Holtwood has a number of different boating options:
The new Whitewater Park! The Whitewater Park is located at the base of the old fish ladder along the river right shore, just upstream of Route 373. The park is activated during scheduled releases in early spring and fall, and the schedule can be found
here. American Whitewater worked closely with local paddlers to negotiate construction of the whitewater park as mitigation for excavations and flow impacts to natural whitewater features downstream of the dam. The park features a big extremely fast breaking wave at the top, a strong and dynamic hole in the middle, and a finicky but at times very nice small wave at the outflow of the park.
When Holtwood Dam is spilling at high flows, paddlers can make a circuit of all of the spots listed below, except for Almond Joy. I have listed the circuit in logical order. Please note that this circuit will require long upstream attainments and carry's across islands .
Description of the river right channel
Big Water fun, Class IV
Playspots
Storm Hole
The Play Spot
Other Squirt lines
Put In
Take Out
the playspot list, low water to high water
Storm Hole 5.5 thru 6.7
Playspot 6.0 to 7.5
Playspot II 7.5 to 10+
Powerline 7.5 and up
Rumble Pit 7.0 to 8.0
Pleaseant Surprise 7.5 to 9.5
Rock-N-Roll Hole (aka Almond Joy) 8.0 to 10.0
Accelerator 10.0 to 12.5
Mama Bear 11+
Beartrap 13.5+
You can do some creeking in the fish ladder on river left at the breast of the dam. I must warn you that the river left wall of the fish ladder has holes that are blown out that create sieves. There is a lot of rebar in the Fish Laddeer. I know a few locals that have run it. When there is a lot of water coming through the the fish ladder, the dangers are not as evident. I tell people to look at it first without water before you decide to run it. I typically put in about 1/2 way down the fish ladder, you still get a little creeking before you hit the pumping Susquehanna.