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Access Site DC

Put In

Rock Creek

Source: american_whitewater Updated 3 months ago

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City: Washington, DC
County:
Type: Whitewater Put In
Location: 38.96310000, -77.04509700
Air Temp: --
Location
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Nearby Gauge Conditions
Sligo Creek near Takoma Park, MD 2.7 mi away
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Potomac River at Chain Bridge, at Washington, DC 4.5 mi away
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Potomac River, Adjusted, near Wash, DC 4.5 mi away
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Real-time data from USGS Water Services
Whitewater Run
II-III(IV) Put-in Rock Creek - Rock Creek Park [a subsection of 2. Beach Dr. below East-West Hwy. to the Potomac]
40 ft/mi
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Current Conditions
Whitewater Runs on Rock Creek
2 runs
Difficulty Classes
I Easy II Novice III Intermediate IV Advanced V Expert/Extreme VI Unrunnable
Position relative to this access site: Put-in at this location This location is on the run Take-out at this location
Downstream from here Upstream from here
II-III(IV) Put-in at this location Rock Creek Park [a subsection of 2. Beach Dr. below East-West Hwy. to the Potomac]
2.1 mi 40 ft/mi
I-III Put-in at this location 2. Beach Dr. below East-West Hwy to Potomac River in D.C.
9.2 mi 20 ft/mi
Whitewater data from American Whitewater
About This Access Site
Put In is a whitewater access point on Rock Creek in Washington, DC, providing paddlers with entry to a significant urban waterway. Rock Creek is a large river system (Stream Order 7) with a total length of 56.17 miles and a drainage area of 1,253 square miles. The water body has substantial gradient and flow characteristics typical of whitewater paddling, with an average flow of 49.85 cubic feet per second and an average velocity of 2.12 feet per second, indicating moderate current conditions.

The access point is located at coordinates 38.96310, -77.04509 in Washington County, DC. With an average slope of 7.8 feet per mile and a total elevation drop of 436 feet across the creek system, paddlers should expect moving water conditions. The average gradient and water velocity suggest this site is suitable for intermediate to advanced paddlers seeking whitewater experience rather than flat-water paddling.

Paddle trips from this put-in will allow access to a creek system with significant length and established hydrological characteristics. The creek's flow regime and gradient make it primarily suited for kayakers and canoeists with some whitewater experience. Water conditions can vary seasonally based on precipitation and runoff patterns typical of the Potomac River watershed region.