Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam

This section makes one of the best open canoe runs in California, although it is a long drive from major population centers. In 2001 a new book by Neil Rucker appeared, The Canoer's Guide to the Wild and Scenic Middle Klamath River, describing the best routes for canoes, mile by mile. Neil and his wife run a canoeing business in Redding and maintain this website.

Although the Klamath contains brown water and suds from vegetation in the warm waters of shallow Klamath Lake, it offers fine fishing, good scenery with occasional whitewater, and reliable flows even late in drought years. Above Happy Camp, the river is boated primarily by canoes and anglers in drift boats. Canoeist and POST member Robert Neff neff@hpl.hp.com made these remarks:

The runs that I enjoyed most for boating were from Blue Heron to 4 miles below Hamburg Falls, and either of the possible 8 mile runs that include the class II+ stuff below Skeahan Bar. The Klamath is a big river, so an easy center channel is usually available through rapids. It is fairly rare to see the Klamath choke down to a narrow, technical channel. Our group negotiated all these sections in tandem and solo open canoes. We took young children on the class I sections.

From Trees of Heaven campground to Skeahan Bar is almost 4 miles of easy class II water. From Skeahan Bar to the access above Vesa Creek is another 4 miles of good whitewater including three exciting named rapids. From there to a designated access east of the town of Klamath River is over 4 more miles of easy class II. From this point to the Scott River confluence is mostly class I riffles, forming a good training section for kids. From Blue Heron access just above the Scott River to an unmarked access 4 miles below Hamburg, boaters encounter some class II rapids, class III Hamburg Falls, then fun class II the rest of the way.

Whitewater-centric boaters sometimes start at Sarah Totten campground and run thru Hamburg Falls down to the class III action below Fort Goff, taking out after 19.8 miles at the Nolton access below Thompson Creek. However they are often disappointed by long flatwater stretches, made even longer by strong afternoon headwinds.

Except for Ishi Pishi Falls near Somes Bar, the Klamath is runnable for several hundred miles, all the way from Iron Gate Dam to the ocean. It would seem to be an attractive long-distance tour, but highway 96 follows the river for most of its length, so wilderness campsites are far and few between. The section below this run, described in Klamath Happy Camp, makes a good intermediate run with many class III rapids. The section below the Salmon confluence starts with some class IV rapids, and is often combined with a Salmon river run. The section from Weitchpec to the ocean can be seen by jetboat; tours start at the mouth of the river near Requa.

mile
0

Put in at the boat access near Iron Gate Fish Hatchery, on river left across a bridge from Copco Road. Only class I rapids until Hornbrook.

2.1

R-Ranch, a private resort and campground, on the right

5.8

Town of Klamathon on river left, boat access on river right below a bridge.

6.5

Railroad bridge crosses overhead.

7.6

Cottonwood Creek enters on the right, near the town of Hornbrook. Class II rapid just below, with more ahead.

8.2

Bridge connects Hornbrook to Klamathon Road, as I-5 comes into view.

10.7

I-5 freeway bridges overhead; rest area bridge just downstream. Rapids soon become more frequent.

13.3

Shasta River enters on the left.

15

Class III- rapid with bridge to south bank road visible just ahead; stay right of midstream.

15.4

Ash Creek enters on the right.

15.7

Class III- rapid where Badger Creek enters on the left; stay right.

16

Class III- rapid above a left bend; stay midstream.

17.5

Garvey Bar on the left, site of many homes.

18.2

Trees of Heaven boat access and campground, on Humbug Point, named after an Asian tree species transplanted by Chinese immigrants.

18.8

Humbug Creek enters on the left, marking the start of McConnell Bar, site of much mining activity in the 1860s.

20.4

Lime Gulch on the right.

21

Cayuse Gulch on the right.

21.7

Skeahan Bar on right, designated river access.

22

Swiss Bar on the right, shortly above Deadman Creek on the right and Swiss Gulch on the left.

23.2

Kanaka Bar on the right.

23.4

Class III- Dutch Creek rapid after Dutch Creek enters on the right; possibly scout right; enter midstream and maneuver.

24

Class III- Schoolhouse rapid at a right bend; possibly scout right; stay right of midstream.

24.2

Class III- Lumgrey Creek Rapid, where Empire and Lumgrey Creeks enter close together on the right, and an island splits the river. Possibly scout from either side. For the left channel, enter in the middle and maneuver around rocks as necessary. For the right channel, enter just right of a pyramid rock in the center.

25.1

Designated river access on right bank.

26.1

Vesa Creek enters on the left.

29.3

Beaver Creek enters on the right.

29.9

Designated river access on the right bank, then the town of Klamath River, mostly on the right.

32.4

Little Humbug Creek enters on the left.

