Here is the correlation between the North Chick gauge and the paddlers gauge.

610 cfs= 1.6 ft  ELF

700 cfs = 1.8 ft   Low

 800  cfs =  1.7 ft

 875 cfs=  1.9 ft Med

 900 cfs =  2.0

 960 cfs = 2.4

 1010= 2.6 ft Nice

 1120= 2.7 ft

 1280 cfs = 2.8 ft  Full

 1320  cfs= 2.9 ft

 1450 cfs = 3.0 ft  Very Pushy

We base our flowpage readings off of the North Chick Gauge.

Flowpage:

http://waldensridge.boatingbeta.com/flows/

From Matt Wallace:

Mullen’s Creek flows off Signal Mountain through the Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management area.   It is a rarely paddled gem for the Chattanooga area creek boater.  It is set in a beautiful gorge with probably the best water quality on the ridge. It also holds its water very well, since it is located in a WMA.  It is the definition of Chattanooga IV+.  It is a fairly continuous series of manky boulder gardens. The gorge has one large Class V+  and a few that teeter in-between IV+ and V- depending on the water level. 

Why Mullen’s Creek is rarely paddled? 

First off if Mullen’s is running Suck Creek and Cain/ North Chick are running.  Cain/ North Chick is the Quintessential Chattanooga Classic, and well Suck Creek is for the cool kids.   Both Suck and Cain/N. Chick have easy shuttles and are open to the public year round. 

Secondly Mullen’s Creek is a lot harder logistically speaking.   The shuttle is LONG and the put in easy not that easy to find.   Also if it is Turkey season the WMA is closed.

Here is picture of the put-in ...Photo by Matt Wallace

The Run

Mullen’s Creek is a IV-V run. It is harder than Cain/ N. Chick, but easier than Suck.   Everything on Mullen’s Creek is runnable to the Solid Class V boater.   If you choose to portage, the portages are all very easy and require minimal boulder scrambling.   Remember Mullen’s is very similar in nature to Suck Creek.   It is very manky and can be abusive on gear.

Once you find the put in, it is only a short hike down a very steep 4x4 road.  Here you will find the most pristine put in on the Ridge.   You have a short class II paddle to warm up.  As the gradient picks up look out because the first set of rapids are the largest on the run.  After these few rapids the difficulty eases up back to solid IV+.    Most of the rapids are read and run boulder garden style rapids.   (They are very similar to the rapids on the boulder garden section of Pocket Creek)    This first section eventually eases up as you travel down, but don’t let your guard down it will pick back up.   The second section is just as quality as the first, but slightly easier with one rapid that is significantly harder than the others in this section.   As this section eases, enjoy the beauty of this gorge and the clear water as you paddle the run out to the take out bridge.

Mullen’s Creek is a must do for the aspiring explorer. It is off the beaten path, and you will see nobody else.  It is a very good step up run too, but remember this is not a road side run.   Most will probably never do this run, and the few groups that do will probably be one trip and done; but the select few that enjoy the solitude and beauty of wild places, they will return again and again.   Mullen’s Creek doesn’t have as quality of rapids or the “Gnarr factor” as many of the other Chattanooga area runs, but it makes up for that with the quality of your surroundings.  If you are interested in a full day of fun, manky rapids in a secluded pristine wilderness area, than this run may be for you; or you could always just go do laps on Suck.

Creek Overview:

Mullens Creek for some reason or another doesn’t get paddled that much, although it has a good watershed, and I might add it’s a very clean watershed. But Mullens isn’t one of the easy fruits to pick when it comes to running it; first the shuttle takes about two hour’s total round trip. And then there is Prentice Cooper State Park (WMA), which helps protect the run, but Turkey Hunting season kicks in when it’s the best opportunity to make your run off the mountain. Call before you go. This is the most current information we have.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency at 931-484-9571 or (in Tennessee only) 1-800-262-6704

Mike Bailey

Lead Wildlife Officer, Enforcement Area 32

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency

Radio Dispatcher; calling from: 

Out of state:  931-4384-9571     Ext. 1001

In state:        1-800-262-6704    Ext. 1001

Voice Mail: same numbers as above but Ext. 3209

Cell:  423-645-5820

EcoAirman@aol.com

Maps:

Watershed Map (to find location and size of creek) Click Here

Special thanks to Steve Zerfos for making the map.

Topo Map: Click Here

A special thanks to Randy Hale of NorthRiverGeographic for the map

MAP:

A Special thanks to Randy Hale of North River Geographic for donating his resources, effort and time to make this map. To blow it up and for finer detail please click on the picture. You will need a PDF reader to enlarge the map.

Johnny-Law:

Before you think of bootlegging the run, here is the scoop.

There are hunts scheduled in the spring and fall during which the area is closed. $225 is the min fine now placed and it was just passed by the Tennessee Legislature, and trust me they will ticket you. Also park your car off the road and in a good safe place IF YOU park like a jerk you will be towed.

Paddler Jon Willerson  Photo by Matt Wallace

Photo by Jeff Johnson who pioneered this run.

The Creek:

Mullens for the most part is manky, most of the good drops are ones that land on rock, as you can tell from the pictures. If they don’t land you on rocks, it’s manky for sure even without the landing coming into play. At lower water it’s Class 4; at high water the lower end of easy Class V. For the most part it’s “open boulder field” type of rapids for the major rapids, with a fairly tough rapid in the beginning. As you get closer to the valley for the most part it starts losing its bite.

If you are set to run Mullens and your day is running long and you are behind schedule and you need a ” plan B” , take a look at Suck Creek, it’s more or less on the way, and not in the Prentice Copper Wildlife Management Area  and you will drive by it on your shuttle. Also when Mullens is running, Suck is running, since their watersheds are so close together.