Greeting; Would anyone have experience on the Susquehanna River near NY and PA junction? I’m moving to the area soon and and looking for an area that has class I or II rapids. Thanks!
Near Sayre?
The north branch of the Susquehanna crosses the NY/PA State line three times making a loop called the “Great Bend” through the little towns of Susquehanna and Hallstead PA before looping back north into NY upstream of Binghamton. The river reenters PA at Sayre and heads south and southeast to the Wyoming Valley where it bends back to the southwest.
I have not paddled the Great Loop section but have been told the river there is small and quite scenic but without significant rapids.
I have paddled the stretch from Towanda to Tunkhannock quite a few times. It is a very scenic and worthwhile paddle and I do recall a couple of features on the stretch that could be called Class I rapids at normal water levels that could conceivably be Class II at higher water. The Wyalusing bluffs area provides the most dramatic scenery.
In Ed Gertler’s book “Keystone Canoeing” he rates the entire 95 mile stretch from Sayre to Pittston as Class I in difficulty.
Thanks for the Reply.
I forgot I have Gertles book!