Kayaking on Howard's Creek in Kentucky

Tumbling through rocky gorges and pristine forest before spilling into the Kentucky River, Howard's Creek is a small kayaking stream that packs a lot of action into a few short miles. The navigable portion of the stream -- known as Lower Howard's Creek -- boasts five miles of nearly continuous rapids, making it an exciting whitewater stream, but not a place for the inexperienced.

  1. Put In and Take Out

    • The trip down Lower Howard's Creek begins on Old Stone Church Road, about 25 miles southeast of Lexington. The road leads to a low-water bridge across the creek where you can carry a kayak down to the water. No parking or amenities are provided, so you will have to park on the side of the road. Five miles downstream, the Athens Boonesboro Road bridge can be use as a take-out point. Lower Howard's Creek meets the Kentucky River about 100 feet below the bridge, and it's also possible to kayak an extra mile or so up the river to Fort Boonesborough State Park.

    Stream Conditions

    • Lower Howard's Creek drops at a gradient of about 40 feet per mile, with a typical flow rate of 3 to 5 miles per hour, though it can be much faster in spring and after a rain. A visual gauge at the Old Stone Church bridge shows the current water level. Upon starting a kayak trip down the creek, paddlers find themselves in a series of unrelenting Class II to Class III rapids, with hardly a break until the end of the stream. Some rapids approach the Class IV range, with eddies and blind turns that make the stream all the more challenging.

    Sights and Sounds

    • Lower Howard's Creek is known for its scenery, particularly in the section that winds through the 228-acre Lower Howard's Creek Heritage Park and State Nature Preserve. The creek is bounded on either side by a rocky, tree-topped gorge that occasionally recedes into open forest. You can also spot numerous remnants of the area's rich history alongside the creek, including stone mill races and the remains of an 18th-century industrial park. The ruins of several old homes and mills also dot the shores, where many have stood for 200 years or more.

    Know Before You Go

    • The waters of Lower Howard's Creek are for experienced paddlers only, and the ability to precisely control a kayak in strong currents is essential. Occasional deadfalls or fence wires in the stream also makes it critical to be able to spot hazards up ahead. The stream is constantly changing, and portages may be necessary at certain points due to fallen trees or other obstructions. Kayak and equipment rentals are available at Three Trees Canoe and Kayak in the community of Winchester, about 10 minutes away from the put-in at Old Stone Church Road.