Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek

[JPTolson]

CHANGING BACK TO ORIGINAL PLAN TO PADDLE THE MIDDLE FORK OF LITTLE BEAVER CREEK; SEE TRIP ARRANGEMENTS BELOW

Little Beaver Creek - Middle Fork - Elkton to Beaver Creek State Park

Trip Leader – JP Tolson
Date – Sunday, May 21st
Meeting Time and Place – 10:30 A.M. at the put in (see below)
Lunch – Yes, somewhere along the river
Distance – 9 miles
Rapids – Many short Class 1 and Class 1+ rapids

Put In – Middle Fork Canoe and Kayak Access adjacent to Elkton Community Park (river left)
Address – 42401-43371 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon, OH 44432
Coordinates – 40.76177° N, 80.69615° W
Parking – for approximately 12-15 vehicles
Restroom – Port-a-john

Take Out – Beaver Creek State Park immediately downstream of the Echo Dell Road bridge across the creek (river right)
Park Address – 12021 Echo Dell Rd, East Liverpool, OH 43920
Coordinates – 40.72747° N, 80.61132° W
Parking – for approximately 30-35 vehicles in the lot
Restroom – at the parking lot

Water Levels
Minimum – 3.8
Maximum – 5.8

Weather – Will be PERFECT!!!

Please join Trumbull Canoe Trails for a nine-mile trip on a little-paddled section of the Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek from the village of Elkton to Beaver Creek State Park. This section is designated ‘scenic’ under the national Wild and Scenic Rivers Program and ‘wild and scenic’ under the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program.

The run features a heron rookery within a quarter mile of the put in, bald eagles, pileated woodpeckers, kingfishers, remnants of the Sandy Beaver Canal including Lusk’s Lock, and many, many short Class 1 and Class 1+ rapids along a very scenic riverscape. Obvious signs of human intrusion are minor except in the Williamsport area where the river goes under State Route 7. Minimum water level (paddling zero) is 3.8 on the Grimm’s Bridge river gage (verified during a scouting run). This level will test a paddler’s river reading skills and will be certain to produce a few bottom bumps and scrapes. I am setting an upper limit of 5.8 due to some tight turns in the upper section of this run where the river is narrow. This level would likely make the river a bit pushy in places.

There was only one tree across the channel at paddling zero that required getting out of the boat to get around the tree. That could change at a higher water level. We will stop for a lunch break, so pack a snack. I will decide on a back up run, if necessary, based on river level (too high or too low) closer to the scheduled date for the trip.

We are meeting early to try to ensure parking is available at the take out at Beaver Creek State Park. Please let me know if you plan to attend by posting on the club website or by calling or texting to 234-575-3650. Thanks. Looking forward to another great day on the river!

[dm7211961@att.net]

I'm planning on going to this run. The North fork a few weeks ago was a great trip. Looking forward to another adventure on Beaver Creek.

[SOS57]

I hope you have the right run in mind. JP and I did a scouting trip for the middle fork, Elkton to the park on the 9th. The group trip is scheduled for the 21st.
However the trip tomorrow(May 14th) is on the Mahoning River and the Beaver River. This is NOT the same trip. We leave from Coverts Crossing and paddle to Wampum, Pa. Check the facebook or TCT website for details.

[JPTolson]

TCT,

So that everyone can make their plans around the scheduled paddling trip Sunday, May 21st, I want to let club members know there is a strong chance that the trip from Elkton to Beaver Creek State Park on the Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek will have to be changed to another location due to low water. As of 7:00 p.m. Monday evening (5/15) the US Geological Survey gauge at Grimm’s Bridge is reading 3.27 feet. A minimum of 3.8 is needed to run the section that is listed for the trip without constantly getting in and out of one’s boat to drag it across the stream bed where the water is too low. And there does not appear to be a great deal of rain forecast between now and Sunday that would significantly raise the river level.

I will be monitoring the weather forecast for any changes that might give us enough water as well as changes in river levels. I will post any change in location of the trip later this week, possible as late as Saturday evening.

Please monitor the club website and Facebook page for updates.

Thanks.

JP

[JPTolson]

TCT,
It looks like we should get some rain overnight and maybe some on Saturday morning. But will it be enough to bring the water in the Middle Fork of Little Beaver Creek up to a minimum level for paddling or could we get too much? I continue to monitor the US Geological Survey gage at Grimm’s Bridge (currently at 3.02, well below the 3.8 minimum). NOAA appears not to forecast water level for this gage. I may visit the put in at Elkton on Saturday afternoon to look first-hand at the water level. I will try to make the call on the trip by Saturday afternoon, but it might be as late as early Saturday evening. Please continue to check the TCT website and Facebook page. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
JP

[blwalko]

JP,

Hi there, I’m going to make tomorrow! Yea!!!!

If it’s still Beacer I plan on taking the long way to avoid the geese and break the bad luck Beaver trip.

Look for to just going anywhere so if it changes I won’t be picky. See you all tomorrow morning.