Special Thanks to:

Monocary Canoe Club

Blue Ridge Voyageurs

& Kevin Howe

For helping me put rivers/creeks/streams in their right state.

The following is a list of rivers ranked by difficulty, the easier rivers ranked first. Although in most cases, a "canoe zero" level is given to distinguish the lowest level the river is likely to be enjoyed, the list itself was compiled and ranked by considering each river at its "average, good paddleable" level. It is intended to give new members an idea of what rivers are available and at what relative difficulty. In addition, this list can be used by the Cruise Committee and trip leaders as a guide for rating river trips on a consistent basis.

This list originated from a survey of BRV (Blue Ridge Voyagers of Northern Virginia) members (and others) which resulted in a ranked list of 68 rivers. Since then, a number of MCC (Monocary Canoe Club) club members (and others) have added to, commented upon, and suggested changes to this list, which has resulted in a list of more than 170 Eastern/Appalachian rivers; a list that continues to grow. As such, this list represents the consensus of opinion of many Club members and not the individual opinion of any one member. Use it as a reference guide only. Although some attempt was made to indicate the variability of difficulty at different water levels, in no way should these characterizations be considered definitive. It is the responsibility of each paddler to take in account water levels, time of year, weather conditions, ability, etc.

RANKINGS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED AS FOLLOWS:

2-3 Rapids of class 2 to 3 can be anticipated

2-3(4) Rapids of class 2 to 3 can be anticipated with one (or two) class 4 Rapids

2-3/4 Rapids of class 2 to 3 can be anticipated, but may encounter, class 4 at higher water levels.

Use all the resources available to you--guidebooks, trip leader or other experienced paddler's advise, river gauges, and--most of all, your own judgement based on your experience and skill.

The following rivers should be in collation with Paddler's gauges.

