Kayaking on the Harpeth River, TN
Tuesday was a beautiful clear and cool day. A perfect day to go kayaking on the Harpeth River.
We started at Hidden Lakes State Park on McCory Lane in Pegram and paddled to Kingston Springs City Park in Kingston Springs. It’s about a 13 mile paddle and took about four hours of casual paddling.
The Put-In / Take-Out at Hidden Lake State Park, Nashville, TN, Harpeth River
Kayaking this section of the Harpeth River is one of my favorites. It’s quiet except for the sounds of nature and scenic with views of cliff bluffs, blue herons, turtles and the occasionally jumping fish. Putting in at Hidden Lake is pretty easy, given the construction of the stairs leading to the river and that there is ample area to get your boat in the water and yourself in the boat. Keep in mind that different water levels make for different put-in and take-out experiences, but we’re pretty happy with the Hidden Lake facility.
The Put-In / Take-Out at Hwy 249, Pegram, TN, Harpeth River
When you paddle this section of the Harpeth River you will go under Interstate 40 twice and you will hear the noise from trucks and cars, but as you paddle away you will begin to appreciate the sounds of nature again.
The Put-In / Take-Out at Kingston Springs City Park, TN, Harpeth River
The take-out at Kingston Springs City park can be dicey. The water is moving fast under the nearby bridge and there is really nothing to grab as you go by the cement steps, so be careful here. Putting in here is a lot easier that taking out. There is talk of removing the old bridge trusses from the water to help slow the flow. If they do that, it may help. Again, differing water levels create very different launching and disembarking experience.
Check out the Harpeth River for yourself, click here to learn more about kayaking the Harpeth - where to put in, where to take out.
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