Elkhorn Creek, |
|
| Usual Difficulty | II(III) (may vary with level) |
|---|---|
| Length | 6 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 10 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELKHORN CREEK NEAR FRANKFORT, KY | ||||
| usgs-03289500 | 500 - 3000 cfs | II(III) | 00h48m | 170 cfs (rc= -0.1 ) |
"Church Wave"
The view looking upstream at "LunchStop"
Lots of dynamic play spots and wide enough to generally stay free of strainers, the Elkhorn has a
large watershed allowing it typically to keep its flow longer after a rain and is the place to
paddle when others in Central Kentucky have become too low.
Watch out for the dangerous, drowning machine dam about 3/4 mile into the run at
the bourbon distillery and portage only on river left. Note that this dam can be a very dicey
portage at gauge levels above 3000 cfs (3+ feet on US460 bridge) The picture below was taken at a
level of about 1000 cfs (1 foot).
Jim Beam Distillery dam downstream view - note boaters portaging and putting in below dam on river left.
AW Acres, just down stream of Knight's bridge is the land purchased for use as a takeout by individual paddlers and donated to American Whitewater as access of the Elkhorn for all private paddlers.
To read more about the creek, how the takeout land was obtained, and history of the paddler/land-owner interactions, check out the online American Whitewater Journal article "AW Acres: The Elkhorn Saga" that appeared in the March/April 2000 issue.
Shuttle Directions:
Putin: Forks of the Elkhorn Bridge on US 460 about 3 miles east of Frankfort,KY. Parking next to the bridge costs $3 - pay at the Elkhorn Creek Campground office just upstream on the South Fork of the Elkhorn.
Takeout: From the Forks Bridge take US 460 west towards Frankfort and take a right at the stoplight onto KY 2822. Go about 1 mile on KY 2822 to the stop sign. Go right onto Steadmantown LN (actually a continuation of KY 2822) for about 2.5 miles to the stop sign at the intersection with Peaks Mill Rd (Ky 1900). Go about 4 miles and look for AW Acres takeout on the left just before Knight's Bridge over the Elkhorn.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELKHORN CREEK NEAR FRANKFORT, KY | ||||||||||||
| usgs-03289500 | 500 - 3000 cfs | II(III) | 00h48m | 170 cfs (rc= -0.1 ) | ||||||||
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No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
(iCal)
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - Elkhorn Creek Forks of Elkhorn US460 Bridge to Knight's Bridge on KY1900 (6 miles) (mobile)
User Comments
where we are surfing, is Surfcity. I decided to skirt around Angioplasty, and those big standing
waves, and the lateral wave is of course S-turn. Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1ATnrvXpA
[url=http://rwdbbmboocpn.com/]rwdbbmboocpn[/url],
[link=http://piwugwkajkjc.com/]piwugwkajkjc[/link], http://nclofzbzmgqu.com/ Edit
uses a safety standard for those people who rent from the first time, occassionally or who might be
"Cabrewing". so they "Flood Out" at a lower level than a paddler might take. A liverys status
(anywhere) may also stop some inexperienced person from challenging the creek at a level above
their skill and save the local rescuers from having to save them. Edit
canoeky.com (local outfitter) says 2200 cfs is flooded out. Edit
floods out because of the open boats they seem to rent. I went down with some fairly new and a
couple of experienced kayakers (all with spray skirts and helmets), most all with pool and/or
combat rolls, at 2000cfs on Sunday and no carnage. Think the main problem is the portage around the
dam. Depending on what you read, anywhere from 3000cfs to 5000cfs it becomes a problem, but I
haven't tried it anywhere near there. Edit
dams kill people, people do stupid things, but it would be nice if there were some local effort to
reduce the hydraulic force of these dams...for the sake of those who do not know better. Edit
down the creek~~~~~~yeehaw!!!! Edit
personal observations and conversations with the father, the young lady and the young man with her. Edit
knew the route well; and we cant afford the $900 Kayaks. And the river gods? Her dad pushed her
out...and if you know newtons third law of motion (with every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction), that is how they both are alive today. I was the one who told everyone we were too close
to the dam. What happened was a complete freak accident. You showed up after everything was over
and just waiting for the S&R. It was unfortunate, yes. but accidents happen. I knew the water
was going to be circulating. I know what dams do by recirculating water. We had just been told what
to do in that situation. I want to thank you though for retrieving our kayaks, but you just have
some points wrong. Oh and we did have helmets we took them off while portaging Edit
re-surfed in the dam , went further down the river to find 3 abandoned kayaks along the shore line.
