City: Union Township, PA
County: Lebanon
Type: Whitewater Take Out
Location: 40.48028100, -76.53190000
Air Temp: --
Location
Live Webcam
Nearby Gauge Conditions
Real-time data from USGS Water Services
Whitewater Run
I
Take-out
Swatara Creek - 2. Pine Grove, PA (Canal Park) to Waterville Bridge Trailhead
Current Conditions
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• 2.50-6.55 ft
Swatara Creek at Harper Tavern, PA
Whitewater Runs on Swatara Creek
5 runsDifficulty Classes
I Easy
II Novice
III Intermediate
IV Advanced
V Expert/Extreme
VI Unrunnable
Position relative to this access site:
Put-in at this location
This location is on the run
Take-out at this location
Downstream from here Upstream from here
Downstream from here Upstream from here
I
This location is on this run
3. Jonestown, PA (Market St.) to Harpers Tavern, PA
10.0 mi
I
Take-out at this location
2. Pine Grove, PA (Canal Park) to Waterville Bridge Trailhead
11.6 mi
I
Downstream from here (6.1 mi to put-in)
4. Harpers Tavern, PA to Boat House Rd., Hershey, PA
12.7 mi
I
Downstream from here (16.7 mi to put-in)
5. Union Deposit, PA (Swatara Creek Park, S. Hanover St.) to Middletown, PA
14.2 mi
II+
Upstream from here (11.4 mi from take-out)
1. PA 125 Bridge south of Tremont to Pine Grove, PA (Canal Park)
6.9 mi
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater
About This Access Site
This take-out access point on Swatara Creek in Union Township, Lebanon County serves paddlers finishing whitewater runs on a medium-sized river with significant gradient and flow. Swatara Creek is a 73-mile stream with a total elevation drop of 1221 feet, creating an average gradient of 16.7 feet per mile, which indicates consistent Class II-III whitewater characteristics throughout much of the creek. With an average flow of 1001 cubic feet per second and velocity of 2.67 feet per second, this is an active creek suitable for kayakers and canoeists with intermediate to advanced skills, particularly during higher water seasons.
The creek's drainage basin covers 571 square miles and maintains good water volume for paddling. As a take-out point rather than a launch site, this access is positioned to allow paddlers to exit the water after completing upstream sections. The site's location in Union Township provides access to one of the more popular whitewater paddling areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. Paddlers should be prepared for the creek's steady current and the technical demands that come with the moderate gradient and flow rates typical of this waterway.
The creek's drainage basin covers 571 square miles and maintains good water volume for paddling. As a take-out point rather than a launch site, this access is positioned to allow paddlers to exit the water after completing upstream sections. The site's location in Union Township provides access to one of the more popular whitewater paddling areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. Paddlers should be prepared for the creek's steady current and the technical demands that come with the moderate gradient and flow rates typical of this waterway.
Amenities
parking