Canoeing and kayaking down the rivers of the United States is one of life's high points. Sometimes rapids can make the trip challenging; for many, that's the appeal. Others like to paddle along without risking life, limb, or turning turtle, admiring the riverbanks and going just the right distance to make the day perfect. Kayak Harpeth river in Tennessee for just such a peaceful adventure and you'll also be paddling past places where history was made.
Harpeth River (HR) begins in Tennessee's Rutherford County, flows through Franklin, and ends when it joins the Cumberland, which flows through Nashville, the state capital. Its 115-mile length is in the Mississippi watershed. It absorbs many other waters on its way from county to county, including West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
HR is a good river for beginners and family outings, as long as particular stretches are chosen. There is some Class II water that can help intermediate canoeists and kayakers learn to handle moving water. There are holes, rocks, and rapids, but none of them are too hard to miss or to navigate. There are wider, slower parts that have few, if any, challenges.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
Another is an engineering marvel in its time, a 200-yard-long tunnel through solid rock that was built by slave labor. A local ironmaster needed water to power his mill and diverted part of the HR through his amazing tunnel. The mill is near the part of HR known as the Narrows, where the banks run close together and the water flows rapidly. There is a prehistoric Native American burial site called Mound Bottom in this area, too.
Some of the most dramatic events happened along the Natchez Trace, which parallels the River. This famous pioneer trade route was used by farmers to take their crops and livestock to eastern markets. The trip was dangerous because bandits lurked in the dense woods along the trace and arduous because of deep mud in winter and spring. Local lore holds that the name Harpeth refers to the outlaw brothers Harp, but early maps recorded the name before these ruffians came on the scene. It may reflect the Native American name for the waterway.
The lower portion of the waterway is a favorite for canoeists and kayakers, although enthusiasts take to the water along its whole length. This is where you'll find outfitters who rent boats and equipment to those who want a day on the river. The HR has a 'scenic river' designation and is well worth a visit by those who are not fortunate enough to live along its course.
Go online for more information on this historic and beloved river-system. You'll find many community activists dedicated to preserving and improving HR for those who use it for recreation. Wildlife lives in and around HR, including waterfowl, fish, beaver, otters, and freshwater mussels and crustaceans.
Harpeth River (HR) begins in Tennessee's Rutherford County, flows through Franklin, and ends when it joins the Cumberland, which flows through Nashville, the state capital. Its 115-mile length is in the Mississippi watershed. It absorbs many other waters on its way from county to county, including West HR, Little HR, and South HR.
HR is a good river for beginners and family outings, as long as particular stretches are chosen. There is some Class II water that can help intermediate canoeists and kayakers learn to handle moving water. There are holes, rocks, and rapids, but none of them are too hard to miss or to navigate. There are wider, slower parts that have few, if any, challenges.
There are nine public access boat landings in the HR State Park, but there are many others at points along the river's length. The Park extends forty miles along both banks and gives visitors a lot of information on the history of HR and its environs. One place of interest is an antebellum plantation house called 'the Meeting of the Waters' near the confluence of West HR and HR.
Another is an engineering marvel in its time, a 200-yard-long tunnel through solid rock that was built by slave labor. A local ironmaster needed water to power his mill and diverted part of the HR through his amazing tunnel. The mill is near the part of HR known as the Narrows, where the banks run close together and the water flows rapidly. There is a prehistoric Native American burial site called Mound Bottom in this area, too.
Some of the most dramatic events happened along the Natchez Trace, which parallels the River. This famous pioneer trade route was used by farmers to take their crops and livestock to eastern markets. The trip was dangerous because bandits lurked in the dense woods along the trace and arduous because of deep mud in winter and spring. Local lore holds that the name Harpeth refers to the outlaw brothers Harp, but early maps recorded the name before these ruffians came on the scene. It may reflect the Native American name for the waterway.
The lower portion of the waterway is a favorite for canoeists and kayakers, although enthusiasts take to the water along its whole length. This is where you'll find outfitters who rent boats and equipment to those who want a day on the river. The HR has a 'scenic river' designation and is well worth a visit by those who are not fortunate enough to live along its course.
Go online for more information on this historic and beloved river-system. You'll find many community activists dedicated to preserving and improving HR for those who use it for recreation. Wildlife lives in and around HR, including waterfowl, fish, beaver, otters, and freshwater mussels and crustaceans.
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