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.
Harpeth River (HR) begins in Tennessee's Rutherford County, flows through Franklin, and ends when it joins the Cumberland, which flows through Nashville, the state capital. Its 115-mile length is in the Mississippi watershed. It absorbs many other waters on its way from county to county, including West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
This is a class II river, which means it has stretches of fast moving water but its hazards - rocks, holes, and rapids - are easy to avoid or navigate. This classification of difficulty is good for intermediate canoeists or kayakers who need to learn to handle their craft in moving water. A lot of the HR is peaceful, with few challenges.
There are many public access points on the HR, including 9 in the HR State Park, which follows HR for 40 miles. The Park includes several spots of great historic interest, such as an antebellum plantation house near the confluence of HR and West HR, called 'the Meeting of the Waters'.
Park signs also tell the story of Pattinson's Mill, an iron works that was built near the Narrows, where the banks are close together and the flow of water accelerates. Ironmaster Montgomery Bell had his slaves blast their way through solid rock to build a tunnel that would divert water to his mill. The tunnel, an engineering marvel in its day, is still there although the mill is gone. A prehistoric Native American burial site called Mound Bottom is also near the Narrows.
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 lower portion of the waterway is a favorite for canoeists and kayakers, although enthusiasts take to the water along its whole length. This is where you'll find outfitters who rent boats and equipment to those who want a day on the river. The HR has a 'scenic river' designation and is well worth a visit by those who are not fortunate enough to live along its course.
Go online for more information on this historic and beloved river-system. You'll find many community activists dedicated to preserving and improving HR for those who use it for recreation. Wildlife lives in and around HR, including waterfowl, fish, beaver, otters, and freshwater mussels and crustaceans.
Harpeth River (HR) begins in Tennessee's Rutherford County, flows through Franklin, and ends when it joins the Cumberland, which flows through Nashville, the state capital. Its 115-mile length is in the Mississippi watershed. It absorbs many other waters on its way from county to county, including West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
This is a class II river, which means it has stretches of fast moving water but its hazards - rocks, holes, and rapids - are easy to avoid or navigate. This classification of difficulty is good for intermediate canoeists or kayakers who need to learn to handle their craft in moving water. A lot of the HR is peaceful, with few challenges.
There are many public access points on the HR, including 9 in the HR State Park, which follows HR for 40 miles. The Park includes several spots of great historic interest, such as an antebellum plantation house near the confluence of HR and West HR, called 'the Meeting of the Waters'.
Park signs also tell the story of Pattinson's Mill, an iron works that was built near the Narrows, where the banks are close together and the flow of water accelerates. Ironmaster Montgomery Bell had his slaves blast their way through solid rock to build a tunnel that would divert water to his mill. The tunnel, an engineering marvel in its day, is still there although the mill is gone. A prehistoric Native American burial site called Mound Bottom is also near the Narrows.
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 lower portion of the waterway is a favorite for canoeists and kayakers, although enthusiasts take to the water along its whole length. This is where you'll find outfitters who rent boats and equipment to those who want a day on the river. The HR has a 'scenic river' designation and is well worth a visit by those who are not fortunate enough to live along its course.
Go online for more information on this historic and beloved river-system. You'll find many community activists dedicated to preserving and improving HR for those who use it for recreation. Wildlife lives in and around HR, including waterfowl, fish, beaver, otters, and freshwater mussels and crustaceans.
About the Author:
You can visit www.tip-a-canoe.com/ for more helpful information about Kayak Harpeth River For Scenery And History.
No comments :
Post a Comment