	SKILL	STATE	RIVER SECTION	CANOE ZERO	USGS
	Novice
1	A-1	NJ	Pine Barrens	Runs @ most levels
2	A-1	MD	Conococheague Creek	Fairview 1.9
3	A-1	WV-MD	Potomac, Paw Paw-Little Orleans	Paw-Paw 3.6
4	1	MD	Opequon
5	1	MD	Monocacy, below Buckeystown	1 Frederick 2.0
6	1	MD	Upper Rock Creek
7	1	MD	Catoctin Creek	Frederick 3.2
8	1-2	MD	Monocacy, Pinecliff-Buckeystown	Frederick 2.0
9	1-2	MD	Gunpowder,Upper (Masemore-Monkton	Dam
10	1-2	VA	SF Shenandoah, Luray-Bentonville	Front Royal 1.2
11	1-2	MD	Antietam Creek Below Battlefield	Sharpsburg 2.6
12	1-2	MD	Seneca Creek, below MD 118	Dawsonville 2.2
13	1-2	VA	Catoctin Creek	Leesburg 2.4
14	1-2	VA	Rappahannock above Rt. 211	Remmington 4.8
	Practiced Novice		Back to top of list
15	1-2	MD	Monocacy, Devilbiss Br. Rd-Pineclf	Frederick 2.0
16	1-2	WV	SB Potomac, Trough	Springfield 1.6
17	1-2	MD	Patapsco, Ilchester Rd-Rt.	Rt.144 E. City 2.0
18	2	MD	Potomac, Seneca Breaks	Little Falls 2.5
19	2	MD	Potomac, GW Canal	Runs @ most levels
20	1-2	PA	Deer Ck. Sandyhook Rd-Susquehanna	Forge Hill Rd 0.0
21	1-2	WV	Sleepy Creek	Cootes Store 3.5
22	1-2	MD	Sideling Hill Creek	Cootes Store 3.5
23	1 2/3	MD	Antietam Ck.Rt.40 to Battlefield	Sharpsburg 2.8
24	2	VA	Shenandoah, Cootes Store	Cootes Store 2.0
25	1 2/3	VA	Cedar Creek	Cootes Store 2.9
26	1 2/3	VA	Goose Creek, Dam-Rt.7	Leesburg 2.0
27	1-2	MD	Gunpowder, Harford Rd-Rt.1	Rt.1 - 0.0
28	2	MD-VA	Potomac, Sandy Hook, Brunswick	Hancock 2.3
29	1-2	MD	Middle Yough, Confluence-Rt.381 bridge, Ohiopyle	Confluence 1.7
30	2	MD-VA	Potomac(Angler's to Lock 10)	Little Falls 2.4
31	1/3	WV	Cacapon River,Rt.40-Potomac	Moorefield 1.8
32	2	TN	Clear Fork River	Stearns 2000
33	2	VA	Maury River below Rockbridge Baths
34	2	VA	Hughes/Hazel Rivers	Remmington 4.5
35	2	PA	Codorus Creek, York
36	2/3	TN	Hiawassee River	Dam
37	2	WV	Lost River WV, above Rt. 55 Br.
38	1-3	PA	Pine Creek	Cedar Run 2.6
39	2/2+	VA	Thornton River	Remmington 5.0
40	2+	GA	Conasauga River below Jacks River
	Low Intermediate		Back to top of list
41	2-3	MD-WV	Potomac Needles	Hancock 3.0
42	1-3	MD	Anacostia River, NW Branch
43	2+	MD	Patapsco, Sykvil-Mariottsville Rd	Rt.144 Ellicott C. 2.0
44	2-3	NC	Tuckaseigee Gorge
45	2-2+	PA	Connoquenessing Creek	Zelienople 1.6
46	2/2+	VA	Rappahannock, Kelly's Ford	Remmington 3.3
47	2-3	PA	Octoraro Creek	RC @ Rt.1
48	1-2+	PA	Big Cove Creek
49	1-3	PA	Nescopek Creek	good flow @ put-in
50	1-3	PA	Laurel Hill Creek	Ursina 1.9
51	2-3	VA	Robinson River (Rose Rd.-Rt.29)	Culpeper 2.5
52	2-3	VA	Rappahannock, Fredricksburg,	Fredricksburg 2.4
53	2-3	VA	South Anna
54	2-3	VA	North Anna	Dam
55	2-3	MD-VA	Potomac River, Mather Gorge	Runs @ most levels
56	2-3	VA	James River, Balcony Falls	Cartersville 1.6
57	2/3	VA	Rush River	Remmington 6.0
58	3	PA	Marsh Creek	Frederick 4.0
59	2-3	PA	Lehigh (Whitehaven-Rockport),	600 cfs
60	2-3	MD	Patapsco, SB; Gaither Rd-Syksville	Rt. 144 E. City 2.0
61	2-3	WV	Cheat, Glady Fork	Parsons 4.0
62	2-3	PA	Casselman (Ft. Hill-Confluence	Markleton 2.0
63	2-3	VA	Flintstone Creek
64	2-3	PA	Lehigh (Rockport-Glen Onoko	600 cfs
	Intermediate		Back to top of list
65	3(5)	MD	Patapsco (Oella)	Rt. 144 Ellicott C. 2.0
66	2(3)	GA	Cartecay River	RC 2.0
67	2-3	PA	Muddy Creek	Frederick 2.4
68	2-3	MD	Gunpowder Falls(Rt.1-Rt.40)	Rt. 1 0.0
69	2-3	WV	New River, Prince-Thurmond
70	2-3	PA	Casselman (Markleton-Ft. Hill)	Markleton 3.0
71	2(3)	NC	Catawba, North Fork	RC 0
72	2-3	WV-VA	Shenandoah Staircase	Millville 1.5
73	2-3	WV	SB Potomac, Lower Smokehole Canyon	Petersburg 5.0
74	2-3	VA	Passage Creek Gorge	Cootes Store 3.3
75	2-3	WV	Cheat, Mid. Dry Fk.,US33-Jengston	Parsons 4.0
76	2-3	WV-MD	Bloomington, N. Branch Potomac	600 cfs
77	2-3	MD	Cabin John Creek
78	2-3	NH	Sligo Creek (Maple-N.H. Ave.)
79	2-3	WV	Cheat Narrows	Albright Br. 0.5
80	1-3	VA	Pohick Creek	US1 RC 2.5
81	2-3(4)	PA	Clear Shade Creek	Ferndale 5
82	2-3	NC	Nantahala River	Dam
83	2-3	WV	Hopeville Canyon, NFSB Potomac	Petersberg 6.5
84	2-3	WV	New River, Surprise Canyon
