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Clove Brook, NJ
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Colesville to Rte. 651
Class IV-V
1.5 Miles
Avg Gradient 160 fpm
Clove Brook
Clove BrookPhoto of Stephen Strange by Mary Beth Brennan (now Mrs. Strange) taken June 97 @ even with footing
River Description
Clove Brook is a trib. of Papakating Creek. It gathers most of its water from a swampy area on the Kittatinny ridge just south of the NY border. Because of this it actually runs more than you would think, sometimes staying up for a week after a good rain in the early spring.
Probably one of the steepest runs in NJ, Clove Br. drops around 240' in about 1.5 miles, with 60' of it occurring right after the creek goes under Rt. 23 for the first time. I would rate it a IV-V depending on water level. It's all ledges ranging from a few inches up to about 20'. Many of the ledges create some very symmetrical river-wide holes. The highlight of the run is the big slide (about 20') into a giant punchbowl, followed by a 6-8' drop (just after the creek goes under Rt. 23). With extra water, it would have very few eddies in some sections, it's very fast with lots of ledges and it tends to pick up wood. A few years ago (1998) it was clear because some local boaters worked hard to keep it that way during the summer. I haven't been back there since 2000, so stay alert.As far as I know, the first descents were by Adam Hubbard in the late 80's or early 90's and I seem to remember him telling me that he did it in a 15' Grumman canoe.
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Clove Brook is a trib of Papakating Creek. Despite the fact that I always think of the duck pond in front of the High Point State Park Ranger Station as its source, Clove Brook gathers most of its water from a swampy area on the Kittatinny ridge just south of the NY border. Because of this it actually runs more than you would think, sometimes staying up for a week after a good rain in the early spring. |
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| I haven't found a reliable online gauge for this run. To check onsite whether there is enough water, check the upstream, river-right, bridge pier on the bridge next to Dewitt Rd (see map below). If the water is within 3" of the top of the concrete footing of the bridge pier then it's runnable. To determine whether it's worth driving up to check it, check for excess water in the surrounding drainages (which have online gauges). Some of these include the Flatbrook at Flatbrookville, Papakating at Pelletown,Neversink at Bridgeville, and Bushkill at Shoemakers. |
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Put-in. There are two put-in options. You can put in in Colesville: The creek goes under a side road off of Rt. 23 and there is a spot you can put-in on river left just downsteam of the bridge. The other put-in is river-right, just upstream of the Rt. 23 bridge where the creek crosses under for the first time (next to Dewitt Rd.) (There is a gravel pull-off on Rt. 23 on the upstream, river-right side of the creek). |
It's not a long run, but it's fun and shuttle is quick and easy.
When you park at the midpoint of the run be careful of traffic going up and down Rt. 23.
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Take
out where Clove Br. crosses Unionville Rd. (Rte. 651). I have always parked on the little road that cuts the corner of Rt. 23 and Unionville ( I think it's called Gorge Rd.) and walked the hundred yds or so up to my car. |
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