Obed, TN

Widowmaker

Widowmaker
Photo by Tom O'Keefe taken 5MAR2004

Gauge Information

River Description

Logistics: To reach the take-out from the town of Wartburg (you?ll find a National Park visitor
center here), follow the signs to the Nemo Access from Old Highway 27 and head out the southwest
corner of town and continue 6.0 miles down to the river. Ample parking and a nice day-use area with
changing area and picnic tables can be found upstream river left of the old Nemo Bridge. This is a great
meeting point and place to hangout after your run. You have a couple options for put-ins depending on
what type of run you?re looking for. You can drive directly down to Obed Junction. Alternatively you can
run a section of Daddy?s Creek
from Devils Breakfast Table (if the wildlife gate is not closed for the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area)
to the Obed confluence, or Clear
Creek to the Obed confluence. Runs beginning further upstream on the Obed are of course a possibility as well.

From Obed Junction which is at the confluence with Daddy?s Creek, the river flows through 2.8
miles of class II/III rock gardens before you reach a one mile section containing Ninety Right-Ninety
Left (class III-), OmyGod! (class III+), Rockgarden (class IV)Be aware of the dangerous spot that exist on the right in this rapid, and Submarine Falls (class II+). Soon after
these drops you will pass Clear Creek which enters in from the left 4.2 miles into the run from Obed
Junction. You will encounter four more class III rapids separated by calm stretches of river, the last two
of which are known as Keep Right and Widowmaker.

 The Obed joins the Emory River at mile 8.8, From there its just another mile downstream to the take-out at
the old Nemo Bridge.

Here's the official Obed Wild & Scenic River Map with all the putins and takeouts.