33.1

Barkhouse Creek enters on the left.

34.1

Walker Bridge, a steel lattice structure that amazingly survived the 1964 flood, when Happy Camp was completely cut off, crosses overhead.

35.9

Doggett Creek enters on the right.

36.1

McKinney Creek enters on the left.

37.8

Chase Gulch enters on the right. Shortly below, Dona Creek enters on the left.

38.6

Kohl Creek enters on the right.

41

Collins Creek enters on the left; .2 mile downstream, highway 96 crosses overhead from river right to river left.

42.5

Town of Horse Creek, with boat access, on the left, just above a bridge crossing the river.

42.8

Horse Creek enters on the right, just below another bridge.

43.5

Howard Gulch on the right.

44

Everill Creek enters on the left.

44.5

Kinsman Creek enters on the left, across from Sambo Gulch on right.

46.1

Blue Heron boat access, a good put-in for more exciting rapid ahead.

47.1

Scott River enters on the left, adding considerably to the flow.

47.3

Class III- rapid at the mouth of Tom Martin Creek; stay right.

48.2

Sara Totten Campground and river access on the left. This is the highest put-in described in the Cassady/Calhoun guidebook.

49.1

Mack Creek enters on the left, below most of the town of Hamburg, named by a German immigrant.

49.2

Class III Hamburg Falls, possibly scout either side. The left side of the river becomes a boulder field, or a rocky island at high flows. Rafts usually start in the center and angle rightward over the drop. Drift boats hug the far right, where the channel is deeper.

49.4

Jim Creek, then Mitchell Creek, enter on the left.

50.1

Mill Creek enters on the left.

50.5

Kuntz Creek enters on the left.

51.7

Negro Creek enters on the right. Originally named after a Caucasian miner, Mr. Nigger, but politically corrected by the USFS.

52.9

O'Neil Creek enters on the right, flowing near a USFS campground on the uphill side of highway 96.

53.9

Louie Creek enters on the left.

55

Granite Point on the left, Schutts Gulch on the right.

56.8

Walker Creek enters on the left.

57.3

Bridge overhead where highway 96 crosses from river left to right on the way to Seiad Valley. Access below bridge near Gard Creek.

59.6

Grider Creek enters on the left.

59.9

Seiad Creek enters on the right, West Grider Creek enters on the left.

60.2

Class III- Grider Creek rapid, stay right.

61.9

Bittenbender Creek enters on the right.

62.4

Portuguese Creek enters on the right.

63.4

Fort Goff Creek enters on the right; a USFS campground is nearby.

64.1

Ladd Creek enters on the left; more rapids around two right bends.

64.9

Class III+ Upper Savage Rapid, possibly scout right. At a relatively steep drop, a number of large boulders (holes at higher flows) block the river, creating different channels depending on rock movements. In the past, far right and far left have both offered good routes. Good surfing hole just downstream.

65.5

Class II+ Lower Savage, pass willows and stay right.

65.8

Class III Otter's Playpen. Large rock outcroppings block the river, creating a multiplicity of routes, although at lower flows rafts and drift boats are limited to the right side. This rapid can be scouted from either bank, and in small boats most routes work fine.

65.9

Class II+ Fort Goff Falls, a significant drop behind some rocks.

67

Thompson Creek enters on the right. Nolton boat access downstream.

67.8

Shinar Creek enters on the right.

68

Class III- rapid near Minetta Bee Mine, with swift water below.

70.2

Joe Miles Creek enters on the left, below stillwater.

70.8

Oak Hollow Creek enters on the right.

72

China Point on the right, China Creek enters on the left. From here to Happy Camp, rapids are only class I. There is evidence of mining activity, and many shallows and stillwater sections to cross, but highway 96 is away from the river, making this semi-wilderness section, called Cade Canyon, popular among canoeists.

75

Williams Point on the right, forming a horseshoe bend.

75.8

Horse Creek enters on the left.

76.5

Fryingpan Creek enters on the left.

77.2

Ottley Gulch on the left, Morgan Point on the right, forming another horseshoe bend.

78.7

Woods Creek enters on the left, followed by Woods Bar.

80.6

Cade Creek enters on the right.

81.7

Ranch Gulch enters on the right, at the outskirts of Happy Camp.

83.2

Indian Creek enters on the right, marking the end of Happy Camp.

84

Curley Jack campground on the left, across from Curley Jack Creek on river right.

To reach put-in, exit I-5 at Henley, and drive east on Copco Road about 8 miles to the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery. Cross the river bridge and find the river access point.

To reach take-out there, drive east and then south on highway 96 until you reach Happy Camp. At the western outskirts of Happy Camp, turn right and cross a bridge to the Curley Jack USFS campground.

 Creeks Navigation

 Sponsored Links