It is one of the premier streams in the entire eastern United States. Longer and tougher than the Top Yough, it should be attempted only by expert boaters accompanied by someone who knows the river. The total gradient on the Upper Yough for the entire 9.5-mile run from Sang Run to Friendsville is about 500 feet. From Gap Falls to Friendsville, the gradient is roughly 65 feet per mile, but for the section between Bastard and Heinzerling rapids the gradient is in excess of 100 feet per mile. A normal run from Sang Run Bridge to Friendsville can take anywhere from three to six hours, depending on the skill levels and the group involved.
Local boaters blast down at a much faster pace.
Most releases are now three hours, and as long as you catch the beginning of a release and maintain a moderate pace, you will not run out of water. The Upper Yough is runnable on natural flows throughout the spring and at other times with adequate local rainfall. Heinzerling At moderate natural flow, it takes the release 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the Sang Run put-in from Deep Creek Lake. So if a three-hour release begins at 10 a.m., it will reach Sang Run just before noon. The power plant releasing the water was sold in 1999, and this could change everything from the phone number to release schedules.