Sinking Creek (Pennsylvania) facts for kids

Sinking Creek is a cool stream in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It's about 19.8 miles (31.9 km) long. This creek flows through three different areas: Harris Township, Potter Township, and Gregg Township. All the land that drains water into Sinking Creek covers about 40.70 square miles (105.4 km2).

Where Sinking Creek Flows

Sinking Creek starts in a special place called the Bear Meadows Natural Area. This area is in a valley within Harris Township.

The creek flows towards the northeast for a few miles. As it goes, the valley around it gets narrower. Soon, Sinking Creek enters Potter Township. Here, it makes a turn towards the northwest before turning northeast again.

A little further along, the creek flows through Colyer Lake. After the lake, it gets more water from a smaller stream called Boal Gap Run. The creek then starts to wiggle and curve a lot, which is called meandering. It even crosses a big road, U.S. Route 322.

Later, it crosses another road, Pennsylvania Route 144, and gets more water from Potter Run. The creek's path becomes a bit straighter as it continues northeast. It flows along the northern side of a mountain.

Finally, Sinking Creek enters Gregg Township. A few miles downstream, it passes north of Egg Hill. Then, it joins with Penns Creek in the community of Spring Mills. This spot is about 58.82 miles (94.66 km) upstream from where Penns Creek ends.

Creek's Height and Surroundings

The lowest part of Sinking Creek, near where it joins Penns Creek, is about 1079 feet (329 m) above sea level. The very beginning of the creek is much higher, around 1720 feet (524 m) above sea level.

Upstream from Potter Run, Sinking Creek is a fairly small stream. It can be a bit wild with lots of plants growing around it. You might also see fences and fallen trees along its banks.

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is all the land area where water drains into a particular river or creek. The watershed for Sinking Creek covers about 40.70 square miles (105.4 km2). This means all the rain and snow that falls on this area eventually flows into Sinking Creek.

Fun on Sinking Creek

If you like to canoe, Sinking Creek can be a fun place! You can canoe on at least 6.9 miles (11.1 km) of the creek. The best times to go are when snow is melting or within a week after a lot of rain.

The creek has a difficulty rating of 1, which means it's pretty easy and good for beginners. Edward Gertler, who wrote a book called Keystone Canoeing, says the views along Sinking Creek are "good."