The United States is blessed with beautiful rivers. Many of the better known ones are famous for extreme whitewater or because they mark significant borders. Others are less well known, but that doesn't mean they are less appreciated by those in on the secret. Kayak Harpeth River in central Tennessee and see why so many people love this meandering waterway that has been part of the area's rich history.
Tennessee's Harpeth River (HR) is part of the Mississippi watershed and a 115-mile long tributary of the Cumberland. Its headwaters are in Rutherford County and it ends near Ashland City, the county seat of Cheatham county. It absorbs several smaller waterways that share its name: West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
The class II waterway has areas of pretty fast flow and other stretches that are wide and placid. The hazards that can make canoeing and kayaking dangerous are mild on the HR. It's just challenging enough to be educational for those who want to improve their skills at handling boats in swiftly moving waters with holes, rocks, and rapids.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
There is also a tunnel through solid rock made by slaves to divert water for their master's iron mill. The tunnel was an engineering marvel of its time. The mill was built near the Narrows, where the banks come close together and the water flow is accelerated. This part of the waterway is also near a prehistoric Native American burial ground called Mound Bottom.
Another part of history was the Natchez trace, a famous frontier trade route. This rough road through forest and swamp was used by farmers to take grain, produce, and livestock to eastern markets. Its hazards were many, including wild animals, bandits, and horrific mud during the rainy seasons. A pair of outlaw brothers, the Harps, are sometimes linked to the name Harpeth, but maps recorded this name in the region long before the brothers terrorized the Trace. It may be derived from the Native American language.
The lower part of HR is favored by boaters. Canoes and kayaks can be rented from several outfitting companies. Wherever yo put in, this waterway, a state-designated 'scenic river', is well worth a visit by anyone who loves spending a day on the water.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
Tennessee's Harpeth River (HR) is part of the Mississippi watershed and a 115-mile long tributary of the Cumberland. Its headwaters are in Rutherford County and it ends near Ashland City, the county seat of Cheatham county. It absorbs several smaller waterways that share its name: West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
The class II waterway has areas of pretty fast flow and other stretches that are wide and placid. The hazards that can make canoeing and kayaking dangerous are mild on the HR. It's just challenging enough to be educational for those who want to improve their skills at handling boats in swiftly moving waters with holes, rocks, and rapids.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
There is also a tunnel through solid rock made by slaves to divert water for their master's iron mill. The tunnel was an engineering marvel of its time. The mill was built near the Narrows, where the banks come close together and the water flow is accelerated. This part of the waterway is also near a prehistoric Native American burial ground called Mound Bottom.
Another part of history was the Natchez trace, a famous frontier trade route. This rough road through forest and swamp was used by farmers to take grain, produce, and livestock to eastern markets. Its hazards were many, including wild animals, bandits, and horrific mud during the rainy seasons. A pair of outlaw brothers, the Harps, are sometimes linked to the name Harpeth, but maps recorded this name in the region long before the brothers terrorized the Trace. It may be derived from the Native American language.
The lower part of HR is favored by boaters. Canoes and kayaks can be rented from several outfitting companies. Wherever yo put in, this waterway, a state-designated 'scenic river', is well worth a visit by anyone who loves spending a day on the water.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
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