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Stinging Fork

Stinging Fork Falls off of Shut-in-Gap Road to Piney River, Shut-in-Gap Road Spring City TN

Water Quality (1 bad 3 good)

Scenery (1 bad 3 good)

Class IV.5

7+ Miles

Average Gradient 120 fpm

Maximum Gradient 250 fpm

Stinging Fork Falls

River Description

The Piney Watershed

The Piney Watershed Map was donated by Randy Hale of North River Geographic

To see the quads in a truly awesome format; click on the links in reference to the quads listed above.

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_A4.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_A5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_B5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_B6.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_C5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_C6.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_D4.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_D5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_D6.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_E4.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_E5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_F3.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_F4.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_F5.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_G3.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_G4.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_H3.pdf

http://www.northrivergeographic.com/wrww/Piney_H4.pdf

This this sign to the Stinging Fork trail head.

Justin Owen going his above the big one.........................................................................................................

Photo by Justin Kleberg...................................................................................................................................

Justin Owen Running The Big One.................................................................................................................

Photo by Justin Kleberg...................................................................................................................................

Or you can drive just up the road, look for a gravel road on the right, it might have a gate, but would be an easier walk to the creek using the trail head NOT, and you can put-on there, and take off at the Piney River takeout. Most of the time we sneak across the gate, sometimes it's locked. If so don't sneak across the gate.
The river features a 60ft that has broken back, back in the day...ie LOOOOOONG BOATS. Today's shorter boats help take care of all of that. The trick to the big one is two go slower or just as fast as the water but not faster.

To see Justin Owen paddle this in video click on the picture below

Haulin' Arse.....................................................................................................................................................

Photo by Justin Kleberg...................................................................................................................................

The approach can be tricky at higher water, and below the falls a slide is around the corner with a beat-n-bang rock that is hell on open boats. Then around the next bend is boggie water until you hit Soak Creek which is more of the same.

Directions to put-in
Drive up Shut in Gap Road for 5-7 miles, looking for the sign on the right for Stinging Fork Falls Pocket Wilderness. You have the choice of either hiking in from this trail, which is about a mile long, or continuing to the next little logging road on the right and driving down to the creek for another mile of fun little drops, though there is some wood to negotiate. The creek will be crossed 0.4 miles after turning onto the unmarked gravel road. The takeout is the same for Piney River.

Here is the gate the put-in road, it right after the stinging fork trail sign on the right...and yes you can see how the locals treat the land...nice indeed

Water Level Beta:
Here is an old school way of telling if Stinging Fork was running between Nov-March. I would check the following gauges to see if they were running, the following is for a 4.0 ft min. on the bridge gauge at the takeout on the Piney River. It also helps to first have a big rain to prime the creek first for the first fall run.

Here are the readings you will need.
Tellico 4.2

Town Creek 475

Emory 8500

A new school way is to , look at the rain gages, and Pikeville rain gauge. A good example for this is, happened in December this year. The Watts Bar gauge got 1.85" of rain, and Pikeville 1.75 that night. That morning at 9:00 am the Piney was running 3.9". I hope this paints a picture

The new school way :

Is to use our flowpage!

***Warning label***
Whitewater paddling is VERY Dangerous, and you should get instruction before ever attempting even to paddle flatwater. One of contributors to this web site has personally helped bury 3 kayaking friends, this isn't a joke. Whitewater paddling can ruin your life through accidents and can effect your family and friends throughout a lifetime.
The information on this page is incomplete, inaccurate, and very unreliable. Use with caution. Whitewater paddling is a dangerous sport and the information here is not a substitute for actual knowledge and skill. The authors are not liable for your actions. Go ahead and kill yourself if you want to, but don't blame others for you actions and decisions that you will make on and off the river.
***Warning label***

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