Course
Catawissa Creek (Lenape for "growing fat") rises in the coal fields of Schuylkill County near Audenried, just south of the city of Hazleton. It runs west along the south side of Pismire Ridge, and then drops steeply and turns south into a deep valley. It meanders sharply and turns west again between Green Mountain and Locust Mountain — the Ringtown Valley. It turns north and squeezes through a narrow gorge, passing the west end of Green Mountain. Meeting Tomhicken Creek, it turns west again, cutting sharp meanders along the southern side of Buck Mountain.
The abandoned Catawissa Branch of the Reading Railroad begins to follow it along the side of Catawissa Mountain, which gradually squeezes it against Buck Mountain until creek and rail grade push north through another steep gorge just south of Shumans, where Beaver Run enters the stream. The creek eases around the west end of McCauley Mountain and meanders west again. Just south of Nescopeck Mountain, Scotch Run enters the stream, followed by the abandoned Scotch Valley Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
The stream, the rail grades, and a local road push north through a deep gap between Catawissa and Nescopeck mountains to Mainville. The creek then turns west-southwest and joins the Susquehanna River at Catawissa in Columbia County.
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