| Slippery Rock Creek | |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Pennsylvania#USA |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Slippery Rock Creek mouth |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States of America |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pennsylvania |
| Subdivision Type3: | County |
| Subdivision Name3: | Butler Lawrence |
| Subdivision Type5: | Cities |
| Subdivision Name5: | Slippery Rock, Ellwood City |
| Length: | 50.17miles[1] |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 611.19cuft/s at mouth with Connoquenessing Creek[2] |
| Source1 Location: | Hilliards, Butler County, Pennsylvania |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 41.1142°N -79.8042°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 1400feet[3] |
| Mouth: | Connoquenessing Creek |
| Mouth Location: | Ellwood City, Beaver County, Pennsylvania |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 40.8586°N -80.2567°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 810feet |
| Progression: | Connoquenessing Creek → Beaver River → Ohio River → Mississippi River → Gulf of Mexico |
| River System: | Beaver River |
| Basin Size: | [4] |
| Tributaries Left: | South Branch Glade Run Big Run Hogue Run Black Run Muddy Creek Cheeseman Run Grindstone Run |
| Tributaries Right: | Seaton Creek Blacks Creek North Branch McMurray Run McDonald Run Long Run Wolf Creek Jamison Run Taylor Run Hell Run Skunk Run |
Slippery Rock Creek is a stream in western Pennsylvania, a tributary of Connoquenessing Creek.
From its source in Hilliards in Butler County, it flows through McConnells Mill State Park before flowing into the Connoquenessing in Ellwood City. Then, the Connoquenessing flows into the Beaver River just three miles south from the mouth of Slippery Rock.
There are multiple stories about the origin of the creek's name. In one story, the indigenous Seneca Indians called the creek Wechachapohka or "Slippery Rock", denoting the rocks at the bottom of the stream that could be easily crossed by natives wearing moccasins but not by soldiers wearing heavy boots.[5] In another more prosaic story, the Native Americans coined the name due to natural oil seeps in and around the present-day McConnells Mill State Park that made the rocks slippery; those seeps were later eliminated by fossil fuel extraction.[6]
Slippery Rock Creek is a favorite for whitewater kayakers and canoeists from the region. With Class-II and -III rapids and engaging beauty, it attracts regular paddlers from novice to advanced level. Slippery Rock Creek, however, can be very dangerous. The rocks are indeed deceptively slippery, and throughout the year, there are numerous reports of drowning incidents, mostly near the McConnells Mill State Park.[7] In and around that state park, the creek formed a rugged gorge that is popular with hikers, and the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail along the creek and its Hell Run tributary has been named as one of the best hiking trails in Pennsylvania.[8]
| Name, bank[9] | River mile (km)[10] | Watershed area in square miles (km2)[11] | Average discharge | Mouth coordinates[12] | Mouth elevation | Source coordinates | Source elevation | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth | 611.19cuft/s | 40.8586°N -80.2567°W | 810feet | 41.1142°N -79.8042°W | 1400feet | Slippery Rock Creek enters Connoquenessing Creek at Wurtemburg, Pennsylvania, in Wayne and Perry townships (Lawrence County). | |||
| Skunk Run, right bank | 4.42miles | 2.35cuft/s | 40.9031°N -80.2253°W | 870feet | 40.9225°N -80.2647°W | 1260feet | Skunk Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Wayne Township, Lawrence County. | ||
| Hell Run, right bank | 5.52miles | 7.24cuft/s | 40.9158°N -80.2153°W | 880feet | 40.9339°N -80.2633°W | 1220feet | Hell Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, within McConnells Mill State Park. It is the only Exceptional Value (EV) classified stream in Lawrence County. | ||
| Grindstone Run, left bank | 6.44miles | 1.32cuft/s | 40.9203°N -80.2003°W | 920feet | 40.9078°N -80.1803°W | 1260feet | Grindstone Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Perry Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, within McConnells Mill State Park. | ||
