Trips and Runs

The Crooked Fork Run

Crooked Fork Creek, a tributary of the Emory River, begins its journey in scenic Frozen Head State Park, near Wartburg, TN.  After leaving the park it meanders uneventfully for several miles, passing through farmland and valley forest. Then, about three miles south of Wartburg, it crosses under US Hwy 27/29, and the fun begins.

Soon it begins threading through rock gardens and then a distinct horizon line appears. This is Lamance Falls, a 25-30 foot plummet. While Lamance Falls has been run, it is not recommended because of the rock shelf at the base of its first big plummet. A missed line could produce a compression fraction. Stop well above the drop, scout carefully, and make your own decision about running it. Portages are not easy, but can be accomplished on either side of the river.

Below Lamance, the stream drops some 160 feet in just over a mile. This distance is studded with several III-IV boulder gardens, as well as two memorable waterfalls. The first is upper Potters Falls, a classic southeastern drop of some 15-17 feet, depending on water level. Run this drop, which has a deep and hospitable catch pool, anywhere from the center of the stream all the way to river left.

A mere 150 yards downstream, look for Lower Potters Falls, a drop that is decidedly less user-friendly than its upstream counterpart. Scout or walk on river right and run it (if you must) down the left, where a piton is possible even at favorable water levels. Rock formations on river right can be appreciated only at lower flows (which is not when paddlers will be on the river), but take it on faith that they form a potentially fatal sieve.

Crooked Fork’s final miles are through a deep, broad-floored canyon. Most of this section is festooned with class III-III+ rapids, but in the midst of this happy mayhem, the stream forsakes its mad rush off the Cumberland Plateau, takes an inexplicable break, and lazily meanders for almost a mile through a dense, seemingly impenetrable forest. Remnants of an old homestead can be seen in this stretch. Don’t loose faith, though, Crooked Fork has a nice surprise ending in store before it flushes into the gargantuan Emory River a couple of miles upstream of Camp Austin, the takeout.

On Crooked Fork, one or two rapids between Lamance and upper Potters are Class IV, everything else on the river is III. Except the waterfalls. Lamance is nasty if you miss your line, with a slab-rock landing. Upper Potters is like falling off a log. (A big log.)

Put in at the US 27 bridge, three miles south of Wartburg.   

Takeout at Camp Austin on Emory River (river left side) upstream of Oakdale.

Depending on season, rainfall intensity, and duration, the following gauges may not correlate.