Stooped in at canoe KY to report this and they were aware of a situation at the dam the previous
day in which a 16 year old girl was sucked back up to the dam in her kayak and flipped and was
re-surfed herself for several minutes until she flushed out and was washed up on the rock at the
start of the rapid and eventualy had to be rescued by the profesionals and taken to the hospital
for hyopothermmia. The moral of the story is please be carefull at the dam it is a dangerous
situation at any level. fortunatly this girl came out alright. Edit
fee at the putin. The one time I ran this creek, a gentleman who was either from the campground or
a friend of the campground owners made it clear in no uncertain terms that the fee was not just to
park but also to put in, even if you park elsewhere. Had I known the real story, I gladly would
have paid up front. Instead, I got to receive a lecture by someone assuming I was a cheap bastard
out-of-towner trying to screw the locals out of their revenue. According to this gentleman, the
'pay to play' arrangement is widely known among all the local clubs, etc., so I don't understand
why it's not made clearer on the AW description. Bottom line is, if I ever come back (not likely),
I'll pay the three bucks.
normally see were waves throughout almost the whole trip (even in the woods sometimes), and big
whirlpools behind the bridge pillars. At 2000 CFS I thought portaging the dam was simple, and I
watched two guys in a canoe do it quite simply, but I also watched the canoe sink after S-turn's
insane rapids. I saw plenty of canoes make it past S-turn just fine, but they all had extra
flotation in their canoes. I think the minimum posted CFS of 500 is the perfect minimum, because I
live in Louisville 50 miles away, and I am not driving out there unless it's at least 500 CFS and
I'm really bored that day. At 500 CFS there were 4 hydraulics total (none capable of holding a
raft), the surf section wasn't really in at all and it was almost a scrape in are rafts. We were
able to portage on the island and walk up to the other rapid on the other side, which is this big
drop. We re-ran it over and over, and my brother even ran it sitting on a giant log. When we ran
this creek at 900 CFS it was completely different; instead of a kiddy park it is actually scary
sometimes. WARNING: S-Turn can be dangerous: At 900 CFS the top of S-turn on the left; there was a
15 foot long sideways wave(it wasn't from left to right, take a normal rapid and turn it 90 degrees
so that it runs from the top of the slope 15 feet all the way to the bottom of the slope) that goes
in to a giant 3 foot tall mound, and my brother would disappear behind it for a couple of seconds
the drop was so big(about 4-5 feet). Then there was another 2 foot tall mound right after it, and
every time I ran the second one it threw me in to the island where the creek forked. One kayaker I
saw got tipped over because of the sideways wave, and that section washed up on a very shallow area
in both directions, but he climbed out just in the nick of time. I realized how dangerous the creek
can be and still headed no warning. I go to jump in my raft and miss, even with a life jacket on I
was swept to the very bottom of the creek and held there for many seconds, heading for the huge
mound. I thought maybe a huge boulder was there and it was going to smash my head, and so I punched
the creek with both my fists, skin scraping off my knuckles, I flew to the surface and my raft was
right in front of me. I jumped in it with the quickness right before the 15 foot long sideways
little curler wave. There are no mounds at all at 500 CFS. There is no 15 foot long sideways wave
at 700 CFS, but the 2 large mounds are there. I think that they are only formed as a wavetrain, and
I don't think a huge boulder is there anymore, because of what I have seen at 500 CFS: nothing. At
2000 CFS S-Turn is allot more dangerous because of how much water is flowing over the island where
the creek forks. I saw a kayaker get hurt and he even carried out. He got pinned on the island,
then went left, and then fell and got all banged up. S-turn is very shallow, rocky, and pushy if
you go left. Also where it forks it washes up on an island very hard at 2000 CFS, and pretty hard
still at 900 CFS. At 2000 CFS I recommend running the right side where I found 4 back to back large
hydraulics, and you won't have to worry about that island. The 15 foot long sideways wave was much
larger and more powerfull at this level and it almost tipped my brother's raft. The two large
mounds also greatly grew in size and even had big whitecaps on top of them. The whole entire S-turn
rapid is re-runnable at 2200 CFS, and there is two different eddies you can catch on the left to do
this. There is an awesome limestone ledge that we walk along, and we have spent hours and hours
re-running this rapid, because it's so fun and convenient to re-run (in a raft). I have seen
kayakers re-run it also. I love this creek because of it's watershed: South fork: 179 square miles
North fork: 276 square miles Elkhorn: 38 square miles (only about 10 would apply to the gorge
section). So that's a total of 465 square miles of watershed that contributes to the gorge section
of Elkhorn. Another reason I love this creek is because it has a good lag time; after it rains all
night it's ready to run the next day even in the late afternoon.
who don't know the basics. The S-turn (a.k.a. Railroad) rapid is the first significant rapid after
the dam rapid. S-turn does indeed have an impressive diagonal wave, which seems to be at maximum
height around 1500-2000 cfs. If you know how to do an eddy turn, you can easily avoid it by eddying
right. If you have good balance and rudimentary ferrying skills, you can eddy left, then cut behind
that wave. You'll be parallel to some large waves below it (hence need for balance), and you'll
need to keep a vigorous paddle going, in order to avoid being washed into the island. I was once,
but no harm done. But, if you are that skilled (a solid class II paddler), you might find it more
enjoyable to crash through the diagonal wave with a right angle perpendicular to the diagonal wave.
