Austin Bridge on Emory River
(Lower Section Take-Out) 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.
The Crooked Fork gauge is on the downstream side of the US Hwy 27 bridge at the put-in. 3.4 ft. is getting low while 5.0 ft begins to get pushy. If the Emory River Gauge is reading 3500cfs or more then Crooked Fork will probably be running.
Also check the New River Gauge in Cordell, TN. The gauge is just across the ridge from the headwaters of Crooked Fork. We're still trying to figure out the flow but as of fall of 2008, all indications are showing that 2000cfs on the New River gauge at Cordell will bring Crooked Fork to a boatable flow. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Gauge_detail_id_10273_
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1000 - 2500 cfs | III-IV(V) | cfs | |||||||||
|
This gauge is located in the headwaters of New River which is just across the ridge from the headwaters of Crooked Fork. Around 2000cfs will make Crooked Fork |
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| EMORY RIVER AT OAKDALE, TN | ||||||||||||
| usgs-03540500 | 3500 - 10000 cfs | III-IV(V) | 00h18m | 1410 cfs (rc= -0.3 ) | ||||||||
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Put-In |   | |
| 1.4 | LaMance Falls | 5.0 |   |
| 1.6 | 1st Boulder Garden | IV | |
| 1.8 | 2nd Boulder Garden | III+ | |
| 2.0 | Potter's Falls | III+ |  |
Upper Crooked Fork Put-In
LaMance FallsLaunch this 20 ft drop off the rock finger in the center. Making your line is a must since the landing zone is only about 10 feet wide. Rock shelves exists under the falls. As long as you launch off the rock finger, you will clear the rocks. Stay away from the right side of this falls due to the rock shelf. The portage is on river left. A path leads to the base where you can walk under the falls.
A grist mill once stood on the river-right cliff of this falls back in 1895.
Other information on LaMance Falls.
This rapid is a boulder field that is divided by an island. The left line can be run at higher flows but at low water, there is a narrow chute that has several pin rocks. We portaged it at 4.6ft.
The right line seems to carry more water. Just be careful in the entrance as there is a badly undercut boulder on the left that a lot of the water going under. Many portage the entrance, walk 20ft and seal launch back in.
Just pick your way through this field of boulders. A few are undercut. You might need to take a quick scout.
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. This is also the takeout for the upper section.
Other information on Potter's Falls.
reach
state
reachlink
US 27 to Potter's Falls (Upper), Crooked Fork Creek Tennessee, US (mobile)
User Comments
now clear. A large tree was blocking it but it was removed today. The log had been blocking the
right line for nearly 4 year.
look before you round the bend and drop into the entrance.
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>
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>