Walnut Creek, last 14 days
Daily flow table
| Date | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Oct 13 | 7.9 | 9.1 | 9.5 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | 7.9 | 8.9 | 9.5 |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 7.9 | 8.7 | 9.5 |
| Sat, Oct 10 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 9.5 |
| Fri, Oct 9 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 9.5 |
| Thu, Oct 8 | 7.9 | 9.0 | 10.3 |
| Wed, Oct 7 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 10.3 |
| Tue, Oct 6 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 10.3 |
| Mon, Oct 5 | 7.5 | 9.9 | 11.1 |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 7.5 | 9.4 | 12.9 |
| Sat, Oct 3 | 7.9 | 13.8 | 24.4 |
| Fri, Oct 2 | 8.4 | 22.0 | 58.3 |
| Thu, Oct 1 | 7.5 | 10.8 | 14.9 |
| Wed, Sep 30 | 7.0 | 8.8 | 11.1 |
| Tue, Sep 29 | 7.5 | 9.4 | 12.0 |
Daily low, average and high flow in cfs, Eastern time. The current day is partial.
What the RiverTrax app adds
- An estimate for Elk Creek itself
River Stretches shows a flow estimate for Elk Creek, modeled by NOAA and labeled as an estimate.
- Alerts on Walnut Creek
Get notified when Walnut Creek, the nearest gauge, reaches the flow you choose.
- A home-screen widget
Keep Walnut Creek on your iPhone home screen and catch the next rise.
When the run happens
Elk Creek flows into Lake Erie west of Erie, through Girard and Fairview, and has more public access points than any other Pennsylvania steelhead creek in PA Fish & Boat's parking data. PA Fish & Boat says steelhead run up the tributaries from October through April.
Its steelhead guide rates Elk as a large creek that usually takes 2–4 days after rain to become fishable again. Elk Creek has no USGS gauge, so this page shows Walnut Creek, the nearest gauged stream, for context.
Access and parking
From PA Fish & Boat's Erie tributary parking data, from the mouth upstream. Many spots are landowner easements: stay between the stream and the marked boundary, and don't trespass on neighboring property.
- Elk Creek Access, at the mouthMap location
Fish & Boat Commission property with ample parking and a boat launch. Fishing from the lot to the mouth, mainly on the east side. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Erie Bluffs State Park, Route 5Map location
DCNR land with ample parking off Route 5 and a boat launch. Fishing from the mouth upstream 3,300 feet, mainly on the west side. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- North Creek RoadMap location
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy property. Park off North Creek Road and follow the trail to the stream; don't use the old access road and parking area along the railroad. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Elk Park Road (Girard Township lot)Map location
Ample parking. Girard Township land from Elk Park Road downstream 300 feet, plus easements upstream: 1,550 feet along the northeast bank and from the railroad trestle upstream 1,050 feet on both banks. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Girard Borough ParkMap location
Borough property with ample parking off the park's access road, plus nearby easements reached via the stream. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Girard American Legion, Noble RoadMap location
Ample parking at the Legion off Noble Road for easements reached via the stream; boundaries are marked. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Beckman RoadMap location
Fish & Boat Commission and Lake Erie Region Conservancy property. Park at the eastern end of the field by Beckman Road and follow the old logging road down to the creek. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Struchen Flats Park, Platz RoadMap location
Fairview Township park with ample parking off Platz Road; nearby easements and Folly's End Campground parking reach more water. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Sterrettania Access, West RoadMap location
McKean Township land from the West Road bridge downstream, with ample parking off West Road. Lake Erie Region Conservancy land nearby off Peffer Road and West Road adds more access. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Rick RoadMap location
Fish & Boat Commission property from Rick Road downstream 900 feet, with ample parking along Rick Road. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- Skinner RoadMap location
Fish & Boat Commission property. Parking is very limited; don't block the turnaround at the end of Skinner Road. Source: PA Fish & Boat
- McKean Community ParkMap location
McKean Borough property with parking off Route 99 (Edinboro Road). Source: PA Fish & Boat
Parking details from PA Fish & Boat's Erie tributary parking data (last updated January 2023), which lists 32 Elk Creek entries; nearby ones are combined above.
Stocking
Across its Lake Erie tributaries, PA Fish & Boat has said it stocks more than a million juvenile steelhead a year; it doesn't publish a per-creek number on its steelhead page. Source: PA Fish & Boat (2016).
Common questions
Is there a flow gauge on Elk Creek?
No. USGS doesn't run a real-time gauge on Elk Creek, so this page shows Walnut Creek, about 8 miles east, as context. It's a different stream, and its number is not a reading for Elk Creek.
Where can I park to fish Elk Creek?
PA Fish & Boat lists more than a dozen parking areas, from the Elk Creek Access and Erie Bluffs State Park at the mouth, through Girard (Elk Park Road, Girard Borough Park, the American Legion), up to Struchen Flats, Sterrettania, Rick Road and McKean.
Can I fish Elk Creek at night?
North of Route 5, yes: Pennsylvania's rules exempt Elk Creek north of Route 5 from the night closure. Elsewhere on the creek, from September 8 until the April trout opener, fishing is closed from 10 PM to 5 AM.
How fast does Elk Creek clear after rain?
PA Fish & Boat's steelhead guide rates Elk a large creek that usually takes 2–4 days after rain to become fishable again.
What are the steelhead rules on Elk Creek?
Pennsylvania's rules cover all its Lake Erie tributaries: a 15-inch minimum for steelhead, and a daily limit of three trout and salmon combined from the day after Labor Day until the spring trout opener, then five through Labor Day. You need a Pennsylvania fishing license plus a Lake Erie permit or a combination trout/Lake Erie permit. From September 8 until the April trout opener, the tributaries are closed to fishing from 10 PM to 5 AM, with exceptions on parts of Walnut and Elk creeks. 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary, Lake Erie page (PDF).