Russell Fork

The Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River is one mean, determined stream. In the region of the country where John Henry bored railroad tunnels through mountains with his hands, the Russell Fork did the same to Pine Mountain.

In the deep past, the Russell Fork breached Pine Mountain through a fault and carved a large horseshoe-shaped canyon right through it, the deepest east of the Mississippi River. The Russell Fork’s assault on 125-mile long Pine Mountain, now called Breaks Canyon, forms the mountain’s northern end.

Each year, thrill seekers from all around gather to Elkhorn City for an adrenaline rush with Russell Fork white water rafting. During the weekends of October you can expect spectacular fall colors and various levels of white water rapids, ranging from class II to IV in the upper and lower sections of the Russell Fork, to the mighty Class III to V white water areas, lovingly known as El Horrendo, Walk the Plank, Triple Drop, Fist and so on. The Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River is arguably the top paddling destination, not only in Kentucky, but the entire southern United States.

Class I to V+