Clarion River, Sigel, PA
May 19 - 21

 


The Clarion River is a beautiful place to paddle, and is a Wild and Scenic River, with long stretches of calm water interspersed with rapids that can reach Class II. On Saturday, our trip (as weather and water allow) will start at Arroyo and go along the southern boundary of the Allegheny National Forest to Heath, a run of 13 miles which includes three of the best rapids, called 'X', 'Y', and 'Z'. These rapids are small at 300 cfs, but at 2000 cfs on the Cooksburg gauge, they get a little more interesting. The section from Arroyo to Irwin is absolutely exceptional. The scenery becomes more beautiful as the river flows down easy rapids framed by boulders.

We will be camping at Clear Creek State Park, where there are good toilet/shower facilities combined with interesting and spacious primitive campsites in the Back Loop area. (Look at sites 49 - 52) The sites can easily accommodate 2 tents, but the maximum occupancy is 5 persons per site. Cost is $22 per night plus $5 for a second vehicle on a site.

On Sunday, we will launch from Clear Creek and paddle to Cook Forest (or Cooksburg), a 7 to 11 mile trip. On summer weekends the river near Cooksburg is crowded with paddlers dragging heavy aluminum rental canoes through the shallows, but because we'll be here in May, we hope to avoid them.

For those who are less interested in paddling, there are other things to do in the area: Beartown Rocks hiking trails at and near Clear Creek; Cook Forest old growth forest (trees which are over 400 years old); the Cadillac Car museum in Brookville (more than 75 restored cars from 1903, admission with a donation); and, about 10 miles further south, the Coolspring Power Museum which presents a history of the internal combustion engine: hundreds of working engines of the 1900's ($10 admission)

For more information, contact Ron (330-666-4059).


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