Benscreek Canoe Club
A canoe and kayak club in Johnstown, PA. A 501(c)3 charitable organization promoting paddling and conservation on local rivers.
Contact BCC
Phone: (814) 266-4276
Email: Rick Bloom rickpb@aol.com
RIVER INFORMATION
Welcome to our Local River Information page, your gateway to discovering the breathtaking waterways that surround our community. Here, you’ll find valuable insights and resources to help you plan your next kayaking adventure. Explore detailed descriptions of nearby rivers, including their unique characteristics, difficulty levels, and points of interest along the way. From tranquil streams ideal for leisurely paddles to spirited rapids that challenge even the most seasoned kayakers, our region offers a diverse range of experiences for enthusiasts of all skill levels. Whether you’re seeking a serene escape into nature or an adrenaline-fueled journey down rushing currents, let our Local River Information be your guide to unlocking the beauty and excitement of kayaking in our area. Dive in and start exploring today!
Below is a simple reference guide for river classification. Please note that rivers are dynamic and the difficulties and classes can change depending on multiple factors such as water level.
Class 1 Moving water with a few riffles and small waves. Few or no obstructions.
Class 2 Easy rapids with smaller waves. Easy to read the water without scouting. May require some maneuvering.
Class 3 Large irregular waves through small passages that can require precision maneuvering.
Class 4 Long intense waves with smal passages that will require complex maneuvering. Scouting is often necessary.
Local Rivers
Conemaugh River
Johnstown to Seward consists of mostly flat paddling with a couple of class I or II ripples. A great beginners trip that can run longer into the summer than other local rivers.
Stonycreek River (Johnstown)
This is a great run for recreational boaters to get in the river. Start at Greenhouse Park and you can go all the way through the city river walls.
Stonycreek River (Lower)
This is an easier and shorter section than the Canyon and is often used for beginner trips.
Stonycreek River (Canyon)
This section has great play all over it. It primarily consists of ledges coming at you from all directions, though there are a few boulders thrown in as well.
Little Conemaugh River
This is the riverway which the great flood of 1889 took decimating the city. It is a pretty nice beginner/intermediate river, mainly a scenic class II river, with a few Class III rapids on it and with one major class V in Echo right past Mineral Point.
Shade Creek
The majority of Shade creek is a fairly scenic and nice class III adventure at low to medium levels. There are a couple rapids that may approach the realm of easy class IV.
Paint Creek
The creek can be a class IV to V run depending on levels.
Regional Rivers
Youghiogheny (Middle) – Ohiopyle
This is a run for beginning whitewater paddlers, maybe a bit challenging for open canoes (the old kind, not the ones you see Paddleman running in all the videos). It begins with Ramcat Rapids, which is a good training ground, and ends with Elephant Rock, which can mess up a novice. Pennsylvania park rules require that you take out before the bridge in Ohiopyle, so you don’t risk inadvertantly going over Ohiopyle Falls.
Slippery Rock (Lower) – Portersville
Lower Slippery Rock Creek, from Eckert bridge to Harris bridge on Mountville Road, is a step down in difficulty from the rapids in upper Slippery Rock Creek or the Mile. Beginner and intermediate kayakers often use this section to develop their skills.
Connoquenessing Creek – Ellwoody City
The Connie has some nice surf waves and some playable holes, but I would not consider it a play river. It is great for river running, basic kayak instruction and some play.
Potomac, North Branch – Bloomington, MD
This section of the North Branch Potomac has fairly continuous whitewater consisting of primarily open Class II-III rapids with waves and holes
Slippery Rock (Upper) – Portersville
A Pittsburgh local favorite: beginners like it for its relatively easy (mostly Class II, but there are a couple of III-) rapids; experienced paddlers head there for the play. Everyone likes its beauty.
Youghiogheny (Lower) – Ohiopyle
The Lower Yough is the best known whitewater run in the eastern United States. Since there is a reservoir upstream, it reliably runs during the entire warm water paddling season, in most years. In low water years, it attracts large numbers of both rafters and hard boaters and there is a registration system to regulate access from the beginning of April through the Middle of October.
Cheat River – Albright, WV
The Cheat is a local favorite, with 10 miles of wilderness paddling, impressive rock formations, and more than a handful of III-IV rapids with great play at many levels.
Savage River – Bloomington, MD
With an average gradient of 75 feet per mile (with sections exceeding 100 fpm) the action is fast and continuous. The Savage’s overall difficulty rating below 800 cfs is Class III-IV. At 800 – 1,200 cfs it is Class IV. Above 1,200 cfs the Savage is the longest Class IV-V rapid in Maryland!
Youghiogheny (Upper) – Friendsville, MD
The Upper Yough is a truly exceptional class IV/V river that has attracted the paddlers from around the globe for decades. The river was and remains a hotbed for the development of paddling skills and equipment, and offers some of the most technical commercial rafting you’ll find anywhere. Predictable summer releases make this one of the main playgrounds for Eastern Class-IV and Class-V boaters.