A leisurely float down Oil Creek

Haggis

Haggis

Adventurist
Senior Staff
Founding Member
The weather here has been crazy...just four days before this posting we had snow. Snow in late April sucks. Add to that the continous rain and cold temps and this has been a crappy Spring. We had planned on a group trip down the Tionesta but with the projected weather of rain and cold temps we cancelled that trip. But as luck would have it Saturday turned out to be warm and sunny with temps on the mid 60s, Sunday how ever was cold and wet so the weather gal got it half right. Anyway on Saturday Michelle and I decide to take advantage of the good weather and the higher water levels and go for an afternoon float. We chose to float down Oil Creek as it is just a hop, skip and jump from the clanhold. We were starting in the town of Titusville, PA and taking out in a little bit of nowhere known as Petroleum Center. Notice the oil theme here. Well Oil Creek flows through the "Valley that Changed the World" where Colonel Drake drilled the first production oil well and sparked the oil rush. We floated right past Colonel Drake's derrick and through the Oil Creek State Park where the only development is a bike trail, a rail line and some abandoned oil buildings.

IMGP0073.jpg

Paddling down Oil Creek can only be done in early spring or late fall as through the summer months the water levels drop and you'd be hiking the creek instead of floating it. Its an easy Class I and on this trip the water level was perfect with a swift flow. Paddling was optional other than for course corrections as the creek carried us along at a good clip. Here's some random pics of our day....

IMGP0080.jpg


IMGP0077.jpg


IMGP0078.jpg


IMGP0083.jpg


IMGP0090.jpg


IMGP0091.jpg

What a beautiful day on the water.
 
Last edited:
Nice trip! We tried to get out on the 'yaks this weekend, but too much rain here! How did you do the ferry, leave one truck at the end with rack/trailer and one at start?
 
Scott C said:
You said oil creek and I just imagined some dirty water. Nice pics.
Click to expand...

Oil Creek is named such as petroleum use to seep naturally out of the creek bed in great quantities. It was set ablaze a few times back in ye olden days and the local Indians used the water for ceremonial stuff. Now a days the oil still seeps up from the bedrock but not in the quanity of old what with all the nearly 200 years of drilling history here. Despite that the water is of good quality and Oil Creek is one of the premier fly fishing creeks on this side of the state. We must have passed by 200 Orvis wearing water frothers on our float as there was a big midge hatch happening Saturday.
 
Looks like fun. I need to get one of them floaty things.
 
Alex said:
Love the photos, I need to get to PA more often.
Click to expand...

Thanks Alex! Its alot prettier when the leaves are on and the juneberry and mountian laurel are in bloom but Mother Nature is running late this year.
 
Haggis said:
Thanks Alex! Its alot prettier when the leaves are on and the juneberry and mountian laurel are in bloom but Mother Nature is running late this year.
Click to expand...

... (Julie Andrews sings) and these are just a few of my fav-o-rite things...
 
Beautiful! I'm always amazed how much there is to see in this country and how few people ever get away from the couch or the mall.
 
Quatermain said:
Beautiful! I'm always amazed how much there is to see in this country and how few people ever get away from the couch or the mall.
Click to expand...

That statement Quartermain, rather sums up what this forum is all about.

This country of abundance, despite all the extraneous chatter we hear daily that often distracts us, is blessed with so much to challenge and inspire us.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom