Canoeing and kayaking down the rivers of the United States is one of life's high points. Sometimes rapids can make the trip challenging; for many, that's the appeal. Others like to paddle along without risking life, limb, or turning turtle, admiring the riverbanks and going just the right distance to make the day perfect. Kayak Harpeth river in Tennessee for just such a peaceful adventure and you'll also be paddling past places where history was made.
The Harpeth River, hereafter called HR for brevity, is 115 miles long and is a tributary of the Cumberland. This makes it part of the Mississippi watershed. It starts in north-central Tennessee in Rutherford county, flows through the city of Franklin, and picks up several streams along the way. It's joined by the West HR, the Little HR, and the South HR.
HR is a good river for beginners and family outings, as long as particular stretches are chosen. There is some Class II water that can help intermediate canoeists and kayakers learn to handle moving water. There are holes, rocks, and rapids, but none of them are too hard to miss or to navigate. There are wider, slower parts that have few, if any, challenges.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
There is also a tunnel through solid rock made by slaves to divert water for their master's iron mill. The tunnel was an engineering marvel of its time. The mill was built near the Narrows, where the banks come close together and the water flow is accelerated. This part of the waterway is also near a prehistoric Native American burial ground called Mound Bottom.
Some of the most dramatic events happened along the Natchez Trace, which parallels the River. This famous pioneer trade route was used by farmers to take their crops and livestock to eastern markets. The trip was dangerous because bandits lurked in the dense woods along the trace and arduous because of deep mud in winter and spring. Local lore holds that the name Harpeth refers to the outlaw brothers Harp, but early maps recorded the name before these ruffians came on the scene. It may reflect the Native American name for the waterway.
The whole length of HR is open to canoeists and kayaking, but the lower river is where visitors can rent boats and other gear for a day on the water. With an official 'scenic' designation, HR is well worth exploring for anyone who likes paddling, scenery, and local color. Go online to find maps and put-ins guides, historical notes, and descriptions of HR posted by those who've made the trip.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
The Harpeth River, hereafter called HR for brevity, is 115 miles long and is a tributary of the Cumberland. This makes it part of the Mississippi watershed. It starts in north-central Tennessee in Rutherford county, flows through the city of Franklin, and picks up several streams along the way. It's joined by the West HR, the Little HR, and the South HR.
HR is a good river for beginners and family outings, as long as particular stretches are chosen. There is some Class II water that can help intermediate canoeists and kayakers learn to handle moving water. There are holes, rocks, and rapids, but none of them are too hard to miss or to navigate. There are wider, slower parts that have few, if any, challenges.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
There is also a tunnel through solid rock made by slaves to divert water for their master's iron mill. The tunnel was an engineering marvel of its time. The mill was built near the Narrows, where the banks come close together and the water flow is accelerated. This part of the waterway is also near a prehistoric Native American burial ground called Mound Bottom.
Some of the most dramatic events happened along the Natchez Trace, which parallels the River. This famous pioneer trade route was used by farmers to take their crops and livestock to eastern markets. The trip was dangerous because bandits lurked in the dense woods along the trace and arduous because of deep mud in winter and spring. Local lore holds that the name Harpeth refers to the outlaw brothers Harp, but early maps recorded the name before these ruffians came on the scene. It may reflect the Native American name for the waterway.
The whole length of HR is open to canoeists and kayaking, but the lower river is where visitors can rent boats and other gear for a day on the water. With an official 'scenic' designation, HR is well worth exploring for anyone who likes paddling, scenery, and local color. Go online to find maps and put-ins guides, historical notes, and descriptions of HR posted by those who've made the trip.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
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