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Canoe Or Kayak Harpeth River Through Central Tennessee

By Kerri Stout


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.

This is a class II river, which means it has stretches of fast moving water but its hazards - rocks, holes, and rapids - are easy to avoid or navigate. This classification of difficulty is good for intermediate canoeists or kayakers who need to learn to handle their craft in moving water. A lot of the HR is peaceful, with few challenges.

HR State Park controls over forty miles of the river, and there are nine put-ins within the park boundaries. There are other public access sites as well; go online to find maps and advice on points of entry. The Park also has information on points of historic interest along its stretch of the waterway, like the antebellum plantation house - named 'the Meeting of the Waters' - near the joining of HR and West 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.

The HR parallels the Natchez Trace for part of its length. This trail or primitive road was used by farmers on the frontier to take livestock and crops to markets farther east. It was famous for bandits and mud. Local legend says that the name 'Harpeth' comes from notorious outlaw brothers, the Harps, who lurked along the Trace. However, earlier maps recorded the name so it's origin is unclear; it may come from the Native American.

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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