About
Upper Yough Put-In at Sang Run is the whitewater launch on the Youghiogheny River at Sang Run State Park, on river right just upstream of the Sang Run Road bridge near McHenry. It's the starting point for the Upper Yough run down to Friendsville and is meant for advanced, trained paddlers, along with the commercial rafting trips that run this stretch.
Expert Water Only
Below the put-in, the Upper Yough runs about 9.6 miles to Friendsville, rated Class IV–V by American Whitewater, with an average drop of roughly 52 feet per mile and named rapids such as Gap Falls, Triple Drop, National Falls and Lost and Found. Maryland DNR describes this section as extremely challenging, remote whitewater and recommends it for advanced, trained and skilled paddlers only. It's not for tubing, canoeing or casual paddling. Flows depend on releases from the Deep Creek Lake hydroelectric plant, so check the posted release schedule before you plan a run.
A Public Access With Paddler Roots
The put-in is public land owned and maintained by the State of Maryland, and American Whitewater has helped care for it under an agreement with the state, with volunteers mowing, replacing timbers and spreading gravel on the lot. American Whitewater asks users to contribute toward parking. A county ordinance bars stopping on the Sang Run bridge and climbing down the abutment, so use the access site instead. Anglers use the riverbank here too.
Around Sang Run State Park
The put-in is part of Sang Run State Park, a former early-1800s homestead known as Friends Delight that became a state park in 2017. The park also has the historic Friends Store, a restored 1872 election house, more than 2.5 miles of trails, picnicking and a waterless toilet in the store parking lot.
Park considerately and leave the lot tidy for the next crew heading downriver.
Address
3751 Sang Run Rd, McHenry, MD 21541