Thread: Mill Creek
View Single Post
Old 01-04-2020, 03:11 PM   #1
JPTolson
Senior Member
 
JPTolson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Salem, Ohio
Posts: 895
Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts
TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0
Default Mill Creek

I was lucky to get out for a hike in Mill Creek Park on New Year’s Day and had a chance to observe the creek between the suspension bridge (Silver Bridge) and the Lake Newport dam. It’s a shame that the creek within the park is off-limits to paddling. Although it would require some carries around Lanterman’s Mill and probably one other dam, it looks like it would be a fun run.

With snow and rain the previous day, the creek was up a bit and looked navigable. There are a number of rapids along this stretch, mostly class 1 and 2. But there is also a solid class 3 a couple hundred yards below Lanterman’s Mill where the creek makes a sharp turn to the right.

Parking at the dam is ideal for a short carry to the put in. Taking out to carry around the falls at Lanterman’s Mill would be a little tricky as all I could see was a small eddy on river left just past the covered bridge across the creek. Putting back in below the falls would mean a carry over the covered bridge and down to the mill and then a short slog through brush alongside the mill to the creek. I didn’t hike below the Silver Bridge, so I didn’t check access and carries further down stream.

It made me to wonder what the process might be to petition the park to paddle the creek and whether or not some kind of permit system might be workable. In all likelihood it would be a long process. Anyway, just prattling here on a rainy Saturday and day dreaming about paddling Mill Creek. Does anyone know of any previous efforts to open the creek in the park to paddling?

Last edited by JPTolson; 01-04-2020 at 09:00 PM.
JPTolson is offline   Reply With Quote