Pennsylvania | Indiana County
Blacklick Creek
PA 259 Heshbon to Saylor Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Blacklick Creek route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Technical Blacklick Creek day run with documented Heshbon access, Saylor Park finish, and conservative flow guidance.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Ghost Town Trail Heshbon access near PA 259 bridgeVerify the Heshbon gate, carry, parking, and Saylor Park creek-side access before launch.
Take-out
Saylor Park / Blacklick take-outDo not use private mine property or unlisted banks.
Plan this segment
Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- Verify the Heshbon gate, carry, parking, and Saylor Park creek-side access before launch.
- Do not use private mine property or unlisted banks.
Watch for
- Auld's Run
- Jacks Rock and wood
- strainers
- mine-influenced tributaries
- cold water
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.
No approved route photos yet
Start the gallery with shots of the access, river character, or any detail that helps paddlers know what this run actually looks like.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Blacklick Creek at Josephine, PA |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Ideal range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 780 cfs |
| High threshold | Not calibrated yet |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Local route guidance |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Blacklick Creek flow guidance |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
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.
- Direct route and gaugePA 259 Heshbon to Saylor Park; USGS 03042000
American Whitewater names this 6.8-mile reach, rates it Class II-III(IV), and ties it directly to Blacklick Creek at Josephine.
- Public endpoint supportGhost Town Trail Heshbon access and Saylor Park/Blacklick finish
AW documents the Heshbon access and Saylor Park take-out; the Heshbon access location is corroborated by the regional trail waymark and the Saylor Park coordinate by the Ohio River Trail Council and DEP watershed records.
- Threshold and live conditionsConservative minimum-only planning guidance: 780 cfs; good level around 1,000 cfs
AW trip reports identify approximately 780 cfs as close to a minimum fun level and 1,000 cfs as a good level. The product uses these community references conservatively and requires current USGS discharge plus visual inspection.
- Hazards and corridor conditionTechnical ledges, wood, mine legacy, and rapidly changing conditions
AW documents Auld's Run, Jacks Rock, undercut/wood hazards, and changing access; the watershed association documents acid-mine-drainage history and difficult lower access.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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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.
Quick answers
Blacklick Creek paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Blacklick Creek?
Paddle Today watches Blacklick Creek at Josephine, PA and uses 780 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does this Blacklick Creek route start and end?
This route starts at Ghost Town Trail Heshbon access near PA 259 bridge and ends at Saylor Park / Blacklick take-out, about Approximately 6.8 river miles on the water.
Is this Blacklick Creek 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.