Rockaway Creek - Mountainville to McCrea Mills


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Rockaway Creek,

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Mountainville to McCrea Mills (not to be confused with the Rockaway River in Boonton)

Usual Difficulty II-IV (may vary with level)
Length 3.5 Miles
Avg. Gradient 62 fpm
Max Gradient 100 fpm

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
South B Rockaway Creek at Whitehouse Station NJ
usgs-01399670 50 - 800 cfs II-IV 01h33m 7.7 cfs (rc= -0.1 )


River Description

Rockaway Creek, near Mountainville

Definitely short creek boat country here, this stream is tiny and tight. It takes a heavy rain to bring it up, and it won't hold water for more than a day. But if it's running, then there are also other things running within a few minutes drive. South Branch Raritan (5 min away), Black (15 min away), Lockatong and Wickecheoke Creeks (40 min away). It's a short run, hit it first, and then go hit something else.

Watch for strainers! this creek is small. There is a low water bridge 1/3 mile into run. It will have only 8" clearance (or less) under it when the creek is running low. Eddy on river right or left above, and carry. Watch for a red wooden building on river left as a warning. At high water (over 400cfs and rising) this bridge will probably be under water and will look like a ledge. At this same water level, some of the other bridges will be very hard to squeeze under as well. Especially the one downstream of Guinea Hollow Cr. and upstream of Mountainville

This generally runs in March or after any very hard rain.

The gauge on the South Branch of Rockaway Creek at whitehouse Station (USGS#01399670) should be over 50 cfs and rising. If it is over 200 and going straight up then you're in for treat.

Secondary Gauge: South Br. Raritan River at High Bridge (USGS # 01396500) should be at 7.6'/460cfs and rising straight up.

Use this gauge if the primary gauge is steady at over 300cfs. (The Reservoir might be dumping water.)
Middle Atlantic River Forcast Center's Quantitative Precipitation Forcast. (The next 24hrs)
Middle Atlantic River Forcast Center's Quantitative Precipitation Forcast.(The following 24 hrs)
The onsite gauge is on the River right bridge abutment, upstream side, on Rt. 523 just South of Rt. 78.

It should be at 3.8'



See above for more indications of runnability.
Put-in.

There are a few options for put-ins. I would now suggest putting in onto Guinea Hollow Cr. (on river left, just downstream of the bridge) You should be able to get away with parking along Guinea Hollow Rd.

All of the land along this run is private (except for the section which runs behind Sawmill Elementary Sch.) so be discreet when parking, scouting and accessing the run.

As is generally the rule, try to access where the road is very close to the creek (a few feet) or where a bridge crosses.

Take out (if you want to have one last drop) at the broken dam at McCrea Mill, or (to eliminate the relatively flat last mile) alongside the road on river left, just upstream of a bridge, about a mile upstream of the dam. Just look for an unposted gravel spot along the road, close to the water.
First Descent Alert!! As far as I know, neither Guinea Hollow Cr. nor the upper section of Rockaway Cr. (from Sawmill Rd. to Mountainville have been run!

Click here to email this streamkeeper


StreamTeam Status: Verified
Last Updated: 2006-11-14 18:27:03

Editors

Stream Team Editor
Stephen Strange
High Bridge, NJ 08829


Rock-Rock-Rockaway Creek!

Detail Trip Report Edit  Rock-Rock-Rockaway Creek!  Rockaway Creek, NJ(77.35KB .jpeg)

Rockaway Creek Guide Map

Detail Trip Report Edit  Rockaway Creek Guide Map  Rockaway Creek, NJ(73.95KB .gif)

Small Rockaway Creek Guide Map

Detail Trip Report Edit  Small Rockaway Creek Guide Map  Rockaway Creek, NJ(26.65KB .gif)

Onsite gauge for Rockaway CR.

Detail Trip Report Edit  Onsite gauge for Rockaway CR.  Rockaway Creek, NJ(49.51KB .jpeg)

AFWS Hunterdon County NJ

Detail Trip Report Edit  AFWS Hunterdon County NJ  Rockaway Creek, NJ(19.02KB .gif)

Rockaway Creek Ledges

Detail Trip Report Edit  Rockaway Creek Ledges  Rockaway Creek, NJ(27.33KB .jpeg)

Ledges on Rockaway Creek

Detail Trip Report Edit  Ledges on Rockaway Creek  Rockaway Creek, NJ(115.32KB .jpeg)

Broken Damn

Detail Trip Report Edit  Broken Damn  Rockaway Creek, NJ(2.73MB .jpeg)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

This generally runs in March or after a very hard rain onto damp ground.

The SB Rockaway Creek gauge should be 50 cfs and rising.
If it is over 200 and going straight up then you're in for treat.

Secondary Gauge: South Br. Raritan River at High Bridge (USGS # 01396500) should be at 7.6'/460cfs and rising straight up.

On site gauge: River right bridge abutment, upstream side, on Rt. 523 just South of Rt. 78. It should be at 3.8'

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
South B Rockaway Creek at Whitehouse Station NJ
usgs-01399670 50 - 800 cfs II-IV 01h33m 7.7 cfs (rc= -0.1 )

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
50 - 800 cfs barely runnable-high runnable II-IV

Report - Reports of Rockaway Creek Mountainville to McCrea Mills and related gauges

Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.

Reports

When River/Gauge Subject Level Reporter
Rockaway Creek [NJ] Rockaway Creek Guide Map n/a Stephen Strange
Rockaway Creek [NJ] Rock-Rock-Rockaway Creek! n/a Matt Muir
201d06h33m Rockaway Creek [NJ] Broken Damn 5.0' 300cfs Mike Stawicki
4y358d14h33m Rockaway Creek [NJ] Ledges on Rockaway Creek 3.8' Stephen Strange
4y358d14h33m Rockaway Creek [NJ] Rockaway Creek Ledges 3.8' Stephen Strange

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