3 - Lower Stony

The section of the Stonycreek between Carpenter’s Park Bridge and Greenhouse Park is often referred to as the “Lower Stony”   This is an easier and shorter section than the Canyon and is often used for beginner trips.  It can be run anytime the Canyon is runnable; although at 450 cfs this section gets scrappy at the end.  Unfortunately, there is no warm up except in the water under the Carpenter’s Park bridge.  It starts with about a 1/4 mile stretch of class II water (with few good eddies), a short breather, and a class III (the only one on the river) rapid under the Rt 219 bridge.  After this there a handful of mainly class II rapids and riffles as you paddle down to Tire Hill.  About 1/2 mile below the Tire Hill bridge there is a pipeline that can be tricky in high water, stay right.  Below that is Greenhouse Park and the take-out.  This section is relatively easy for people in whitewater boats and some experience; but inexperienced paddlers are tempted to paddle it in flatwater boats and often swim.  Also note that when the Stony is high (above 4′ on the Carpenter’s Park bridge) this section also gets bigger and harder. See the Benscreek Canoe Club Stonycreek Watershed Page. For other streams in this watershed, check out: Stony Canyon (III-IV) Roaring Fork (IV) Shade Creek (III-IV) Paint Creek (V) Dark Shade Creek (IV-V) Clear Shade Creek (III) Conemaugh River (I-II) Quemahoning Creek (III) Little Conemaugh River - North (II-III) Little Conemaugh River - South (II-III) Little Conemaugh River (II-III(V))