The waterways of America play an important part in the history of the nation, so it's not surprising that going down rivers brings you close to many important sites. Kayak Harpeth River in Tennessee and you'll find a history lesson as well as a pleasant day on a scenic stream. Although some prefer whitewater adventure, many more choose the lesser challenge of rivers just like this one.
Tennessee's Harpeth River (HR) is part of the Mississippi watershed and a 115-mile long tributary of the Cumberland. Its headwaters are in Rutherford County and it ends near Ashland City, the county seat of Cheatham county. It absorbs several smaller waterways that share its name: 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.
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 whole length of HR is open to canoeists and kayaking, but the lower river is where visitors can rent boats and other gear for a day on the water. With an official 'scenic' designation, HR is well worth exploring for anyone who likes paddling, scenery, and local color. Go online to find maps and put-ins guides, historical notes, and descriptions of HR posted by those who've made the trip.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
Tennessee's Harpeth River (HR) is part of the Mississippi watershed and a 115-mile long tributary of the Cumberland. Its headwaters are in Rutherford County and it ends near Ashland City, the county seat of Cheatham county. It absorbs several smaller waterways that share its name: 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.
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 whole length of HR is open to canoeists and kayaking, but the lower river is where visitors can rent boats and other gear for a day on the water. With an official 'scenic' designation, HR is well worth exploring for anyone who likes paddling, scenery, and local color. Go online to find maps and put-ins guides, historical notes, and descriptions of HR posted by those who've made the trip.
Online you'll see that many people love this waterway and take its preservation seriously. Community organizations hope to engage the public on ways to keep HR clean and healthy for people and wildlife, which include freshwater mussels and crustaceans, beaver and otter, and many species of fish.
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