Rock Creek (Monocacy River Trib.)
1. PA Rt. 116 to PA Rt. 97
| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 2.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Monocacy River at Bridgeport, Md |
| Flow Rate as of 34 minutes | 41 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | August 31, 2021 |
River Description
This is a really fun section where Rock Creek flows through a belt of Diabase rock near the Gettysburg Battlefield. The run begins slowly before entering a natural slalom through boulders. There are lots of turns and slots to maneuver through. Late in the run, the gradient increases and the rapids reach Class 3 in the finale above Rt. 97. This run can be combined with Middle Creek and Marsh Creek to make the Getttysburg Diabase Triple Crown! Rock has the shortest runable window of the three so starting with Rock is a good idea.
River Features
Put-in - PA Rt. 116
Pickett's Charge
The run gets steeper and blind with a row of boulders before pouring over a 3 foot ledge between two rocks (The Canons). Stay in the middle to avoid The Canons and boof the ledge.
The Slaughter Pen
After Pickett's Charge, you enter a long series of continuous rocky drops called The Slaughter Pen. The drops aren't big but the water is fast and lots of maneuvering is required to make it through.
Devil's Den
The final rapid on the creek is a very fun rocky ledge. After a long rocky lead in (The Slaughter Pen), you come to a ledge. You can make a hard turn on the left or boof the ledge on the right.
Take-out - PA Rt. 97
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