Casselman
4) Markleton to Harnedsville
| Difficulty | II-III |
| Length | 11 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 40 fpm |
| Gauge | Casselman River at Markleton, Pa |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 4.56 fthigh runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 7, 2025 |
River Description
This intermediate run is a stone's throw from the Lower Yough and is often runnable in the winter/spring when the Yough is too high for an intermediate paddler's taste. Depending upon levels, the flow is fast and mostly Class II in difficulty with some rapids approaching Class III starting in the 3-4 foot range and higher. The river is also fairly open, but one can find plenty of slalom play and good surfing throughout the run at medium levels.
Just below the Markleton, PA put-in there are a series of small ledges that can be surfed. A little ways down, not long into the run, the river makes a bend to the left. In this bend, is a large munchy hole --called 'Terminator Hole' (Class III-) in the center and center right of the river. The hole is easily avoidable on the left and at most levels there is a more difficult line to the far right. The river continues with a few open Class II rapids.
After a while, the river turns to the left at a huge railroad cut. At low water levels, the river shoals out in the turn and the line is to stay far left -- just left of a small rocky/gravely island. At higher water levels, you can run it anywhere and the island becomes a pour-over to be avoided. The river comes together below the little island and forms a nice surfing wave against a large rock formation ('Lunch Rock') on river right with the old railroad (bike trail) bridge immediately below. Depending upon your timing, this is a potential lunch spot -- river right.
The river continues at Class II until you come to a somewhat blind turn through some rocks, which creates a rapid called 'Pinkerton Mixmaster'. At lower and moderate water levels, there are slots center and left that can be run and sometimes a shoaly slot on the right, as well (usually Class II+ to Class III-). Above 4' the slots in the center and left are solid class IIIs, and the right slot becomes a sneak route.
A little below 'Pinkerton Mixmaster' there is a rock that looks a little like
...River Features
Markleton Put-in
Markleton put-in: The put-in is in Markleton, PA on the river right side upstream from the bridge on the river side from the railroad tracks. There is a nice park on river left downstream from the bridge, which would appear to be a good put-in, but from time to time, someone from the PA Fish & Boat Commission appears to harangue boaters about the PA Fish & Boat Commission sticker ($18.00 fee for 2 years [apparently required at all public PA river accesses, but which only comes up at the Markleton river access]) and threaten a $150.00 fine as a penalty for not having the sticker on the boat.
"Terminator Hole"
A little ways down, not long into the run, the river makes a bend to the left. In this bend, is a large munchy hole --called 'Terminator Hole' (Class III-) in the center and center right of the river. The hole is easily avoidable on the left and at most levels there is a more difficult line to the far right. Image was taken at a high runnable level of 5.0' (Markleton).
Lets Make a Deal
Three slots to choose from, the rightmost one is the easiest.
Lunch Rock
After a while, the river turns to the left at a huge railroad cut. At low water levels, the river shoals out in the turn and the line is to stay far left -- just left of a small rocky/gravely island. At higher water levels, you can run it anywhere and the island becomes a pour-over to be avoided. The river comes together below the little island and forms a nice surfing wave against a large rock formation ('Lunch Rock') on river right with the old railroad (bike trail) bridge immediately below. Depending upon the timing of your trip, Lunch Rock is the first common place to stop and have lunch.
Pinkerton Mixmaster
The rapid begins with a somewhat blind turn through some rocks. At lower and moderate water levels, there are slots center and left that can be run and a shoaly slot on the right, as well (usually Class II+). Above 4' the slots in the center and left are solid class IIIs, and the right slot becomes a sneak route (Class III).
Turtle Claw
This rapid called 'Turtle Claw' is just a little below 'Pinkerton Rocks'. At the top of the rapid there is a rock that looks a little like a turtle shell that sits on the river right end of a ledge running out from the river left shore. There is a center right tongue past this ledge and the cautious paddler should stay on the right side of this tongue because there are two offset rocks (the 'Claw') just beneath the surface on the left side of the tongue that can cause problems. Which is not to say that an aggressive paddler wouldn't be able to boof the turtle shell rock into the eddy behind the ledge, but if the boof is sloppy or missed the downstream rocks can come into play with flipping potential. At certain water levels the usually hidden rocks can become a rooster tail.
