Trip organizers: Jordan Ross and Sharon Schierling
We’ll be celebrating John Gates’ birthday (March 31) with a trip to the Big South Fork, a scenic and fun class III-IV whitewater run on the Cumberland Plateau in northern Tennessee (about a 5- to 5½-hour drive from Indianapolis). This is a very beautiful wilderness run featuring massive sandstone cliffs that form the gorge and huge boulders in the streambed.
As described by AW, the “Big South Fork of the Cumberland is one of the hidden crown jewels of the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee. Formed by New River and Clear Fork near Oneida, Tennessee, this class II-IV run offers a big water adventure through a cliff lined gorge that is accessible only at a few points. Bring a playboat, river-runner, canoe, or raft. This run is truly a wilderness whitewater adventure.”
Saturday, March 30 - We plan to run the full ~10-mile section from Burnt Mill Bridge (Clear Fork) to Leatherwood Ford. Clear Fork consists of mostly class II+ rapids with one class III near the end. Then comes the challenging Gorge section (III+ to IV, depending on water level) featuring the “Big Three” and other named rapids such as A$$ Kicker, followed by the class II-III Canyon Section with its fun wave trains and play waves. The last 2 miles after O&W bridge is mostly flat water with a couple of class II rapids but worth it for the easy, river-level take-out at Leatherwood Ford where heated changing rooms/restrooms are available.
Sunday, March 31 - We’ll do the shorter 4.2-mile run from the Confluence to the O&W Railroad Bridge take-out, which includes the Gorge and Canyon Sections and almost all the class III and IV rapids on the entire Big South Fork. (Be prepared for the long carry down at the Confluence and the steep scramble out at O&W.)
Trip level: Class III+ to IV, depending on water level. This is a wilderness run with few access points!
Must be experienced Class IV paddler with solid skills, a reliable roll, and cold-weather gear.
Camping:
Bandy Creek Campground, Bandy Loop, Oneida, TN 37841
https://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/bandycreekcampground.htm
Sites without hook-ups (loop A) are $20/site or $10 for holders of Golden Age/Access Pass; 30-amp electric sites (loops B,C,D) are $25 or $12.50 for Golden Age/Access Pass.
(Unfortunately Bandy Creek does not take reservations until after April 1 but fortunately it has a lot of sites and is unlikely to be crowded.)
Meeting Points:
Friday or Saturday night - Bandy Creek Campground
9 am on Saturday - McDonald's, 19820 Alberta St (US 27), Oneida, TN 37841
9 am on Sunday - McDonald's, 19820 Alberta St (US 27), Oneida, TN 37841
Area map:
