Gwynns Falls,
|
|
Gwynn Oak Ave. to Wilkens Ave (US 1)
| Usual Difficulty |
II-III(IV) (may vary with level) |
| Length |
5.6 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
45 fpm |
| Max Gradient |
150 fpm |
Gauge Information
River Description
This long and challenging trip would be outstanding were it not for the water quality and the
visible trash (including plastic growing on the trees), which undermines the otherwise pleasant
parkland scenery. The first mile, to Forest Park Avenue, starts off class II-, but gradually
steepens to class III-. This section can be scouted from Purnell Drive on the north (where you can
park to put in) and Cedar and Pickwick Drives on the south. Below Forest Park Avenue, by the
restored mill town of Dickeysville, a 10-foot dam must be portaged. The class II-III rapids then
resume, and two-thirds of a mile after the dam comes a tricky class III at the bottom of a long
rock garden. This section can be scouted from Wetheredsville Road. Dead Run enters from the right
midway through the trip, marked by a pair of small ledges. Three-fourths of a mile later, at Hilton
Street, some apparently untreated sewerage seeps in from the left. Shortly below, the creek braids;
the left channel has a class III- ending.
In another half mile, the stream flows below Edmondson Avenue (US 40), and you need to be alert.
First, there is an iron pipe across the creek, at the end of a short straight section. Scout from
the eddy on the right. In very low water you can slip beneath it; otherwise, portage on the right.
Then, 200 yards below, is Gwynns Falls, a five-foot drop. In low water, you can scout from the rock
ledge in the middle. The right channel is precipitous, with unseen shallow rocks just below that
make this short drop a class IV-, while the left chute is a very narrow and twisty class IV. A
short portage over the middle ledge is often the best alternative, especially given the water
quality. This is followed immediately by a delightful class III rock garden, and soon thereafter by
a four-foot, class III ledge (easiest on the right, in low water), followed by a long class II rock
garden that continues down to W. Baltimore St. Below, the gradient eases up, although there are
still some easy rapids, including one nice wave train. Take out by the park on river right upstream
of the Wilkins Avenue (US 1) bridge; park on the street.
You could continue another mile to the Gwynns Falls Trailhead parking area by the Carroll Park Golf
Course, just off Washington Boulevard, but neither the gradient (20 ft/mile) nor the scenery
(awful) justify that. Below Washington Boulevard, Gwynns Falls is tidal for its final two miles,
before entering the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River estuary, 1.5 miles southwest of the mouth
of Jones Falls, and 1.5 miles northwest of the mouth of the flowing Patapsco River.
StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2005-05-11 21:25:42
Editors
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. 
User Comments
boaters to put in just below the dam at Dickeysville as this eliminates all but one portage (the
low pipe below Edmondson Ave) and features the heaviest whitewater section. At this level the right
slot of upper Gwynn's Falls is a safer drop than the left option, just manuver to the left of the
roostertail. The final big riverwide ledge about 1/2 mile further downstream should also be run on
the right about 5-8 feet left of the protruding rock just before the drop itself. You can take out
on Frederick Avenue on the right if you want to avoid the remaining flatwater and don't mind a more
strenuous climb vs. the remaining. takeouts. Edit
2000 cfs at Washington Blvd and was quite enjoyable. I portaged the double pipeline on the left,
which seems to be the best way---not the right side, as mentioned on the main page. I put back in
on top of the concrete block that forms the end of the pipeline. Even though I spent about 24
minutes scouting and portaging, the whole trip took only 1:25, so I spent about an hour actually on
the water. It was really very good. Edit
possible nighttime drizzle of around 12 hours prior to that. I had mistakenly thought the
Washington Blvd gauge read 2.8, with the level rising at Villa Nova, far upstream. I put on at 5:40
p.m. and finished at 6:57 p.m. (Dickeyville to Wash Blvd) for a total low-water time of
1:17---perfect for an afternoon, although everyone else will take a bit longer. (Sunset was at
about 6:28, but I made it past the crux rapid just about then.) The hydraulic at the main ledge
just downstream of Route 40/Edmondson Ave was sticky---I hit it badly, and it was a bit scary, even
at this low level---treat it with respect, always! The level at Washington Blvd when I took out was
2.5, just above the absolute minimum of around 2.3---I had wondered why it seemed awfully rocky for
3.0---it wasn't 3.0! Villa Nova was at around 160. The new gauge system reads much more frequently
than before, and is much more useful. A delightful afternoon! Edit
from Dickeyville to Washington Blvd---the best section---but I could remember only 21 by the time
when I went to write them down. No matter---there are only a few of significance. You put in to
Rapid #1, below the drowning machine dam at the park at Dickeyville; the best spot is on the left
side of Salamander Run. Currently, there is a log on the right side to watch out for. You pass
under a small bridge and run a small slide (Rapid #2). A couple of small rapids leads to Rapid #5,
the first crux. The creek makes a sharp left turn; start far right at low water and work far left.
After Rapid #7, you come to Windsor Mill Rd bridge. Rapid #8 is immediately downstream, and has a
bridge pier just left of center, which is submerged at higher levels. Rapid #9 is a potentially
DANGEROUS ledge, probably man-made, where you should stay left; the right side has a bad hole. At
the bottom, Dead Run enters on the right. Soon, you pass under Franklintown Rd. bridge. Rapid #11
has an island---stay left; the right side is too shallow. After a 90-degree left turn, you come to
a 90-degree right turn where logs tend to create hazards---currently, it is open. Now, if I've
counted correctly, Rapid #12 is a pipeline immediately downstream of the Route 40/Edmondson Ave
bridge that you should be very careful about. I've described it elsewhere, below; currently the
left and right slots are open, but not the center. Scout! Rapid #13 is the crux, a 5-6-foot ledge
that is serious almost all of the time---Class 4-to-7, depending on the level. The hydraulic is
very sticky. Scout carefully. There is a piton rock on the right side, and the launch current kicks
leftward, encouraging a stay in the hole, which could easily be fatal at most levels. On my most
recent trip, I screwed this up, when I should have known better; I made it through---just not
gracefully. Rapid #14 is just downstream---a tombstone-shaped rock sits blocking the middle of the
river. I always eddy left, then, at low water, I ferry to the right, while at higher levels, you
can go left or right. Downstream a few hundred yards are 2 ledges---Rapids #15 & #16. The first
one is safest on the left, although it can also be run TIGHT right; Do NOT Go Down The Middle!!!
That hole definitely looks very dangerous!! At the second ledge, I boof the right side at lower
levels, and run the far left at scary-high levels. Scout! Soon you come to a rapid underneath the
Baltimore St. bridge. Everything from here on down should be self-explanatory. Have fun! I hope to
see some other paddling party on this run someday!! Edit
bringing GF up to 4.2 at Washington Blvd on Sat morning. At 9:30, I checked it visually and it was
at 3.5. We put on at about 11:30, and it had dropped to 3.0 when we arrived at the takeout (Wash
Blvd) at 1:15. This was an enjoyable minimum level. We didn't stop to scout or portage. Currently,
the right channel at the pipeline is open, and we were able to paddle it; a little more water might
prevent that. There was a good current the whole way. The Washington Blvd gauge can be read online
at: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01589352. Edit
around 1.25 ft/ 50 cfs; this turned out to be an abusive minimum. Total time from Dickeyville to
Wash. Blvd.: @3 hours. I paddled it once before at @70 cfs at VN; this was slightly less abusive.
An acceptable level for many people might be around 100 cfs, but the gauge is far upstream, so this
is only a rough indicator rather than a true water level. The stated minimum of 150 would be
well-padded, but less frequent. I noticed a new visual gauge at Washington Blvd---the only visual
gauge that I know of. The abusive-minimum level here is 2.5. A good minimum would probably be 2.75.
4.2 is very nice. Because the telemetric gauges are read only once a day, and the creek can easily
rise and fall in 6 hours, the telemetric gauges are often not helpful, except for later reference,
which is why the Wash. Blvd. gauge is very useful. Otherwise, the only good place to check the
creek visually is at Windsor Mill Rd bridge, where the rapids can give one a rough idea of the
level, although there is no gauge there. The best rapids are 1)downstream of Dickeyville and 2) the
ledges section downstream of Route 40. The Washington Blvd gauge can be read online at:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01589352. Edit
declare this to be the lower end of perfect. The rapids were great fun, no portages, and I could
scrape over the double pipeline---however, this would change if someone were to remove the enormous
amount of trash that causes a backup of the water there. (If you do decide to portage the main
drop, scout from river left at Route 40 first, then portage the big ledge on the right; the left
side is a cliff.) I hit @ 7-8 rocks, total---hardly any! Also, there is a new USGS gauge just
upstream of Washington Blvd: the level there was @4.2 or so. I paddled down to the harbor and had a
lovely dinner at Nick's Fish House, where I took out. It was a very nice day. Total time to
takeout: @2 hours and 15 minutes. Also, the best put-in is off of Forest Park Dr.---Take Pickwick
Rd. down to the park at Dickeyville on river right; put in below the drowning machine dam. This
put-in results in at least one less portage. Takeout at Washington Blvd, unless you want to paddle
down to the harbor and probably see more birds. P.S. I noticed that it comes up with about an inch
of rain in 12 hours or so. Edit
the USGS site
(http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif&period=7&site_no=01589330).
It was slightly scrapy, but not too bad. Would have been better with 50 cfs more. The 2 scrapiest
sections are within sight of the road. I put in behind the former seafood restaurant, below the
dam, for maximum convenience; the owners were cool--they waved at me, although I hadn't asked
permission. I took out on Gwynns Falls, below the parkway bridge. There is a sliding ledge hole
below the last bridge above the confluence that was fun, but was also the hardest rapid on the run.
I'll call the run Class 2-3, possibly easier with more water. There were numerous birds that I
couldn't identify--my ornithological knowledge is severely limited--including a large raptor,
possibly a sea-eagle or osprey. It was an enjoyable trip, but it often drops very quickly, so
you've got to get there quickly, usually.---Robert Farmer
Who the hell is philippe damiano? And why is his name appearing on this posting? Edit
It was awkward hauling my boat up a jagged concrete pouring on the right to the railroad tracks.
The day before, the body of a boy who fell in the creek was snagged/recycled here and recovered
after a big rescue effort (it was on tv). Be careful of this drop. Also, I paddled down to the
harbor, and I didn't think it was as bad as described above. I enjoyed it, but there was a lot of
trash--some of it usable! As far as takeout parking, the Carroll Park Golf Course may have less
crime than the Wilkins Ave location. Even safer would be to paddle down to the harbor (eg Harbor
Hospital). While riding my bike here in 2007, I noticed that the pipeline immediately downstream of
Route 40 is actually two pipes side-by-side horizontally; at 1000 cfs, I never saw them (well, they
seemed like an old dam), but I would say definitely take out on river left above the rapids at the
Route 40 bridge to scout or portage--these pipes could be extremely dangerous. The right slot has a
good bit of debris hanging from it; the far left may be open (at least at below-minimum level); the
center slot has the body of what appears to be a construction crane (amazing!) in it. There is a
concrete support in midstream that kind of makes it look like a dam. Also, the trash on the banks
has gotten much worse than before.