High Bridge
When the second old railroad (bike trail) bridge becomes visible, start moving to river left. Enter the next rapid on the left, but move to the center as the tongue picks up speed to avoid a large hole and one or two smaller ones (depending upon the level -- all of which are usually surfable) on far river left.
"High Bridge Surfing Waves"
AKA 'Surflab 2' Right below the second railroad bridge, the river turns left and there is a large eddy and small beach on river left. At certain levels (2.25'-3.00', they wash out in the low to mid 3's and above), there are some nice surfing waves on river right at this location as well. The beach on river left is a second potential lunch stop. Level of picture: Markleton - 2.92')
Lost Run Waterfall
On small creek (Lost Run) river left
Lost Run Rapid
(AKA 'Tossed Salad') After the waterfall on river left is another rapid (Class III) called 'Lost Run' because it's about 100 yards downstream from the Lost Run waterfall). This rapid can be run left or right, but requires hole punching, eddy catching, and maneuvering either way.
"The Ledges"
The next rapid is on a sweeping left turn and starts with a river wide shoal that can be snuck on a left to center move at low water. As the rapid gathers speed, there are a series of diagonal waves that can be punched or surfed on the fly (no staging eddies).
Fort Hill (Usual) Takeout
Standard Take-out. There is a parking area on river right just above the Fort Hill Rd. Bridge. (6.05 miles).
Fort Hill Rapid
Rapid below the Fort Hill takeout. A sweeping turn to the right.
"McClintock Run"
Another waterfall on small creek (McClintock Run - river left) announces this Class III- rapid. The line involves punching a ledge drop mostly in the center, followed soon afterward by a hole. Eddy below. At medium water levels, there is a relatively straightforward sneak route along the right riverbank. Image was taken at 2.9 feet on the Markleton gauge.
Cucumber Run
A short distance below McClintock Run, a second creek joins the Casselman River, also from river left. According to the USGS naming convention it is this second creek that is 'Cucumber Run'. There is also a fast water boulder garden rapid at this confluence called 'Cucumber Run Rapid' (AKA 'Pickle).
Hogback Rd./Bike Trail Bridge (Alt Long) Takeout
There is parking on the river right side of the old railroad (now bike trail) bridge off of Hogback Rd. roughly 0.4 miles upstream from the PA 523 bridge at Harnedsville, PA.
Listonburg Rd. (PA 523) Harnedsville (Long) Takeout
For the longer run, you can take out here. There is parking along the small road on river left, just upstream of the Listonburg Rd (PA 523) bridge at Harnedsville, PA.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportLevel 2.92'
Previous Comment: 'McClintock Run rapid (which is actually Cucumber Run -- the previous AW writeup had mislabeled it)' --- not according to the USGS naming convention or the State Park signage along the rail trail that crosses the creek above the rapid. According to those sources, the creek that comes in from river left at or just below the 'McClintock Run' rapid is 'McClintock Run'. About 500 yards further downstream a second creek joins the Casselman River, also from river left. According to my read of the USGS naming convention it is this second creek that is 'Cucumber Run'.
I did the full run to Harnedsville because I was curious about the McClintock Run rapid (which is actually Cucumber Run -- the previous AW writeup had mislabeled it) and because taking out at Fort Hill always seemed a little too short (it's only 6 miles). The gage in Markleton was at 2.9, and I was in an old-school Royalex canoe -- 16 feet and no flotation, so I had to look for clean lines (sometimes scouting ahead from the riverbank).
The hardest rapid in this context is Tossed Salad. There is a clean line to be found on river left, but there are lots of little rocks that hide under the surface and threaten to disrupt a line, which could be somewhat calamitous given the overall length of the rapid and the boulders that await throughout.
Running the left line at the Cucumber Run rapid, meanwhile, could potentially swamp an open boat at this level, so I opted for a sneak route of sorts along the right riverbank, avoiding a little pourover at the bottom. It was not an overly technical line.
The last mile or two to Harnedsville was basically flat, but thankfully there is a steady current, which helped considerably while a strong afternoon wind blew upstream. The takeout by the GAP trail bridge was doable, albeit not wonderful.
P.S. I've used the Markleton put-in pretty regularly since 2020, and I haven't yet encountered the Fish and Game police that feature prominently in the descriptions here on American Whitewater.