Sinking Creek

Sinking Creek is a boating adventure that is mostly about walking and paddling through the woods in a seldom-visited location. This run is not for everybody. It involves a 1 mile hike in, 5.6 miles on the water and then 1.3 mile hike back to your vehicle. In return, one will be treated to a handful of class II rapids, some nice scenery and no shuttle.

Big Dog Branch (the stream you actually putin on) has a tiny drainage area and will require heavy rainfall for its showcase drop, The Proverbial Big Dog, to be runnable. If this drop is not running, then putin below it. A few class II ledges lead quickly to the confluence with Sinking Creek. During times of high water, one can put in further up Big Dog at the confluence with Spruce Branch to add one IV/V rapid and one more mile to the run.

Sinking Creek hosts the bulk of this run and is a decent sized creek with a watershed over 40 square miles. The streambed opens up and the forested slopes and cliffs can be seen through the rhododendron. The first four miles of Sinking Creek are flat, with possibly a few strainer portages. In the last mile there are probably a half-dozen class II/III boulder gardens. Shortly below the last set of rapids is the confluence with the Rockcastle. Continue downstream for just a couple hundred yards and get out on the left. Walk up to the dirt road above the river and follow it back to your car.

Directions:

From I-75, take exit 38 and follow hwy 192 W for 5.5 miles, you will see 552 on your left and you will turn right just past this road, but before the little store. Go around the store and continue west, the road will soon turn to gravel. Stay left at the first three Y intersections, staying on FS1

...