| Difficulty | I-III(IV) |
| Length | 20 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 18 fpm |
| Gauge | Clear Creek at Lilly Bridge Near Lancing, Tn |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 942 cfsmedium runnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 28, 2026 |
The 'Clear Creek Overnighter' from US 127 to Barnett Bridge is a rare treat for these parts - a 20 mile stretch of stream with no bridges or easy access from start to finish. It starts as a small creek with just enough water to float, and matures into a proper full sized creek by take-out, as the watershed expands to four times the put-in drainage through the journey. Those twenty miles are packed with beautiful sights such as rockhouses, bluffs, arches, and waterfalls, as well as challenging little rapids and some great campsites. There are lots of slow pools and stretches of flatwater, which with the right attitude are a welcome opportunity to soak in the silence and contemplate this special little place. The difficulty is hard to encapsulate with the traditional whitewater rating scale. While a good bit of the paddling is flat or easy Class I-II rapids, there are many Class II+/III boulder chokes and situations that are quite tricky to deal with in an open canoe, which is the preferred craft for this trip. Still not trivial in a loaded creek boat either, these spots are often blind, sometimes choked with trees, and require some experience to manage safely. This puts the Clear Creek Overnighter quite out of reach for paddlers not competent in whitewater, but it can perhaps seem tedious for folks looking for non-stop action. What this actually means is that this trip is ideal for paddlers looking for a 3-4 day semi-wilderness paddling experience who don't need adrenaline but who are also competent in safely negotiating technical creeks. Several groups have put on late on a Friday, camped a mile in, drank too much on their opening night of this 'easy' overnighter, only to spend 10 hours the next day hammering 19 miles of flatwater with a hangover, at low water. As is with so much in life, expectations and proper preparation are everything. If you're the type that gets in a hurry when things get scenic, skip this one. If you're looking for a slow, engaged, extend
...Important to note that as of 2026, a new highway 127 bridge over clear creek has been built, and is too high to access the river from. It's assumed that 'old Hwy 127' will eventually be where you go to access the river, which is where this pin is located. Park downstream river-right up the hill a little, and use an old road down to the water within the right of way.
A good stopping point for night 1 on a 3 or 4 day trip, No Business is flat enough for a decently sized group, positioned up on a flood plain at the confluence with Clear Creek and No Business Creek.
If you're paddling a loaded canoe and it's cold outside, this is a wise portage. Higher flows and kayaks make it more reasonable.
Here Four Mile Creek joins from river-left, creating a broad flat area and a nice camp at Norris Ford, just around a sharp left corner past the confluence.
This is an ideal last night's camp.
This is also an access point within Obed Wild & Scenic River. The old road heads upstream river-left along Clear Creek, crosses to creek-right of Four Mile Creek, and leads under two miles up to an NPS parking spot. There are some special places to hike to based from the camp at Norris Ford.
This rapid is super hard in a loaded canoe, and still quite challenging even in the most modern creek boat. It's easy to blunder, so watch for a sharp left turn and eddy right to scout/portage. If you should run it you'll know how. The rock at the bottom has created great complications for folks trying to make an early Sunday dinner. It's undercut so plan accordingly.
First take out option is at Barnett Bridge. Park head in to make room for other river users, downstream river-right of the bridge. Avoid leaving valuables at either access point.