Harpeth River East Flank Park to Williamson County Rec. Ctr.

Harpeth River in Franklin

Estimated Length: 4.7 Mile 
Date: July 10, 2016

Weather: Partly Sunny

Time on River: 2 hour

Put-In: East Flank Park

Closest City: Franklin

Take-Out: Williamson County Rec Center

Outfitter: None

    After the rains we had last week, Lex and I knew we had to take a Harpeth in town paddle and Sunday was the day. The river was running very nicely, but was the water ever muddy. With the rains the water level was high enough to wash out most of the gavel bars so getting out to play was not an option, so the muddy water did not bother us too much. We left our big red canoe at home and took our kayaks for their first trip of the year.

    The City of Franklin Parks Dept. has done a great job of getting new signs on the

Franklin Parks Dept. signs  on the River

Harpeth. On this stretch of river all the bridges have big blue signs that not only tell you the name of the road you are going under but also the river mile marker. Lex and I stopped by Bicentennial Park in Franklin on our way home to see the cool overlook that they are constructing. We had viewed it from the river but wanted to get a better perspective of the project. I think they also plan to put an access point at this location.

   Since last year the Parks Dept. has added two new access points; one at Pinkerton Park and the other at Harlinsdale Park. A new access point at Ladd Park subdivision is scheduled to open this summer. It’s great to see so many resources being spent on this section of the Harpeth. The Harpeth is one of the many gems of Williamson County!!!

Construction of new overlook at Bicentinnial Park in Franklin

Caney River - Center Hill Dam to Betty's Island

Date: July 3, 2016

Center Hill Dam is awesome to view from the river

Distance: Miles 8.9

Weather: Sunny and Hot

Time on the River: 4 hours

River Conditions: Slow

Distance from Nashville: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Close By: Nashville

Put-In: Center Hill Dam

Take-Out: Betty’s Island

Outfitter: Caney Fork Canoe, Big Rock

Note: Always check with TVA https://www.tva.gov/Environment/Lake-Levels/Center-Hill to get the water schedule for when the TVA is generating 2 or more generators, some of the outfitters may not be renting canoes/kayaks during this rime.

     I should have known better then to paddle the Caney Fork on a holiday weekend. The number of paddlers and fly fisherman on the river was staggering, it was like bumper cars on water. The river was moving slow and we had to get out and pull our canoe a few times, while trying to avoid hitting other boats.  The TVA opened up one of the generators about an hour after we got on the river and in retrospect we should have waited.

All the paddlers on the river

   What I do love about this river is the crystal clear water. Since this a dam fed river, the water is coming from the bottom of the lake which results in very clear water but does make it extremely chilly.  While there were a lot of places to pull over and play in the water, it was just too cold to spend any amount of time in it.

Clear, cool water of the Caney River

Rock croppings where otters like to play

Once we got past the first take out location at Happy Hollow Boat Ramp, the Caney was a lot quieter. We left behind more than half of the paddlers and we settled into a peaceful river trip. We even saw river otters! I had my son pull up to some rock cropping’s to take a picture and as he approached three otters started darting back and forth among the rocks. At times like this I wish I had better camera skills.

TWRA checking for life jackets

Lex and I have canoed the Caney in the past and had a great time, this was not one of them. The crowds made the trip noisy and stressful. The TRWA had Rangers on the river having the paddlers show their life jackets before they would let them continue down river. Maybe we need to stick to mid-week paddling on the Caney.

Harpeth River Gossett Tract to Harris Street Bridge

Date: June 26, 2016

Distance: 7.7 Miles

Weather: Sunny and Hot

Time on the River: 4 hours

River Conditions: easy

Distance from Nashville: 30 minutes

Close By: Nashville

Put-In: Gossett Tract

Take-Out: Harris Street Bridge

Outfitter: Music City Canoe, Tip-A-Canoe, Foggy Bottom

     The Harpeth was a popular destination today. There was a steady stream of paddlers on the river both young and old. We got to Gossett Tract about 9:30 in the morning and the outfitters were already loading people onto the river. But even with all the paddlers we found stretches of river that were quiet and calm.

     We took our time on this float, stopping to play in the water and talk to fellow paddlers. The piece of river between Gossett Track and the Narrows is lots fun with some nice Class I riffles.  The tunnel built by Montgomery Bell for his ironworks is always an impressive sight. The water was a bit muddy but flowing at a good clip.

Getting splashed by Granddad

Singing on the river

Motgomery Bell's ironworks Tunnel

The Harpeth is one of Nashville's greatest resources for those of us who like to get outside and explore. Please respect the river and follow the “Leave No Trace” principle.

Piney River - Pinewood Canoe and Camp

• Date: June 5, 2016                                              
• Distance: 4.8 Miles
• Weather: Rain the night before, partly cloudy while on the river
• Time on the River: 3 Hours
• River Conditions: Class 1
• Distance from Nashville: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Close By: I-40 and Dickson, TN
• Put-In: Pinewood Camp property off of Piney River Road
• River Gauge:  USGS Piney River at Vernon, TN minimum runnable level 75 cfs
• Take-Out: Pinewood Camp
• Outfitter: Pinewood Canoe and Camp 931-729-1042

It has been a few years since Lex and I have paddled the Piney River and it’s still just as gorgeous as last time we were on it.  Even thought it had rained the night before the water was clear and not at all muddy. The difference between the Harpeth and the Piney when it comes to water clarity is like night and day.

            We used Pinewood Canoe and Camp for our shuttle to the put-in and they were doing a steady business for a Sunday morning. The cost is $12 per person for the shuttle if you have your own canoe and we did not need any reservation. They mentioned that when things get busier during the summer, it would be best to call ahead.  Pinewood did have some overnight campers and more visitors in the afternoon that came to play in the water.

  

The put-in creek that flows into the Piney

          The put-in is only a few miles from the camp and is located on a creek that flows into the Piney. Pinewood has constructed a nice ramp for paddlers to get there boats down the embankment. The water to the Piney is somewhat shallow and you might need to walk your boat over the shallows.

The uprooted tree that got the better of us

            The piney has numerous places to stop and play in the water, along with some great bluffs and scenery. We found lots of vegetation along the river with some really nice wildflowers. Lex and I have been paddling the Harpeth and Duck with our 16 foot Old Towne Canoe for the past few outings so the narrower passageways of the Piney, did give us somewhat of a challenge. In particular one tree managed to grab out boat.  The Kayaks seemed to be having an easier time of it.

            It’s always nice to finish the paddle and be able to pack up and get on the road without having any additional shuttles, just one more reason to visit the Piney. This really is a great river and needs to be paddled more than once every few years.