Little Elk Creek (Elk Creek/Lake Erie trib.)
1.) Old State Road to Francis Road
| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 1.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 77 fpm |
| Gauge | Brandy Run Near Girard, Pa |
| Flow Rate as of 35 minutes | 1.64 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | November 26, 2024 |
River Description
Little Elk is the biggest tributary stream of Elk Creek. Don't let the high gradient and Class III rating fool you; it is mostly due to constant whitewater keeping you on your toes the whole time. The first .25 miles are pretty easy with a warm-up Class II and then the creek begins to get steeper with a fun 3 foot waterfall. About a half a mile from the takeout is a 9 foot sloping ledge followed by a wide and very gradual 12 foot ledge leading into some holes that get big when the water is up. After this point the run is constant Class II boogie water until you get to Francis Road. There is a concrete stream bottom here which drops about 6 sloping feet and ends in a 3 foot waterfall. If the water is near the max level, there is a lethal whirlpool that forms just below the falls and would be nearly impossible to get out of. To portage, you must trespass on private property on the right in order to get to the takeout or continue into the lower gorge down to Girard.
Parking is a bit of an issue here. Park on State Road .25 miles from the take out. Go west on Francis Road from the bridge to the intersection. Turn right on State Road and park just past the second house on the right where there is a big enough shoulder. When you take out you have to climb a steep bank. You may want to leave your kayak by the road and walk up to your car. You can then put your flashers on and strap your boat on while sitting on the road. Traffic is very low on Francis Road.
River Features
Franklin Center Road
Put in near the Franklin Center Road. A lot of the area is posted, so you may have to park a couple hundred yards away and put in on the tributary stream that parallels Franklin Center Road.
Three Foot Falls
Three Foot Falls is the first major ledge. It presents no major difficulties, but can be fun for surfing. It comes up on the first left bend. This marks the beginning of the steeper section.
Flat Rock
The river widens out and as you will come to an 80 degree bend. Flat Rock is just below. It is not very tough, but can look intimidating on the approach. It is quite wide and tends to be a scrapey descent down the 9 foot steep sloping ledge. You can run it anywhere except the far left where you might get pinned in a very narrow slot. You can scout it if you want on the left side in the flat hemlock forest. A large flat slab of sandstone is on the right side that almost hangs over the ledge. This might be a good place to take nice close up pictures of people running the ledge. Zoom Slide is just below.
Zoom Slide
Just after Flat Rock, the Zoom Slide begins. It is a series of holes on a gently sloping ledge that drops about 12 feet in about 50 yards. You can pick up a lot of speed here. There is a nice hole at the bottom as the ledge culminates in a big pool. The river is wide here too, so you might scrape a lot near the minimal level. The deepest route is on the left. There are many great play spots from here to Concrete Falls.
Fold Island
Just as Francis Road comes into view, you will come to a ledge formed of folded bedrock on the right side of the island. Most of the water is on the right side if there is enough water for there to be an island at all. The left side often gets choked with strainers.
Concrete Falls
This rapid can be anything from a Class II to Class V+ depending on the level. Concrete Falls is directly underneath Francis Road. The river becomes constricted into a fake narrow channel, slides down a sloping drop with one big hole, then plunges into the whirlpool. This is a fun ride and the climax of the trip. You can't scout it except from the shuttle because the area upstream of the falls is posted. Metal grading exists on the concrete bed, but you will not see it nor will it be a problem. If it weren't for that, this spot would be the ideal place to use as a waterslide. Take out just below on the left side or continue into the Lower Gorge.
WARNING: Excersise extreme caution in high water. The whirlpool at the base of the falls creates a death trap at levels above 1.4 ft.
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportLooking up from the bottom of Zoom Slide.
Here is a side view of Three Foot Falls. Watch for the tree on the left. It's a small tree, but it's been there forever.
Dave Hendershot underwater with the steelheads like Jaques Cuosto!
This is Concrete Falls at medium-high water. You better portage when it's like this because the whirlepool at the bottom is a lethal trap. I lost my paddle in it before and it took me 30 minutes or so for me to get it back.
Frank Frankovitch running Three Foot Falls.
Dave Hendershot running Three Foot Falls.
Frank Frankovitch running Three Foot Falls.
Dave, Frank, and Ted getting ready to put in at Old State. You can put in up a little farther up too if you want to add some 1.25 miles of Class II's by hiking into the gorge from State and Fillinger Rd.
This is the typical scene of a mid-winter thaw on Little Elk.
Ted running Flat Rock with his helmet cam. Zoom Slide is just below the pool at the bottom of this ledge for a nice double punch.