85	3/4	WV	Cheat, Lower Dry Fk, Jenningston - Hendricks	Parsons 4.5
86	1-3	VA	Cub Run (Fall Line)	Goose Creek 2.8
87	2-3/4	VA	Covington River	Remmington 10
88	2-3(4)	SC	Chauga (Budd Cobb-Horseshoe)	US 76 2.2
89	3-4	PA	Slippery Rock Creek	McC's Mill 0
90	3-4	TN	Pigeon River
91	3	PA	Shade Creek	Ferndale 3.5
92	3-5	PA	Middle Patuxent, Savage Mill
93	3/4	DC	Rock Creek, DC, Below Military Rd	Sherrill Dr.2'3"
94	3	PA	Brush Creek	Wills Creek 4
95	3	WV	North River, above Rio WV
96	3	VA	Upper Rapidan	Culpeper 4.0
97	3	PA	Blacklick Creek	Josephine 4.1
98	3-4	PA	Tohicken	Ralph Stover 1.0
99	2/4	PA	Crupperneck Bends Creek
100	1-3/4	WV	SB Potomac, Upper Smokehole Canyon	Petersburg 6.5
101	2/4	WV	Moorfield Canyon, SFSB Potomac	Petrsbg.6.5, Moorfd.2.5
102	3/4(5)	VA	S. Fork Hardware River
103	3/4	MD-VA	Potomac, Little Falls @ 3.0'	Little Falls 2.0
104	2-3/4	VA	Upper Conway	Culpeper 3.5
105	2-4	VA	North River Gorge	Lynnwood 2.9
	High		Back to top of list
106	3/4	VA	Bullpasture Gorge	Buena Vista 2.9
107	2-4	VA	Upper Tye River	250 cfs
108	3(4)	NC	French Broad, Barnard - Hot Spring	Newport 1750
109	2-4/5	VA	James River, Richmond	R'd/Westham 4.5
110	2-3/4	WV	Lost River Dry Gorge	Moorfield 2.5
111	3-4	WV	Middle Meadow	350 cfs
112	2-4	WV	Lower Shavers Fk. Bemis-Bowden	Parsons 5
113	3(5)	TN	Obed (Goulds Bend)	Oakdale 3500
114	3-4	PA	Loyalsock River @ World's End Park
115	3-4	PA	Stoneycreek River	Ferndale 3.5
116	3-4	TN	Upper Little River	Townsend 275
117	3	WV	Seneca Creek
118	3-4	TN	Lower Tellico	Tellico Plains 1.5
119	3+	TN	Clear Creek (Jett to Nemo)	Oakdale 1200
120	3	TN	Middle prong Little Pigeon	Sevierville 1000
121	3+	TN	Crab Orchard Creek	Oakdale 7000
122	2-3/3	WV	Trout Run	Cootes Store 5.0
123	3(4)	TN	Big South Fork Gorge	Stearns 1000
124	3-4	WV	Little Sandy Creek	Rockville 7.0
125	3-4	PA	Lower Yough	Ohiopyle 1.0
126	3-4	WV	Big Laurel Creek	Newport 4000
127	3-4	WV	Little Sandy Creek	Rockville 7.0
128	3-4	WV	Upper Big Sandy Creek	Rockville 5.8
129	3(4)	TN	Obed River (DBT to Nemo	Oakdale 1200
130	3-4	NC	Nolichucky River	Erwin TN 1.4
131	3(4)	AL	Lower Little River	Townsend 275
132	3(4)	WV	Cranberry River	Cranberry 3.5
133	3(4)	WV	Williams River	Craigswille 12
134	3(4)	TN	Citico Creek	Tellico in flood
135	3-4(5)	GA	Chatooga Section 3	US 76 Br. 1.3
	Advanced		Back to top of list
136	3-4	NY	Black(Watertown NY)	Dam Release
137	3-4	TN	Ocoee	n/a
138	3-4/5	PA	Wills Creek, Fairhope-Hyndman	Cumberland 3.5
139	3-4	PA	Stonycreek River above US 33	Ferndale 5
140	3-4	WV	New River	5000 cgs
141	3-4	VA	Maury, Goshen Pass	Buenavista 3.0
142	3-5/6	WV	Buckhannon (Alton-Sago)	Buckhannon 7
143	3-4	MD	Savage River	250cfs/Savage 2.0
144	3-4	MD	George's Creek
145	3-4	MD	Bear Creek,	Friendsville 2.6
146	3-4/5	VA	Gooney's Run	put-in 3"
147	3-5	WV	Cheat Canyon WV	Parsons 2.5
148	3-5	MD	(Tip) Top Top Yough	Sang Run 1.6
149	3-4/5	WV	New River Gorge	Fayette S. -1.5
150	3-4	TN	Island Creek	Oakdale 10,000
151	3-5	WV	Tygart - Arden	Phillipi 2.5
152	4(5)	NC	Wilson Creek Gorge	Adako Rd.-0.25
153	3-5	WV	Lower Gauley	Belva 2.0
154	3-4	SC	Chauga Gorge, SC	US 76 Br. 2.2
155	3-4	MD-WV	Kitzmiller, N. Branch Potomac	Kitzmiller 4.5
156	3-4	NY	Moose, Lower (Old Forge NY)	2.5
157	4(5)	TN	Upper Tellico	T.Plains 200
158	3-5	WV	Tygart Gorge	Belington 3.5
159	4+	VA	John's Creek	New Castle RC 0
160	3-4(5)	NC	Doe River Gorge	Elazabethton 300
161	4	WV	Middle Fork (Tygart)	Belington 4.0
	Expert
162	3-4	TN	Piney River	Oakdale 3000
163	3-5	MD	Top Yough	Friendsville 1.8
164	3-5	WV	Stony Creek(WV) Mt. Storm-Potomac	Kitzmiller 5.5
165	4-5/6	GA	Chatooga Section 4	US 76 Br. 0.9
166	4-5/6	WV	Lower Big Sandy Creek	Rockville 5.8
167	3-6	NY	Moose, Bottom (Lyons Falls, NY)	2.3
168	4-5/6	WV	Upper Gauley	Belva 2.4
169	3-5/6	WV	Upper Shaver's Fork	Parsons 3.5
170	1-6	NC	Watauga Gorge	Sugar Grove 200
171	3-5	MD	Upper Yough	Sang Run 1.5
172	4-6	WV	Blackwater Canyon	Parsons 4-5.5

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Last Updated on 1/21/98
By SoftDesigns