We followed the process of recovery of the fish and crayfish assemblage in Peeks Creek, a high-gradient second order stream in the Little Tennessee River watershed of North Carolina after a debris flow devastated the channel and its riparian zone. After 10 years, the fish assemblage had recovered, and the channel and riparian zone had stabilized. Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, Longnose Dace Rhinichthys cataractae, and Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii were the major components of the fish assemblage. Rainbow Trout was the only species to appear in year 1 after the debris flow. Longnose Dace appeared in year 3. Mottled Sculpin did not become established until year 6 and it wasn’t until year 9 that sculpins constituted a major component of the fish assemblage. Appalachian Brook Crayfish Cambarus bartonii numbers recovered quickly, though only one individual was found the year following the debris flow.