| Cheeseman Run, left bank | 8.4miles | 3.2cuft/s | 40.9386°N -80.1786°W | 940feet | 40.9228°N -80.1478°W | 1275feet | Cheeseman Run rises in Muddy Creek Township of Butler County and flows west into Perry Township of Lawrence County. | ||
| Muddy Creek, left bank | 11.82miles | 80.66cuft/s | 40.98°N -80.1794°W | 1040feet | 40.9914°N -79.8753°W | 1370feet | Muddy Creek rises in western Butler County and flows west into eastern Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Lake Arthur is a prominent impoundment of this stream. Muddy Creek is the second largest tributary by average discharge. | ||
| Taylor Run, right bank | 16.66miles | 17.9cuft/s | 41.0289°N -80.1578°W | 1075feet | 41.1208°N -80.1733°W | 1340feet | Taylor Run rises in southwestern Mercer County and flows south to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, where it joins Slippery Rock Creek. | ||
| Jamison Run, right bank | 18.06miles | 18.01cuft/s | 41.0328°N -80.1406°W | 1085feet | 41.1094°N -80.1578°W | 1250feet | Jamison Run rises in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and flows south into Slippery Rock Creek. | ||
| Black Run, left bank | 18.9miles | 10.83cuft/s | 41.0247°N -80.1319°W | 1090feet | 40.0072°N -80.08°W | 1195feet | Black Run originates in a wetland upstream of Tamarack Lake and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Elliotts Mills, Pennsylvania. | ||
| Wolf Creek, right bank | 21.28miles | 145.08cuft/s | 41.0411°N -80.1017°W | 1100feet | 41.2953°N -80.0867°W | 1360feet | Wolf Creek originates in Pine Swamp in Mercer County and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Moores Corners, Pennsylvania. Wolf Creek is the largest tributary by average discharge. | ||
| Hogue Run, left bank | 23.76miles | 10.7cuft/s | 41.0289°N -80.0722°W | 1100feet | 40.9844°N -80.0975°W | 1320feet | Hogue Run rises near Shawood Park, Pennsylvania, and then flows north to meet Slippery Rock Creek near Camp Crestview. | ||
| Big Run, left bank | 26.94miles | 10.36cuft/s | 41.0206°N -80.0353°W | 1130feet | 40.9872°N -79.9872°W | 1370feet | Big Run rises near Elora, Pennsylvania, and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek near Crolls Mills. | ||
| Glade Run, left bank | 30.32miles | 11.12cuft/s | 41.025°N -80.0139°W | 1148feet | 40.9844°N -79.945°W | 1370feet | Glade Run rises near Euclid, Pennsylvania, and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Slippery Rock Park. | ||
| Long Run, right bank | 32.4miles | 5.77cuft/s | 41.0497°N -80.0042°W | 1150feet | 41.1008°N -80.0211°W | 1350feet | Long Run rises near Adams Corners, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Camp Bucoco. | ||
| McDonald Run, right bank | 34.78miles | 6.07cuft/s | 41.0608°N -79.9878°W | 1160feet | 41.1081°N -80.0111°W | 1330feet | McDonald Run rises in Forestville, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek south of Branchton. | ||
| South Branch Slippery Rock Creek, left bank | 35.32miles | 55.78cuft/s | 41.0592°N -79.9797°W | 1165feet | 40.9994°N -79.8161°W | 1320feet | Suth Branch of Slippery Rock Creek rises east of Hooker, Pennsylvania, and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek south of Bovard, Pennsylvania. | ||
| McMurray Run, right bank | 37.58miles | 19.6cuft/s | 41.0772°N -79.9653°W | 1175feet | 41.1589°N -80.0064°W | 1390feet | McMurray Run rises north of Harrisville, Pennsylvania and flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Rock Hill Camp. This run drains most of Harrisville. | ||
| North Branch Slippery Rock Creek, right bank | 40.74miles | 24.28cuft/s | 41.0981°N -79.9303°W | 1180feet | 41.1981°N -79.9825°W | 1378feet | North Branch Slippery Rock Creek rises in Barkeyville, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek near Atwells Crossing, Pennsylvania. | ||
| Blacks Creek, right bank | 42.26miles | 13.42cuft/s | 41.1114°N -79.9156°W | 1190feet | 41.1758°N -79.9214°W | 1420feet | Blacks Creek rises south of Nectarine, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek west of Boyers, Pennsylvania. | ||
| Seaton Creek, right bank | 43.9miles | 16.16cuft/s | 41.1119°N -79.8906°W | 1195feet | 41.1347°N -79.8111°W | 1480feet | Seaton Creek rises west of Eau Claire, Pennsylvania, and then flows southwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Boyers, Pennsylvania. |