Kayaking the Harpeth
With summer in full swing and everyone in the office getting vaccinated, the SGS Social Committee organized a great opportunity to get everyone into the summer sun and hang out as a firm on the water.
Just a little ways out from Nashville, 22 of us made our way to Foggy Bottom so we could get fitted into our kayaks and canoes and meander our way down the Harpeth River for the afternoon.
Not much to do on the water but enjoy the good weather, but we managed to fit in a frisbee session, exploration, and lunch during our trip down the river. An overall peaceful trip, so here’s a few facts about the Harpeth among the photos taken by team members on the trip!
The Harpeth River, 115 miles long, is one of the major streams of north-central Middle Tennessee, United States, and one of the major tributaries of the Cumberland River. Via the Cumberland and the Ohio Rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed. The lower portion of the Harpeth is designated as a “scenic river” under the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Act. (“Scenic Rivers Program”. Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation, 13 June 2011, https://web.archive.org/web/20130712192703/http://www.tn.gov/environment/na/scenicrivers/#rivers)
The Harpeth River and its tributaries are home to rich freshwater biodiversity, including more than 50 species of fish and 30 species of mussels. Several of these species are classified by Tennessee as rare and in need of management, and two mussel species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. (“Harpeth River.” American Rivers, 26 Feb. 2020, www.americanrivers.org/river/harpeth-river/.)
The Harpeth River State Park includes an incised meander in the river known as the Narrows of the Harpeth and its associated national historic landmark, the Montgomery Bell Tunnel. The park also includes the Mound Bottom and Mace Bluff archaeological sites, the Newsom’s Mill Historic Site, the Gossett Tract State Natural Area, and a section of land at Hidden Lakes. (“Harpeth River.” American Rivers, 26 Feb. 2020, www.americanrivers.org/river/harpeth-river/.)
With much more of summer left, we hope to have more beautiful days of relaxation like this in the future, and we hope you all have some time to enjoy the summer as well!
