Pennsylvania | South Central Pennsylvania

Yellow Breeches Creek

Simpson Park to Yellow Breeches Park

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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DistanceAbout 7.1 mi
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAbout 3 hr to 5 hr depending on depth
ShuttleCar shuttle
An angler stands in the clear, shaded water of Yellow Breeches Creek at Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania.
River contextYellow Breeches Creek at Boiling Springs river-level photo — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Staecker

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

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Quick facts and what's next

Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.

DifficultyeasyThis is easy moving water in ordinary conditions, but seven-plus miles, low-water scrape potential, wood movement after storms, and the need to stop before the posted downstream hazard make it a real day plan rather than a casual drift.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific paddling permit is known for these township launches. Follow current township, boating, and PFD rules, and do not assume the route should continue downstream into the posted B7 hazard area.
CampingOptions nearbyLower Allen Community Park sits on the official corridor and offers camping by reservation, but it is an on-route support option rather than permission to camp elsewhere on the creek corridor.
SeasonApr-OctSpring through early fall is the clearest fit, but summer thunderstorms can raise this small creek quickly and low summer water can turn a longer route into a scratchy, slower day.

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

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Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Access and shuttle

Launch at Simpson Park and take out at Yellow Breeches Park for the longest current public Yellow Breeches day the county still frames cleanly above the posted downstream blockage. Use the Camp Hill gauge as the county-endorsed same-creek proxy and expect scraping when it sits below the recommended floor.

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Start

Put-in

Simpson Park launch
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Cumberland County still publishes both endpoints as official Yellow Breeches access points with exact coordinates on the county story map.

Finish

Take-out

Yellow Breeches Park launch
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The county currently warns that a large fallen tree and logjam completely block the creek upstream of Slate Hill Road and specifically recommends B6 Yellow Breeches Park to avoid the hazard.

Plan this segment

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Access caveats and watch for

Access caveats

  • Cumberland County still publishes both endpoints as official Yellow Breeches access points with exact coordinates on the county story map.
  • The county currently warns that a large fallen tree and logjam completely block the creek upstream of Slate Hill Road and specifically recommends B6 Yellow Breeches Park to avoid the hazard.
  • The county recommends boating when the Camp Hill gauge reads about 1.4 to 2.0 feet. This route was reviewed when the proxy gauge was 1.26 feet at 2026-07-10 23:45 EDT, so low-water scraping is likely.
  • Trail use is limited to daylight hours and the county asks paddlers to respect private property not designated for public use.

Watch for

  • Scraping, shallow riffles, and slower travel when the Camp Hill gauge is near or below 1.4 ft.
  • Fresh wood, strainers, and muddy footing at the Yellow Breeches Park finish after storms.
  • The posted downstream blockage and the B7 dam-portage area; do not drift past the intended B6 take-out assuming the lower trail is clear.
  • Private banks and limited legal bailout choices away from the named public launches.

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
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Today'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.

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Gauge, thresholds, and timing

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

Gauge siteYellow Breeches Creek near Camp Hill, PA
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Target band1.40 ft to 2.00 ft
Low threshold1.40 ft
High threshold6.00 ft
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
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Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreCumberland County Yellow Breeches Camp Hill gauge guidance
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What 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 shapeSimpson Park to Yellow Breeches Park, about 7.1 mi

    The county story map lists Simpson Park to McCormick Park as 1.1 miles, McCormick Park to Lower Allen Community Park as 3.6 miles, Lower Allen Community Park to Liberty Forge as 0.5 miles, and Liberty Forge to Yellow Breeches Park as 1.9 miles.

    Source

  • Public endpoint coordinates40.164151, -76.976192 to 40.183811, -76.912682

    Cumberland County still publishes Simpson Park and Yellow Breeches Park as official Yellow Breeches access points with those coordinates.

    Source

  • Official same-creek proxy gaugeUSGS 01571500 at 149 cfs / 1.26 ft

    USGS Water Services returned same-day 2026-07-10 values of 149 cfs and 1.26 ft for Yellow Breeches Creek near Camp Hill at 23:45 EDT.

    Source

  • Official level guidanceRecommended 1.4 to 2.0 ft; action stage 6 ft; flood stage 7 ft

    Cumberland County says the Camp Hill gauge should read between 1.4 and 2.0 feet for boating, with action stage at 6 feet and flood stage at 7 feet.

    Source

  • Current finish rationaleCounty recommends B6 instead of continuing toward B7

    The county page currently warns that a large fallen tree and logjam completely block the creek upstream of the Slate Hill Road take-out and specifically recommends taking out at B6 Yellow Breeches Park to avoid the hazard.

    Source

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Yellow Breeches Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling Yellow Breeches Creek?

Paddle Today watches Yellow Breeches Creek near Camp Hill, PA and treats 1.40 ft to 2.00 ft as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this Yellow Breeches Creek route start and end?

This route starts at Simpson Park launch and ends at Yellow Breeches Park launch, about About 7.1 mi on the water.

Is this Yellow Breeches Creek route good for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.