California Creeks

A Whitewater and Touring Guide for Boaters


© 1997-2022 Bill Tuthill et al.

Home and Relief Map of Rivers

Alphabetic Index or Information Table

Carnage1, Carnage2, Carnage3, Safety

River flows by AWA and Dreamflows

Easy runs usually listed first.

    Chetco river in Oregon

Recommended Runs

Beginner Runs - Class I

Russian below Healdsburg
Russian from Alexander Valley to Healdsburg
Merced thru Yosemite Valley
Main American above Sacramento
Trinity from Douglas City to Junction City
Sacramento from Redding to Red Bluff
Stanislaus below Knights Ferry
Navarro River below Hendy Woods

Novice Runs - Class II

Middle Fork American near Auburn
Bear River below Colfax
North Fork American near Auburn
Butte Creek near Chico
Trinity from Hawkins Bar to Willow Creek
Trinity from Hoopa to Weitchpec
Trinity from Hayden Flat to Cedar Flat
Mokelumne River Electra run
Putah Creek near Winters
Cache Creek near Rumsey
Rogue River from Hog Creek to Grave Creek
South Fork Eel near Leggett
Rancheria Creek and Upper Navarro
East Fork Carson into Nevada
Kern River near Kernville
Noyo River with the Skunk Train

Intermediate Runs - Class III

Smith River below Gasquet
South Fork Smith River
Kings above Pine Flat Reservoir
Trinity River below Pigeon Point
South Fork American near Coloma
Eel River near Ukiah and Garberville
Rogue River from Grave Creek to Agness
Klamath River below Happy Camp
Stanislaus River Camp 9 run
Eel River Pillsbury run
Truckee River into Nevada
Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho
Upper Trinity River above reservoir
McCloud River above McCloud Reservoir
Battle Creek near Redding
Antelope Creek near Red Bluff
 

Advanced Runs - Class IV

Kern River below Isabella Reservoir
San Lorenzo River near Santa Cruz
Mark West Creek near Santa Rosa
North Fork Smith River
Middle Fork Smith above Gasquet
Redwood Creek near Orick
North Fork American Chamberlain run
Merced River below 140 Bridge
Tuolumne River below Lumsden
McCloud River above Shasta Reservoir
Clear Creek below Whiskeytown Reservoir
Arroyo not-so Seco and at Highwater
South Fork Eel above Big Bend
Mystery Run
Kaweah River near Visalia
North Fork Salmon River
Middle Fork Cosumnes
Upper Sacramento Box Canyon
South Fork Yuba River
North Fork Yuba Goodyear Bar
Kyburz run South Fork American
Coffee Creek into the Trinity
South Fork Trinity Three Bears
Jarbidge and Bruneau Rivers in Idaho
Black Butte River near Covelo

Expert Runs - Class V

Pauley and Lavezzola Creeks
North Fork Yuba Wild Plum run
North Fork Kaweah near Visalia
Giant Gap North Fork American
Salmon River into Klamath
Scott River into Klamath
Forks of the Kern above Fairview Dam
Trinity Burnt Ranch Gorge
North Fork Stanislaus near Arnold
Wooley Creek into Cal Salmon
Deer Creek near Chico
Mill Creek off Mt. Lassen
Sespe Creek near Santa Barbara
Fordyce Creek near Donner Pass
Middle Fork Feather Wild & Scenic
South Fork Yuba to Bridgeport
Rubicon River near Foresthill
Headwaters of the Kern

Other Guides

Southern California: Whitewater by Charles Foster
SoCal Creeks: El Niño y La Niña by Gary Vallé
California Sierras: Best of Sierra Nevada by Brett Vallé
Oregon and Vicinity: Central Oregon Kayak by Phil Mendiguren
Washington and Oregon: Oregon Kayaking by Jason Rackley
Idaho and Vicinity: Idaho Whitewater Association
Arizona and New Mexico: Photo Journal of Southwest Desert Rivers
Rivers of Mexico: Sierra Rios sponsored by Rocky Contos

Season by Season

In the winter, coastal rivers offer interesting flows and relatively warm air temperatures. See the left-hand column of the Relief Map for a list of recommended coastal runs. In spring, Sierra rivers have flows that vary depending on headwater altitude, snowpack, and melt rate. See the right-hand column of the Relief Map for a list of recommended Sierra runs. In summer and fall, you are limited to dam releases, including the following:

Beginner Runs - Class I

American above Sacramento
Trinity from Douglas City to Junction City
Middle Fork American near Auburn
Sacramento from Redding to Red Bluff
Stanislaus below Knights Ferry

Novice Runs - Class II

Trinity from Hawkins Bar to Willow Creek
Trinity from Hoopa to Weitchpec
Trinity from Hayden Flat to Cedar Flat
Mokelumne River Electra run
Cache Creek near Rumsey

Intermediate Runs - Class III

Trinity River below Pigeon Point
South Fork American near Coloma
Rogue River from Grave Creek to Agness
Klamath River below Happy Camp
Truckee River into Nevada
 

Advanced Runs - Class IV

Kern River below Isabella Reservoir
Middle Fork American near Foresthill
Tuolumne River below Lumsden
McCloud River above Shasta Reservoir
Clear Creek below Whiskeytown Reservoir
Klamath River above Copco Reservoir

Expert Runs - Class V

North Fork Stanislaus near Arnold
Trinity Burnt Ranch Gorge
Cherry Creek into the Tuolumne
North Fork Feather River
Fordyce Creek near Donner Pass