Little Juniata River facts for kids

Geologic cross section along the Little Juniata River

The Little Juniata River, often called the "Little J," is a river in Pennsylvania. It's about 32.1 miles (51.7 km) long. This river is a smaller stream, also known as a tributary, that flows into the larger Juniata River. The Juniata River then joins the Susquehanna River, which is part of a huge watershed.

The Little J starts in Altoona. Here, several small streams come together to form the river. From Altoona, it flows northeast through an area called the Logan Valley. It runs along the base of Brush Mountain.

Where the River Flows

When the Little Juniata River reaches Tyrone, another stream called the Bald Eagle Creek joins it. After this, the river makes a sharp turn and flows southeast. It carves a path through a water gap between the Brush Mountain and Bald Eagle Mountain ridges.

The river then enters the Sinking Valley, where it meets Sinking Run. Finally, about 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, near Petersburg, the Little J joins the Frankstown Branch Juniata River. When these two rivers meet, they form the main Juniata River.

A River of History

Long ago, during the time of colonial America, the Little Juniata River was very important for moving goods. People used special boats called "arcs" to float freight down the river. These shipments were loaded onto boats in a town called Birmingham, just east of Tyrone. They would wait for the water level to be high enough so the boats wouldn't get stuck on the rocky riverbed. Because of this, the Little Juniata was considered a "Navigable" river, meaning boats could travel on it for trade.

Fishing in the Little J

The Little Juniata River is a fantastic place for fly fishing. It's known for having a healthy population of wild brown trout. This means the trout live and reproduce naturally in the river, so no extra fish need to be added by people. It's a great spot for young anglers to try their luck!

Images for kids

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  An old picture from 1864 showing an accident on the Pennsylvania Central Railroad near the river in Birmingham, Huntingdon County.