I know there are a pile of guys (and gals) that venture onto the Allegheny river for paddles each year. I need to pick your brains a bit if you don’t mind. I want to do some considerable paddling down the Allegheny this year and am trying to find the closest launch feasible point to the headwaters of the Allegheny. Is there anyplace further upstream than Roulette, PA?
Also as far as camping is it possible to camp on the islands or shoreline prior to entering Allegheny SP OR National Forest.
I would like to float the entire Allegheny this summer all the way to the confluence of the Ohio. Maybe I’m setting my goals way to high, but that is just my personality. I do realize I will need a support vehicle to get around areas like Kinzua. That’s where my wife comes in.
Anyway, If any of you would be willing to share more info I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks,
Steve
Allegheny River
Don’t know anything about the river upstream of the dam other than what you can see from the road in the Salamanca area.
However, I am familiar with it from the dam to Parker’s Landing. There is a good map here:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/watertrails/trailindex.htm#1
If you have access to a large color plotter or engineering printer,it is a great map.
I’ve often thought about doing the entire length from the 1st navigable headwaters to Point Park but never had the time to do it. Now I have the time but nobody to do it with and my wife won;t let me do it alone. My guess is it would take 3 weeks. Kinzua to the Ohio is about 190 miles.
If you have ??'s about Kinzua to Parker, drop me an email.
Jon
Roulette, PA Launch site…
I know somebody posted on here last year about paddling from Roulette up to the Salamanca area. I’m not sure if there are navigable waters still further upstream of this area or not.
I just started to research this again and I will likely make a few trips up that way to check things out.
My wife had the same initial response…“no way are you doing that.” She should know by now that just adds fuel to the fire and makes me want to do it even more.
Anyway, I’ll shoot ya over an e-mail when I get a chance Jon. Thanks for the input.
Steve
Never had a lot of luck
paddling upstream of Port Allegheny. Of course, my mission was not to complete a mission, other than float peacefully and catch a few fish. You can do a lot of walking through some really icky mud bogs if the water is low. Generally, if the Eldred gauge is below three feet, you will drag occassionally from Port A downstream to Eldred. Once below Eldred, I have always found floatable water.
You CANNOT camp anywhere on Seneca Nation without permission. That means, from Vandalia Brg to PA State line on the Reservoir. So, you may wish to try to find permission. If you commando camp there and are discovered, you loose, everything, period.
There are some State Game lands bordering the river near Eldred. Find where they are and don't camp there either.
Good luck on your journey, it sounds fun.