Slippery Rock Creek

Slippery Rock Creek is a stream in western Pennsylvania, a tributary of Connoquenessing Creek.

Course and history

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. 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.

Recreation

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. 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.

Watershed

Tributaries

Name, bank	River mile	Watershed area in square miles	Average discharge	Mouth coordinates	Mouth elevation	Source coordinates	Source elevation	Remarks
Mouth								Slippery Rock Creek enters Connoquenessing Creek at Wurtemburg, Pennsylvania, in [Wayne Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania\|Lawrence County, Pennsylvania\|Wayne] and Perry townships.
Skunk Run, right bank								Skunk Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Wayne Township, Lawrence County.
Hell Run, right bank								Hell Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Slippery Rock Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, within McConnells Mill State Park. It is the only Exceptional Value classified stream in Lawrence County.
Grindstone Run, left bank								Grindstone Run enters Slippery Rock Creek in Perry Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, within McConnells Mill State Park.
Cheeseman Run, left bank								Cheeseman Run rises in Muddy Creek Township of Butler County and flows west into Perry Township of Lawrence County.
Muddy Creek, left bank								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								Taylor Run rises in southwestern Mercer County and flows south to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, where it joins Slippery Rock Creek.
Jamison Run, right bank								Jamison Run rises in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, and flows south into Slippery Rock Creek.
Black Run, left bank								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								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								Hogue Run rises near Shawood Park, Pennsylvania, and then flows north to meet Slippery Rock Creek near Camp Crestview.
Big Run, left bank								Big Run rises near Elora, Pennsylvania, and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek near Crolls Mills.
Glade Run, left bank								Glade Run rises near Euclid, Pennsylvania, and then flows northwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Slippery Rock Park.
Long Run, right bank								Long Run rises near Adams Corners, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Camp Bucoco.
McDonald Run, right bank								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								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								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								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								Blacks Creek rises south of Nectarine, Pennsylvania, and then flows south to meet Slippery Rock Creek west of Boyers, Pennsylvania.
Seaton Creek, right bank								Seaton Creek rises west of Eau Claire, Pennsylvania, and then flows southwest to meet Slippery Rock Creek at Boyers, Pennsylvania.