White Oak Creek

Soloed this in an open boat yesterday, 05/18/25. Dropped my truck at Laurel-Dale Cemetery parking lot and walked the 1.7 miles through downtown Rugby, TN to the Hwy 52 bridge. The walking shuttle doubled as a tour of historic Rugby. I ran it at 400 cfs, which is below the recomended minimum 500 cfs. It was enough water and there were many other groups on the water. At the end of the Horseshoe Bend flatwater section, a tulip poplar in full bloom has fallen across the creek. In the beginning of the gorge section, three huge ravens flew from a cliff house on the left and roosted in a tree above me to check me out. They are the only ravens known to have returned to TN and were written about in a recent copy of The Tennessee Conservationist. Beatiful place and great experience. 'The Slide' has a tree in the right bottom 1/3 that is above and below the waterline. I went left where the water was shallower, scraped to a near stop on the slide, then got spun sideways into the bottom hole. I sidesurfed for 3 mins before I back paddled safley out. It was exhuasting for a 52 yr old. All the main rapids were class II. At 400 cfs, more rocks appear and drops are less washed out. It was a challenge. The hike out trail from the confluence with Clear Fork aka the 'Meeting of the Water' to the Laurel-Dale Cemetery parking lot is a loop trail. When you find the trail, GO LEFT. Left is .7 miles and is mostly on an old graded roadbed, which is easy to carry a boat down. Right is 1.5 miles of mostly uphill on a boulder strewn goat trail through branches that keep grabbing your boat. I mistakenly went right and it was absolute hell. White Oak Creek is one of the most beautiful places on the plateau. The mountain laurel were in full bloom up and down both sides of the creek. The gorge walls are stunning. It is just an incredible place to paddle.