That eddy left of the diagonal wave is good for surfers. River info on this site is an excellent
guide to running levels. It is possible to portage the dam above 2500 cfs. I have at 3500 cfs, but
it is disconcerting because you cannot see where to exit at the dam (left side) until you are
almost right there. The more important considerations are that at that level there is room there
for only one kayak at a time, and that you want to be sure to put back in well below the dam to
avoid being pulled into the dam hydraulic. Basically, if you are a novice, you will need basic boat
handling skills, and know how to catch eddies. And, you should go with someone who knows the river.
Avoiding hazards is not difficult (hence the class II rating). A couple rapids (particularly Double
Stump, below S-turn) can pick up strainers. Boat scouting is straightforward, and if strainers are
present, portages are easy. So, a good responsible guide should make for a fun trip. No guarantee
you won't swimm, but rescues aren't particularly hard. Again, this is a class II river, and a great
one to learn on. The surf waves make it fun even for class IV-V paddlers, so it isn't difficult to
get someone to guide you through. When there is water, just show up around 11 a.m., and the old
hands will magically appear soon after. This is a good rule summer or winter, just make sure to
"dress for the swimm" when it's cold.
At that level, the creek simply turns into a Class I+ deadwater and riffle run that is a perfect
classroom for technicality 101. At that level, the S-Turn is more of the less a small ledge.
However, that level is GREAT for fishing, since the creek is very clear and the fish are easily
sighted.
I have canoed the stream up to 2000 cfs (about 1 1/2 ft.), and at that level, the dam scared the
living hell out of me, I really dont see how the stream is paddeled at levels above that....
decent prices, polite employees, great water level). The shuttle was only 10 bucks each then, and
the place was staffed by a couple of guys who knew the water and could tell us the hairy spots.
This time, however, was a little different. Suddenly the shuttle is 20 bucks each, the manager gets
short with us when we try to talk to her about it ( she offered to let us put in upstream, float
down, then give one of us a ride to the truck for $20), and it's pretty obvious that she doesn't
care as much about our measly $40 bucks as much as she cared about getting the group of 20
customers paid and out the door. We left, and we won't be back. What she didn't know is that I was
also shopping for a cheap skirt for my rascal ( oops, definitely a lost sale there!) and since we
have wimpy little recreational boats, I planned on shopping there when I bought the boat I wanted.
I WOULD have preferred to give my little bit of money to a small, local business rather than a huge
department store like Dick's, but I'll be dipped in sheep butter & deep-fried before I spend
another dime at a company that that treats paddlers that way, and I kinda like the way I sit in my
new QT sport ($422.94 total at Dicks). Thank god we can take 2 vehicles, and ignore them. I guess
they ARE in business to make money, but the shuttle shouldn't be 3/4 of a rental, and it definitely
shouldn't be more than it costs to take another vehicle.
then the dam doesnt prove to be much of a hazard. I've actually seen guys run it at this level,
however, I'm not saying you should, I still say its not safe. As long as you exit on the left side,
you'll be okay.
section of the Elkhorn: 1) The US 460 Forks Bridge - this is the traditional paddlers gauge and is
on the S. Fork of the Elkhorn tributary 2) The N. Fork bridge - this is a gauge that the local
outfitter, CanoeKY has painted and roughly corresponds with the US 460 Forks Bridge. 3) The
Knight's bridge gauge - this is at the 'AW Acres' takeout and was painted to read similar to the US
460 Forks gauge but it's typically a little higher. Using the US 460 Forks bridge, anything around
6" - 10" usually means it's too low - at least for many wwpaddlers who don't like to scrape through
rocky riffles (which is essentially all that remains of the "rapids" at this level) or have to slog
through the copious number of flatwater pools between the drops. The US 460 Forks gauge has been in
standard use by wwpaddlers for years, but in reality does not give consistent flow readings. A 10"
reading in the spring can be way different than a 10" in the summer. This is because the US 460
Forks gauge is mostly measuring the S.Fork tributary and will often "under report" the additional
flow that the N. Fork is contributing. --- In addition, there are two USGS gauges that have been
used to determine flow on the Elkhorn Gorge: 1) N.Fork Elkhorn @ Georgetown - this one is way
upstream on the N. Fork tributary and was the satellite gauge of choice before the arival of ... 2)
Elkhorn Creek Near Frankfort - This is the new USGS real time flow gauge on the creek and (IMHO)
the best to use because it accurately reflects both the N. and S. fork tributaries. Based on the
"Elkhorn near Frankfort" USGS gauge I have put 500cfs as minimum wwfun and around 2500cfs as
maximum.