Crooked Fork Creek
2. Potter's Falls to Camp Austin (Lower)
| Difficulty | III-IV |
| Length | 6.2 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 40 fpm |
| Gauge | Emory River at Oakdale, Tn |
| Flow Rate as of 26 minutes | 219 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 12, 2025 |
River Description
Lower Crooked Fork is a great intro-creeking run.
Many people who feel apprehensive about running the upper section choose to only run this section, while others will run both the upper and lower sections. The run starts with an easy drop over Potter's Falls into a deep pool, with Lower Potter's Falls just downstream (and worth a scout and likely portage for many). The next mile is class III with a few scattered class IV rapids. The next 2-miles is class II-III, but don't think the action is over, because the final mile is the river's final descent into the Emory River gorge. This final section includes class III rapids with a few class IV's. The remainder of the run is a 2-mile paddle down the Emory River to the take-out at Camp Austin.
Creek-boats and open-boats are recommended for this plateau gem but, a play-boat could be an option on a high flow day.
Articles and web links:
Potter's Falls made the front cover of the Summer, 1973 edition of American Whitewater Magazine.
The Crooked Fork Tennessee Paddle Page
Camping Options:
Camping can be found in the nearby Obed Wild and Scenic River area at the Rock Creek Campground located at the Nemo Bridge. This is the take-out for the Lily to Nemo section of Clear Creek and the Obed Junction to Nemo section of the Obed River.
Probably the closest campground is found in Frozen Head State Park. It's only a few miles away offering not only
...River Features
Potter's Falls
This 15ft waterfall is one of the easiest to run in the Southeast. Though it can be run almost anywhere, the common line is in the center over a small curler which lines you up for a rock finger. The extreme right side of the landing zone is shallow. Caution: The center line is easy to boof so watch your landing.
Other information on Potter's Falls.
Lower Potter's Falls
Many people portage this drop while others run it clean. Gauge should be 4 ft or higher to run this.
Caution: The right side of this drop is generally unrunnable. The boulders in the center of the river are severely undercut.
Drop off the left side of this 8 ft ledge sideways landing flat on your side bracing in 2-3 feet of water. Then, slide down a short slide for a final 4 ft drop into a pool.
You'll see a big boulder in the center of the river half way through the drop with a big pillow on it. Not only is this undercut, but its actually 2 rocks forming a sieve with wood jammed in it. There is a third boulder as well, just to the right and it is undercut in a BIG way! Strong/gutsy/confident boaters peel out of the eddy ferrying right into the center and across the face of the pillowed rock into an eddy. This is a pretty cool move.
Other information on Potter's Falls.
The Next Mile
The next 3/4 mile of Crooked Fork is a series of scattered class 3 rapids. All of which can be boat scouted.
The Class II Section
The next 1.5 miles is when the water takes a break. You'll think this run is over but the final punch is yet to come.
The Surprise Hole
After a lot of class II action, the river makes a left turn along a cliff on the right. Drop off into a hole as close to river-right as possible due to a rock that awaits your center line. This is the start of the final mile to the Emory.
Rollercoaster
This rapid is also found against a river-right cliff as the river turns left. It's a series of holes to punch with a washout into a large pool. However, the washout is into a river-right cliff that is very undercut. Keep left at the runout!
Divided Highway
This rapid is divided by a large angled/sloping rock. The left line offers a runout into an undercut rock with teeth sticking out. The right line is run by sliding off the right side of the angled/sloping rock.
3ft Ledge
This is a small ledge that lands on a rock shelf at lower levels.
The Last Ledge
With a nasty undercut left bank, this 4 ft. ledge drop can be run two ways. Either boof over the hole in the center, or bang down the right side over some rock ledges. Caution: The hole seems to feed back toward the river-left undercut.
Confluence with the Emory River
Much of the next 2-miles will be flat. (Look for some waves if the Emory is running high.)
Camp Austin Bridge Take-Out
Take-out on the right.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportOne of my favorite runs in the Obed System. I wouldn't do it lower than 3.4' and if you do it that low you will be doing some knuckle walking, but still worth it if you've never done it before. 4.0-4.3 is a good level for the intermediate first timer.
The river at the put-in bridge gauge is very narrow and a few inches on the gauge don't make much difference at Potters Falls. The highest I've run it is maybe 4.4' on the upper part and 5.5 on the lower part. We have run it as low as 3.4 more than once.
Posted for Karl Whipp:
Karl Whipp 2005-01-17 15:54:31
'Exiting the pool (below Lower Potters), stay river left and catch an eddy. You?ll see a big boulder in the center of the river half way through the next drop with a big pillow on it. You want to peel out of the eddy ferrying right, into the center and across the face of the pillowed rock into an eddy. This is a pretty cool move. I think the rock may be undercut, so don?t take it too lightly.'
Not only is this undercut, but its actually 2 rocks forming a sieve with wood jammed in it. There is a third boulder as well, just to the right and it is undercut in a BIG way!
Be careful out there.
Although the river left portage is more difficult it does have certain advantages. You can catch the eddy on the brink of the drop for a cheap thrill and then carry through the woods, lower your boat 10' or so, then scramble down holding on to roots. This sets you up to walk under the waterfall. When your under there notice the crumbly layer of oil shale that erodes much faster than the harder rock overlay, creating the undercut. Cool!
The huge rock monolith down stream of the plunge pool was once the top of the falls. During the flood of March 1929 (195,000cfs@Oakdale) the rock broke off and was hurdle downstream and burried in the gravel, pointing to the sky and leaning slightly upstream as if bracing against the flood.
Enjoy the scenery here. The rock garden below is a mess of breakdown detrius that has no rythm or reason.
That's the river left portage at Lamance Falls decribed above. Sorry!
Somewhere after Lower Potter's Falls
Try to have some momentum when you drop off this one.
Make sure you boof this pour-over and stay away from the undercut left bank.
I am posting this comment for Karl Whipp:
Crooked Fork - Us 27 to Camp Austin, III-IV (V)
We ran this fun little stream on 12/15/02. The US27 bridge gauge was about 4.2. This was a fun level, but I would like to see it at about 4.5 - 4.7. 4.2 was a little bony with lots of screw-ya rocks in the boulder gardens below Lamance Falls and I would have liked to see a little more cushion at Lower Potters Falls. Other than the above mentioned, it was a pretty good level.
If you don?t already know this, the water quality pretty much blows on this creek. Just a heads-up and a plug for Coca-Cola. Coke will kill darn near anything you may swallow.
Park, Plop and Drop.
Lower Potter's Falls with undercut rocks in the center.
Robert Martin writes 'I started taking the left line because you can see the bottom from from the left without having to get out of your boat and scout. Susan is not far enough left. Stu Thompson stopped snapping pictures after this to help rescue Susan. You must be far far left, and going fast to clear the hole. Susan spent so much time in this hole she had to change her mailing address. To make matters worse Diane Owens landed in there with her and they both began to recirculate. This is one bad little hole. After watching the carnage I stopped taking the left line.'