Hwy 135 to Stock Gap Rd. Bridge

The following description comes from stream team member Allen Brown. DESCRIPTION: The first one and half miles are non-stop Class III followed by one mile of great Class II play. The last four miles are Class I(II) with decent current. The put in rapid is called Johnson Mills (Class III) and is a slide/ledge with old mill debris in it. The river right side is a 12 foot 30 degree slide followed by a 5 foot verticle drop at the end. The river left side is where the old mill was and is a 10-12 foot verticle drop into a tight landing area. DANGER: I have never run the river left side as I saw rusted metal barrels in the landing area when I scouted it at dry summer levels. After Johnson Mills, there is a slot drop between a couple of boulders into a pool where the old gauging station sits.(Class III) This is followed by Class II-III boogie water then a four foot ledge with another old mill site on river right.(Class III) More Class II-III boogie water takes you to a beautiful river left tributary that comes in via a stairstep waterfall. When the river hits a high bluff on river left and turns sharply right get out and check the next rapid for strainers. This rapid is class III but has some badly placed rocks that gather strainers. More class II-III boogie water takes you to a high bluff on river right and another Class III with a 3 foot slot drop on river right. This slot drop creates a great ender hole. Your bow may hit rocks the 1st couple of times, but don't give up as there is a clean spot that will get you verticle. The best stuff will end about 1.5 miles past the put in. The next mile is constant Class II that creates great play. The river still has gradient and is channelized between bluffs with a hard rock slab riverbottom. The gradient is constant and you can actually see the tilt of the river. The effect is a mile long waterslide that creates v-waves & endless collasping waves/holes. Great play. After Flat Creek comes in on right the run flattens out for the remaining 4 miles, but it does have a few more Class II surfing waves one of which gives great spins. NOTE: Always be on the lookout for strainers This run is bounded by private property. Please be respectful of property owners and the Spring Creek area details. Please be mindful of the beavers dropping trees in this run. Information on this river can also be found in the Guide Book: _Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Tennessee_, B. Sehlinger