Gauge Description:
Utilizing the Townsend guage:
between 2.5 and 3.0 - an excellent beginner-intermediate trip
from 3.0 to 4.5 - it becomes much more significant
Above 4.5 it is as pushy as the Ocoee but only 20 to 30 ft wide
Above 5.5 I stay off of it
over 6' it becomes lethal!
Gauge Information
| Name |
Range |
Difficulty |
Updated |
Level |
|
LITTLE RIVER ABOVE TOWNSEND, TN
|
|
usgs-03497300 |
2.60 - 6.00 ft
|
II+(III) |
01h00m |
2.07
ft
(rc= -0.2 ) |
|
| Range | Water Level | Difficulty | Comment |
|---|
|
2.60 -6.00
ft |
barely runnable-high runnable |
II+(III) |
|
|
Report - Reports of Little 3. Elbow to the 'Y' (Townsend) and related gauges
Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.
Reports
No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
User Comments
really mentioned on any of the Little descriptions in AW? Earlier this Spring we ran from the Elbow
to Y section and also about a couple of miles beyond to the KOA campground.. it was a lot of fun
and at least 3 good class 2+/3- rapids w/ a few class 1/2 also at around 3ft on the Townsend gauge.
Just thought i'd mention it and see if anyone else has run this part?
http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1659925 June 25, 2009 - If you didn't catch it, an
overturned kayak was found just outside of the Smokies on the MP of the Little Pigeon. It spurred a
search and rescue scenario that was serious enough for it to be reported to local TV stations. Not
sure of the outcome and I hope everyone is OK. But this did raise a very significant question. Who
do we notify when we a boat gets pinned or gets out of our control in the Smokies and darkness or
other circumstances force us to abandon it for any period of time? My friend Russell asked this
question and this was his post on a local paddling list serve. I asked the GSMNP folks what would
be the best way to report a lost boat.Here is their reply: Hello, If there is a report of an
accident or missing person, the park responds and/or conducts a search, but just finding an empty
kayak in the water would not necessarily result in a full-fledged search and rescue effort as the
town of Pittman Center launched during the recent incident. If one of your club members loses a
boat, but is otherwise okay, please call the park's Dispatch Office at (865) 436-1230 to let them
know that an empty boat may be found and it is not an emergency situation. This is a non-emergency
line which is staffed from 6:00 a.m. - midnight, but if a serious accident or other emergency has
occurred in the park, sometimes all available dispatchers have to concentrate on radio
communications among responding units and don't answer the line. If there is an accident with a
serious injury or a member of your party is known to be missing, please call 911. Best regards,C.
BloomGreat Smoky Mountains National Park
rapid at the "Y". We paddled to the island it was on and moved it out of the way. The "Y" rapid
should now be clear for use until the next big rain :) Edit
2008 high water. It has moved downstream closer to Mary's Rock, but a boat can manuver around it.
Louis Rudolph Edit
rock - easily seen with easy portage on river right - just something to be aware of.