Localwaters

Sequatchie River Home Page – Description

The Sequatchie River is a 116-mile-long river that drains the Sequatchie Valley, a large valley in the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee.

The Sequatchie River’s source is a large spring which flows out of Head of Sequatchie Spring. It receives the drainage of Grassy Cove, a pastoral limestone region several miles to the north from which the drainage has no surface outlet, through a spectacular series of underground passages. Grassy Cove is an interesting and particularly beautiful place-here is a wiki link: Grassy Cove

This cave is located in the southeastern portion of Cumberland County, and the water flowing from it is augmented by that of other sizeable springs and small streams, at least one of which provided enough flow for an early textile industry. The stream crosses into Bledsoe County and is at the floor of a valley that trends generally southwestward and is several miles wide. Natives of the area tend to call the portion of the Cumberland Plateau to the west of the valley the “Cumberland Mountains” or “the Plateau” and that to the east of it Walden’s Ridge. The Sequatchie Valley is traversed throughout much its length by U.S. Highway 127. The first sizeable town on the Sequatchie is Pikeville. State Route 30, which descends Walden’s Ridge into the Valley and then climbs the escarpment back onto the plateau, crosses here.

Crossing into Sequatchie County, the stream flows into Dunlap. Just north of Dunlap, U.S. 127 turns southeastward, beginning the ascent onto Walden Ridge and eventually down into Chattanooga. A set of railroad tracks previously ran along the river from this point, testament to heavy underground coal extraction in years past.

For almost the rest of its length the Sequatchie is paralleled by State Route 28. State Route 283 also runs along the base of the Walden’s Ridge escarpment for several miles. The river then enters Marion County. The town of Whitwell is just a few miles into Marion County. Below Whitwell at the small community of Sequatchie (also known as Sequachee) the Sequatchie receives the flow of the Little Sequatchie River. At Jasper, which is slightly west of the river, is a railroad junction. East of town is the crossing of U.S. Highway 41 by Tennessee 28, and the bridge over the river. Shortly south of the Interstate 24 bridge is the mouth of the Sequatchie into the Guntersville Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River. Wiki/Creative Commons License for description above only:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The Sequatchie River is a very popular river for kayakers and canoeist. Check the water levels carefully before your visit.

The regionally famous Canoe The Sequatchie rental and outfitting business owned by Scott Pilkington has just closed this year (2012). After 34 years in business it’s the end of a tradition for many area families. Canoe The Sequatchie, widely known by the many distinctive canoe shaped billboard signs along Tennessee’s highways, will be missed by many and I am one. Some good memories were made their when I was young. Here is a link to the story of the man who fell in love with this river and knows it like few others: the Canoe Man of The Sequatchie River.

Please consider showing your appreciation of The Sequatchie River by picking up some litter during your next visit, many hands make light work.