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.
The Harpeth River, hereafter called HR for brevity, is 115 miles long and is a tributary of the Cumberland. This makes it part of the Mississippi watershed. It starts in north-central Tennessee in Rutherford county, flows through the city of Franklin, and picks up several streams along the way. It's joined by the West HR, the Little HR, and the 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 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'.
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 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.
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.
The Harpeth River, hereafter called HR for brevity, is 115 miles long and is a tributary of the Cumberland. This makes it part of the Mississippi watershed. It starts in north-central Tennessee in Rutherford county, flows through the city of Franklin, and picks up several streams along the way. It's joined by the West HR, the Little HR, and the 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 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'.
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 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.
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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