Beaver River in Pennsylvania

Trip Overview

I have paddled several times recently on the Beaver River above the small municipality of Eastvale, directly across the river from Beaver Falls, PA. The three low dams in the stretch from Eastvale to New Brighton along with the railroad corridors on either side, effectively create an isolated wilderness corridor full of wildlife and remote scenery. The river at normal flow is completely smooth, all the way upstream until the inflow of the Connequenessing. Here begin a very small series of Class I ripples, with the only hazard being a handful of submerged snags, easily avoided. Above Ellwood City the river narrows somewhat and the character of the river changes somewhat, with multiple small islands here and there, to go around, good photography opportunities, etc. There is a very good chance the alert paddler will spot at least one bald eagle, I have seen two adults and two juveniles. Blue Herons and lots of fishing opportunities are also present, with some great places to beach your kayak, take a break from paddling and wade for bass, etc. Although the river is close to civilization for the entirety of this stretch and cell phone coverage is good, any acute emergencies will have to be taken care of as they may occur, as help is not readily available. People are few and far between. I highly recommend a thorough map reconnaissance of the river before launching, in order to pick the spots you may be interested in, takeout points, etc. I would also recommend taking portage carts for your boats, if you have the storage space. Some people don't use them but if you have one, they're a good idea. Multiple small streams entering the river along the way offer good chances to resupply your water, as long as you carry a filter/pump or other water purification method. One important note for anyone planning a trip of any length, do NOT expect to paddle upstream and then enjoy a casual float back down, free of effort. You get a little push from the current around Wampum, and down to the Connieafter that it's all flat and slow, and you'll have to earn your distance by paddling. Expect the occasional motorboat on the weekends, but only below Ellwood City. A small boat club in Eastvale has about a dozen boats docked there during the summer but they will not present a problem, and are mostly active only on the weekends.

This stretch of river is ideal for paddlers looking to combine canoeing or paying with other hobbies such as fishing, birdwatching or tent camping. Some small patches of private property are located between the railroads and the riverbanks, so use common sense and respect the property of others.

Accommodations:

None

Fees:

None

Directions:

Find the Eastvale township on the map, then you'll have to locate the ramp on the east side of the bridge. I carry my boat from the Beaver Falls side, which is one reason why I use a cart.

Resources:

I used Google Maps to do a thorough map recon of the river. Lacking tributaries for the most part, this river is easy to navigate and paddle, explore, etc...