Rockcastle River
Encyclopedia
The Rockcastle River is a 54.8 miles (88.2 km) river
primarily in Rockcastle County, Kentucky
. It is a tributary of the Cumberland River
and therefore, via the Ohio River
, part of the Mississippi River
watershed. In 1750 it was discovered and named the Lawless River by Dr. Thomas Walker
and his exploring party. It was soon renamed by hunter Isaac Lindsey for its castle-like rock formations. It is about 60 to 80 ft (18.3 to 24.4 ) wide throughout its length. The river has an important native walleye
population that has stabilized in recent years. This river is the ultimate whitewater
canoe river in Kentucky despite the Cumberland's claim to such. A trip down the lower Rockcastle is one of the most remote trips into the Appalachian wilderness you can have without hiking the Appalachian Trail
.
The river has two forks, the Middle Fork, which forms in southern Jackson County, and the South Fork, which forms in Clay County
. They meet at the Jackson County line and flow south, forming the southeast border of Rockcastle County. It makes up the border between Pulaski
and Laurel
counties before flowing into the Cumberland River
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
primarily in Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Rockcastle County, Kentucky
Rockcastle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 16,582. Its county seat is Mt. Vernon. The county is named for the Rockcastle River which runs through it...
. It is a tributary of the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
and therefore, via the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, part of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
watershed. In 1750 it was discovered and named the Lawless River by Dr. Thomas Walker
Thomas Walker (explorer)
Dr. Thomas Walker was a physician and explorer from Virginia who led an expedition to what is now the region beyond the Allegheny Mountains area of British North America in the mid-18th century...
and his exploring party. It was soon renamed by hunter Isaac Lindsey for its castle-like rock formations. It is about 60 to 80 ft (18.3 to 24.4 ) wide throughout its length. The river has an important native walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
population that has stabilized in recent years. This river is the ultimate whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
canoe river in Kentucky despite the Cumberland's claim to such. A trip down the lower Rockcastle is one of the most remote trips into the Appalachian wilderness you can have without hiking the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
.
The river has two forks, the Middle Fork, which forms in southern Jackson County, and the South Fork, which forms in Clay County
Clay County, Kentucky
- Demographics :As of the census of 2011, there were 21,000 people, 8,556 households, and 6,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 9,439 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
. They meet at the Jackson County line and flow south, forming the southeast border of Rockcastle County. It makes up the border between Pulaski
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 63,063 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Somerset6. The county is named for Count Kazimierz Pułaski. Most of the county is a prohibition or dry county...
and Laurel
Laurel County, Kentucky
Laurel County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 58,849 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is London.The London Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Laurel County....
counties before flowing into the Cumberland River
Cumberland River
The Cumberland River is a waterway in the Southern United States. It is long. It starts in Harlan County in far southeastern Kentucky between Pine and Cumberland mountains, flows through southern Kentucky, crosses into northern Tennessee, and then curves back up into western Kentucky before...
.