Stony Creek near Willows

Above Stonyford lies the class IV run described here. Below Stonyford, Stony Creek has at least two navigable stretches, separated by Stony Gorge reservoir. The first run from Stonyford to the reservoir is described only by Anne Dwyer in her 2000 guidebook, Easy Waters of California. The second run from Stony Creek reservoir to the confluence with Grindstone Creek is described by Dwyer, and also by Dick Schwind in his 1974 guidebook, West Coast River Touring. Probably back then, the diversion dam above Stonyford actually diverted water, so Schwind did not find flows high enough to boat. There is a third possible run from Grindstone Creek to Black Butte reservoir that does not appear in any guidebook.

Stonyford to Road 303, 13 January 2002, ~1500 cfs

The stretch from the Road 306 bridge a half mile north of Stonyford to the Road 303 bridge 5 miles south of Stony Gorge reservoir was so magical I did it twice in one day. It is narrow, intimate, rocky, with lively water. The road is visible the last 3 miles only, and the only car I saw on it contained my wife the shuttle driver.

This run is 7 miles long according to Ann Dwyer, but seems shorter. About the time the road rejoins the river I encountered a flat straightaway where the road was visible across a grassy field. At the end of the straightaway the river turns sharply right and into 3 channels. The middle channel (which I took both times) had the most water and obstacles (rocks, logs, overhanging branches) and was therefore the most fun. Soon thereafter was the rapid (2nd photo) with the house-sized Big Rock. An easy but fun move to the right avoided the obstruction. After a left turn came the final straightaway to the Road 303 bridge. At 1500 cfs, it was rollicking waves from shore to shore -- a fitting end to a great run. Stony Creek from the Road 303 bridge to Stony Gorge reservoir is probably runnable, but take-out access is unknown.

The scenery? I don't remember specifics, as I was too busy enjoying the river. It was beautiful Coast Range foothill scenery with mountain backdrop. The picture with the snowcapped mountain in the background is of me starting just upstream of the Road 306 bridge. The other is of Big Rock Rapid (or whatever you wish to call it), about four or five miles into the run. This rapid is easier than it looks, but at certain flows would contain (avoidable?) class III hydraulics.

Kayakers starting at the Road 306 bridge	Into-a-tree rapid just below the bridge
Taking the right channel at Two Channel	This is the narrowest spot on the run
Channels come together below the drop	Enjoying the scenery in a calm spot
Big Rock rapid from the road (no boats)	It's like this all the way to take-out!

Elk Creek to Grindstone Creek, 12 January 2002, ~1750 cfs

The stretch from Stony Gorge reservoir to Grindstone Creek is also nice. A road leads from the town of Elk Creek to a park below the dam. Some guy in an official looking pick-up truck told me I couldn't put in right below Stony Gorge Dam, which is the put-in spot recommended by both Schwind and Dwyer. So we went about a mile downstream, where a bridge crossed over the river just below the town of Elk Creek. Schwind says there is some tricky maneuvering right below the dam. There was a rapid with hidden rocks just upstream of the bridge. Opposite the town, there is an old mine on river right.

The run itself was swift, with many riffles and small rapids with waves ricocheting off both shores. The scenery was California rural at its finest: gray pines and blue oaks in the background, with cottonwoods and willows in the foreground. The human element was represented by a few old barns and abandoned farming equipment, with a man and his two sons operating some sort of machinery. Overall the run was quite serene and pastoral.

I saw golden and bald eagles flying off from the dead tops of streamside cottonwoods. The few rapids consist of bedrock ledges, and according to Schwind, the most interesting is 2 miles into the run, immediately above a state highway bridge, the only bridge until takeout. Above this the run is class II, but below it is mostly class I. Grindstone Creek enters on the left at mile 6.6, and you can take out there on private property, or upstream at mile 5.2 or 6.4, where the road comes close to the river.

Downstream of Grindstone Creek the topographic map shows few contour lines, and the river meanders into many bayous as it passes Julian Rocks on the left. This is a roadless area, and Julian Rocks might make an interesting sidehike. It is possible to take out just above still water on Black Butte road, which rounds the southwest tip of Black Butte reservoir.

