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See all 5 routes on Big South Fork

Tennessee | Cumberland Plateau

Big South Fork

Burnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford

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Today

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Start with the verdict, current conditions, route plan, and quick facts before you commit to the drive.

Today's conditions

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Quick facts

On-water distanceAbout 11 miBurnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford
DifficultyhardThis is not a recreational float. NPS rates Burnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford as Class III-IV, and American Whitewater describes the downstream Big South Fork gorge as a wilderness whitewater adventure with undercuts, sieves, Class III-IV rapids, long pools, and limited exits.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out at Leatherwood Ford, then drive to Burnt Mill Bridge. NPS access roads include rural, steep, or gravel sections; check park alerts, weather, road condition, daylight, and whether every paddler is qualified for Class III-IV gorge water before leaving vehicles.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific private paddling permit is known for this normal Big South Fork day run. Follow NPS rules, carry required safety gear, check park closures or access alerts, and obey any posted restrictions at Burnt Mill Bridge, O&W, and Leatherwood Ford.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a committed day run unless the group has a separate NPS backcountry plan. Do not assume easy bailout camping; the gorge has limited access and private or managed boundaries away from documented public corridors.
SeasonJan-DecNPS lists the Burnt Mill to Leatherwood gorge run as fall, winter, and spring water, and the park warns that Cumberland Plateau streams can rise very quickly after rain. Early summer can work only when the same-day gauge, weather, and group skill all line up.

Plan

Dial in the shuttle, distance, and access.

Use this section once the route looks viable and you need to turn it into an actual trip plan.

Access plan

Access, shuttle, and map

Launch at Burnt Mill Bridge on Clear Fork and take out at Leatherwood Ford for the classic Big South Fork gorge extension. Use the Leatherwood Ford USGS gauge, and skip the route when the water is below the rocky floor, above the high cutoff, rising quickly, or outside the group skill set.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap
Start

Put-in

Burnt Mill Bridge access on Clear ForkOpen map

NPS publishes access directions for Burnt Mill Bridge and Leatherwood Ford, but this is still a remote gorge shuttle with limited exits and steep terrain.

Finish

Take-out

Leatherwood Ford access / USGS gauge corridorOpen map

Leatherwood Ford is the planned take-out and has the direct USGS gauge corridor; do not drift past the take-out without a separate downstream plan.

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • NPS publishes access directions for Burnt Mill Bridge and Leatherwood Ford, but this is still a remote gorge shuttle with limited exits and steep terrain.
  • Leatherwood Ford is the planned take-out and has the direct USGS gauge corridor; do not drift past the take-out without a separate downstream plan.
  • O&W Bridge and Pine Creek are potential intermediate access or emergency reference points, but they should not be treated as easy rescue substitutes.
  • Check NPS park alerts before launching. Big South Fork access, roads, trailheads, or river corridors can close after storms, floods, maintenance, or emergency conditions.

Watch for

  • Class III-IV gorge rapids, undercut sandstone, sieves, hydraulics, pin rocks, ledges, and long pools that can slow the trip.
  • Very low water below about 500 cfs, when the NPS descriptions call the gorge technical and rocky with pinning potential.
  • Powerful water above about 3,500 cfs, when rescue gets difficult and waves, boils, whirlpools, and continuous current become much more consequential.
  • Fast rain rises on Cumberland Plateau streams; NPS documents dramatic rises after heavy precipitation and warns water can rise rapidly with little warning.
  • Strainers, fresh flood wood, cold-water swims, limited cell service, remote rescue exposure, and steep walk-outs.

Route gallery

See this route on the water

Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.

The Big South Fork flows through the wooded Leatherwood Ford gorge corridor in Tennessee.
Big South Fork at Leatherwood FordPhoto by Brian Stansberry via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY 3.0

Sources

Check the data behind today's call.

Use this section when the page shows stale data, limited confidence, or a call you want to verify before driving.

Read quality
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Why this scoreToday's data confidence is checking

Data confidence mostly comes down to three things: how direct the gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

Why
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OutlookTomorrow and weekend

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Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteSouth FK Cumberland River at Leatherwood Ford, TN
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Target band1,000 cfs to 2,500 cfs
Low threshold500 cfs
High threshold3,500 cfs
Data confidence behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNPS Big South Fork river-level descriptions for the Leatherwood Ford gauge
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NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route shapeBurnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford, 11 miles

    NPS lists Burnt Mill Bridge to Leatherwood Ford as an 11-mile Big South Fork gorge run with Class III-IV difficulty, 20 feet per mile average drop, and fall/winter/spring use season.

    Source

  • Level model500 / 1,000-2,500 / 3,500 cfs

    NPS-hosted Leatherwood Ford descriptions call 500 cfs very low and technical, 1,000 cfs optimum for open canoes, 1,800 to 2,500 cfs increasingly big Class III-IV water, and 3,500 cfs powerful with difficult rescue. The app uses a guarded whitewater target range and high cutoff from those descriptions.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 03410210

    USGS South FK Cumberland River at Leatherwood Ford showed current May 31, 2026 discharge and gage-height observations during review, including 3,860 cfs and 9.80 ft at 14:30 EDT.

    Source

  • Access supportNPS Burnt Mill Bridge and Leatherwood Ford access directions

    NPS publishes driving directions for both Burnt Mill Bridge and Leatherwood Ford, and separately lists Leatherwood Ford as the most accessible take-out for the Big South Fork gorge run.

    Source

  • Whitewater hazardsUndercuts, sieves, Class III-IV drops, limited exits

    American Whitewater identifies the Confluence-to-Leatherwood reach as Class II-IV wilderness whitewater with deep undercuts, sieves, major rapids, long pools, and limited access. NPS safety material also warns about strainers, hydraulics, fast-water foot entrapment, and difficult rescue.

    Source

  • Coordinate anchors36.3800, -84.6200 to 36.4710, -84.6730

    Burnt Mill Bridge is anchored to USGS-topo-derived public bridge coordinates. The take-out is anchored to the Leatherwood Ford access/gauge corridor, where the USGS gauge and NPS access are at the planned finish.

    Source

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

More in Tennessee

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Quick answers

Big South Fork paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Big South Fork?

Paddle Today watches South FK Cumberland River at Leatherwood Ford, TN and treats 1,000 cfs to 2,500 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Big South Fork route start and end?

This route starts at Burnt Mill Bridge access on Clear Fork and ends at Leatherwood Ford access / USGS gauge corridor, about About 11 mi on the water.

Is this Big South Fork route good for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.

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