Tohickon Creek
Current Level
Tohickon Creek is a small, fast runoff stream with headwaters in Lake Nockamixon, an artificial lake built broadwater recreation. Once a close-kept secret among Pennsylvania boaters, its fame has spread with the event of the spring and fall releases and the running of several challenging races in Bucks County Park. These releases draw hundreds of paddlers each year, and the resulting traffic.
The upper section of Tohickon Creek begins at the dam, but is most easily accessible below Route 611 north of Doylestown. The run consists of Class I-II riffles with easier going in between. Long sections are paralleled by a road, making access easy. There are two dams on the run which demand special care. The first comes shortly below Route 611 just below the junction of the Little Tohickon Creek. The  portage is on Tohickon Valley Country Club land; no problems have been reported yet but mind your manners as you carry! The second dam is Meyers Dam in Stover Park. Carry on the right or avoid entirely by leaving your vehicle at the upper parking lot a short distance upstream. Both dams have been run by plastic kayaks at low to moderate levels but this is not recommended. At high levels dangerous hydraulics form, and the pools above the drops are fast moving.
Below the park bridge is the classic Tohickon Creek run. inscribes a huge loop, beginning with a gentle warm-up under the bridge, then picks up slowly through small waves.

There are plenty of good side-eddys on which to continue the warmup. The first major drop is "No Fish or Swim Ledge," named for some graffiti on a cliff on river right. The hole there is a vigorous playing hole at low to moderate levels and downright intimidating at high flows. There is a chute at center and a smaller hole at river left. The river then dances gracefully beneath the "High Rocks" climbing area in a delightful series of chutes and waves before gathering up above a sprightly four-foot drop best run in the cen- ter. At high levels there is a huge stopper on river right. The next spot of note is a river-wide drop of about three feet. There is a center passage, but the left chute is the most fun. Below this ledge the gradient picks up noticeably. There are four distinct drops, each of which merits scouting by those not familiar with the river. The first ledge is a simple drop with a passage broken out on the right. Enjoy the play waves at the bottom before pro ceding to the second ledge, where the run out of a sharp drop is split by a midstream boulder. At the end of the pool below lies the Horserace, a long rapid studded with waves and holes. This drop can easily swamp a canoe, but there is a "sneak" chute on the far right which is not obvious from upstream. The third ledge is the most challenging of all, requiring a paddler to thread a careful path between four offset holes. The holes are very playable at moderate flows and incredibly nasty in high water. The river appears to calm down a bit here, but stay alert! After a short pool comes a drop which-if you are not careful-sends you towards a ships-prow rock. Play it safe by sneaking down the left.


 
Tohickon Creek


Section: South Park Road (LA. 09152) to Ralph Stover State Park Counties: Bucks (PA)
USGS Quads: Bedminster

Suitable for: Cruising and training Skill Level: Novice to intermediate

Months Runnable: Releases are the last weekend of March and first weekend of November (except drought conditions) and after heavy rains of 2 inches or more.
Interest Highlights: Ralph Stover State Park
Scenery: Pretty

Difficulty: Class I-II Average Width: 75 leet

Velocity: Fast Gradient 9 feet per mile


Runnable Water Levels: The gauge is at the Stover Park bridge. (Another gauge, at the Rt. 32 bridge in Point Pleasant, reads (1 foot lower than the Park gauge at most levels.)
Minimum: 0.0 is minimal and scratchy  1.0 is a good running level Moderate: 2.5
Maximum: Over 3.0 is high water; beware the dam approaches Hazards: Dam at gall course; dam at Ralph Stover Park

Scouting: None Portages: Dams

Section: Ralph Stover State Park to Point Pleasant Counties: Bucks (PA)

USGS Quads: Lumberville

Suitable for: Cruising and training Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced

Months Runnable: Scheduled releases the last weekend in March and the first weekend in November (except during drought periods) and after heavy rains of 2 inches or more
Interest Highlights: Ralph Stover State Park, High Rocks Climbing Area, Bucks County Park

Scenery: Beautiful Difficulty: Class III-IV

Average Width: 75 feet Velocity: Fast

Gradient: 40 feet per mile
Runnable Water Levels: Gauge is at the Stover Park bridge. (The
Point Pleasant gauge on Rt 32 reads one foot lower than the Park bridge.)
Minimum: 0.0 is the absolute minimum; 1.0 is the minimum exciting level.
Moderate: 2.5 is medium flow, with all major drops Class IV; open boats beware
Maximum: 3.5 is high flow, with big waves and holes in a hot current; rescue is difficult in some places. Flood stage is 5.0, with huge holes and waves and few eddies; for expert decked boaters only! The river has been run at levels up to 8.0, but this is emphatically NOT recommended.

Hazards: None for experienced paddlers at normal flows Scouting: Major drops for first-timers

Portages: None
Rescue Index: Accessible