Shuttle Directions

To reach Stonyford from I-5, drive west on highway 20 from Williams approximately six miles. Veer right onto King Road, which soon changes to dirt. After two miles, turn right (north) onto Leesville-Ladoga Road, which alternates between packed dirt and poorly repaired pavement. After crossing a pass and driving nine scenic miles, turn left (west) onto Ladoga-Stonyford Road. Drive eight miles to the town of Stonyford. The put-in bridge is about half a mile the other side of town. For more action it might be possible to put in along Fouts Springs Road, but I have never tried it.

To reach take-out, continue north past the put-in bridge. Shortly beyond Big Rock, turn right and cross a bridge. There is good parking along a dirt road on the east side of the creek.

To reach the lower run, below Stonyford reservoir, drive north on Road 306 to Elk Creek. For the lower run you could also find shortcuts from the town of Maxwell and parts further north on I-5.

Frost's Trip Report, 13 January 2002

The first run started just downstream from the tiny town of Elk Creek. I was just so excited to be there -- the sight of a swiftly moving river peppered with small waves always puts an electrical charge in my veins.

My wife took a picture from the bridge as I ran the small rapid above, unexpectedly doing the gunnel grab when I scraped on a submerged rock. I settled in. That familiar, indescribable feeling of exhilaration washed over me as I negotiated the small channels and waves.

Hills with uniformly scattered blue oaks (and sometimes gray pines) formed the background. The foreground was open also, with shrubby willows backed periodically by tall cottonwoods, dotted with the odd dilapidated barn, or bit of abandoned farm machinery. It all looked wonderful to me, even if it wasn't pristine wilderness.

Golden and bald eagles lifted off from half dead cottonwoods, adding to my amazement. I dealt with multiple channels, the narrower ones delivering surprisingly big waves. I was floating through a slice of rural California most of us never experience, or only drive through in a hurry.

After I was picked up at the take-out, we drove upstream to look at my next day's run. The last straightaway to the take-out by the Road 303 bridge was filled with rollicking waves from shore to shore, bouncing off each other like school kids rushing to recess. My anticipation of the next day's paddle rose to new heights. We scouted the put-in (an easy path down from the bridge near Stonyford), and headed to Williams, 40 miles away and the nearest available lodging.

Before dinner, we went for a walk through downtown William and the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Very pleasant, walking on flat land through a quiet town, far removed from the modular shopping center-ridden, fast-paced Bay Area. We discussed the architecture and landscaping as we slowly strolled through a bygone era on a brisk January evening.

The next day as I carried my boat down to the shoreline, I could see Stony Creek was pulsating with an energy to match my excitement.

By the time I had rounded the first bend in the river, I knew this run would be special. The river was alive: waves everywhere. A couple of times the road came close by the river, but I barely noticed. There were virtually no cars on it.

After a flat stretch, the river turned sharply to the right, and I had a choice of three channels. The narrowest middle channel was the best, though I had to dodge a submerged tree limb, a rock, and line up for some diagonal waves. All fun. [In 2005 the right channel has disappeared and the obstructions have washed away.]

Suddenly there was a huge boulder blocking much of the channel. Could this be a class III? No, the route was an easy but enjoyable move to the right.

The scenery was splendid like the previous day, but being further upstream, the river was narrower and more intimate. I loved it even more.

My eyes filled with tears soon after the big rock rapid. This was exactly what I'd always dreamed an ideal solo river paddle would be. And the weather was perfect: sunny and mild for January.

Negotiating the final straightaway, I experienced more joy as I manuevered through the endless waves before spying the take-out right before the bridge.

My wife asked if I wanted to do it again, after I told her how wonderful it was. I said I didn't, because it would be a letdown. She said, "It's noon, we've got plenty of time. And the run only took you 50 minutes." So I relented. The second time was almost as pure and undistilled as the first.

When television commercials convey river travel, it's usually some daredevil kayaker sailing off a waterfall. Rafting outfitters often emphasize whitewater thrills to lure customers, showing paddlers grinning and shouting as their raft drops into a hole. Me, I'll take my solitary days on class II rivers, savoring the silence and the scenery and dancing with the waves.

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