Adventures in Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
The Caney Fork is a major tributary of the Cumberland River, and is part of the Cumberland, Ohio and Mississippi basins. The name “Caney Fork” comes from the dense cane breaks that grew along the river’s banks when European explorers first arrived in the area.
Regardless of it’s history, this dammed controlled river is a enjoyable and very popular 6 – 10 mile float trip beginning in Long Branch Recreation Area [Lancaster, TN] just below the Center Hill Dam.
Happy Hollow – 6 Mile Paddle/Float
The 6 miles usually takes around an hour and a half with a generator [dam release] or up to 3 hours without.
Bettys Island – 9 Mile Paddle/Float
Bettys Island Is considered the “longer” of the common trip options. This 9’ish mile paddle usually takes around 3 hours with a generator [dam release] or 5 hours without.
On a random Tuesday, we opted for the 9’ish mile trip to Bettys Island from the Center Hill Dam. We timed it so that we put our kayaks in around 11:30 and patiently waited for the 12 noon generator [release]. The water was crystal clear and beautiful. While waiting, we enjoyed a lot of people watching as the bus loads of rental paddlers floated past excited for their adventure. We were surprised at the number of paddlers on a weekday, marveling at how busy it must be on a weekend.
In order to load-up after landing at Bettys Island we had strategically placed Mike’s bike at the take-out. Mike rode his bike the 7 road miles back to our car in record time.
All-in-all, a very fun day on the water. We would definitely recommend this enjoyable paddle when in the area.
If you require an outfitter to rent kayaks or canoes the most popular one seems to be Canoe the Caney.
Nspired Adventures 