Idaho | Southeast Idaho / Bingham-Caribou

Blackfoot RiverTrail Creek Bridge to Cedar Creek (Wolverine Canyon)

A remote 10.1-mile Class IV-V Blackfoot River canyon run from the BLM Trail Creek Bridge campground to the Cedar Creek exit, with steep continuous whitewater and difficult portage logistics.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 10.1 river miles
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 4-8 hours plus scouting
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Snake River watershed forms a broad Idaho river corridor below mountain foothills.
River contextSnake River watershed context; not the Blackfoot Wolverine Canyon endpoints or current conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Wikimedia Commons contributor

Need to know

Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
DifficultyhardDifficulty follows the cited manager guide where stated and otherwise is deliberately conservative. Current flow, debris, diversions, weather, and party skill can materially change the trip.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow BLM campground rules, seasonal county road closures, Idaho boating/PFD and invasive-species requirements, and any current BLM or tribal access restrictions. Respect Sho-Ban lands where any approach crosses the reservation.
CampingOptions nearbyTrail Creek Bridge campground has six semi-developed BLM sites and the put-in. No on-route canyon camping is assumed; Cedar Creek road access is seasonal and the road is subject to Bingham County winter closure rules.
SeasonMay-AugLate spring through early fall is the normal planning window. Verify snowmelt, releases, fire or fish-protection closures, water temperature, weather, and access status immediately before travel.

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Access and shuttle

A remote 10.1-mile Class IV-V Blackfoot River canyon run from the BLM Trail Creek Bridge campground to the Cedar Creek exit, with steep continuous whitewater and difficult portage logistics.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Trail Creek Bridge Campground Floater Put-In

Use only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.

Finish

Take-out

Cedar Creek Road Exit

Confirm current closures, fire restrictions, seasonal gates, parking capacity, fees, launch condition, and Idaho invasive-species requirements before travel.

Road shuttle

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
  • Confirm current closures, fire restrictions, seasonal gates, parking capacity, fees, launch condition, and Idaho invasive-species requirements before travel.
  • Private banks are common. Do not land, scout, portage, or camp outside a signed public site or manager-designated corridor.

Watch for

  • continuous Class IV-V whitewater
  • bony ledges
  • poison ivy
  • strainers
  • Cedar Creek mandatory exit
  • steep canyon egress
  • seasonal road closures

Choose your trip times

No account needed. Check the selected access points above, then choose both dates and times. For an overnight paddle, set take-out to the following date.

Trip schedule

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Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Data and sources

Read the access and hazard notes and check the linked guides. We do not issue a daily score for this trip.

What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route corridorTrail Creek Bridge to Cedar Creek (Wolverine Canyon); About 10.1 river miles

    American Whitewater Wolverine Canyon reach and access description identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.

    Source

  • Public access controlTrail Creek Bridge Campground Floater Put-In to Cedar Creek Road Exit

    Coordinates represent named public ramps, bank launches, park landings, or an explicitly described staging point.

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 13066000 - Blackfoot River near Shelley, ID

    Gauge is on the named waterbody and supplies context only.

    Source

  • Threshold postureNumeric cue retained for planning

    The route remains planning-only; no live go/no-go score is asserted.

    Source

  • Safety and land managementCurrent manager notices override this record

    American Whitewater rates the reach Class IV-V and describes consistent bony Class IV rapids, a steepest continuous section, poison ivy along the banks, and limited portage options. Treat this as an expert-only canyon with a full rescue and communication plan. The BLM Trail Creek Bridge campground provides the named put-in/take-out, but the downstream Cedar Creek exit is a beach above the rapid followed by a creek crossing and steep use trail to Blackfoot River Road. Confirm current trail condition, road access, and land boundaries before launching. BLM's current Blackfoot River corridor guidance says floating is not recommended below Trail Creek because of Class IV+ rapids. This card is therefore an expert-only exception to that public-float guidance, not a general continuation of the campground float; use the BLM recreation map to confirm the Trail Creek boundary, seasonal road status, and any current closure before committing to the canyon. Use the direct Blackfoot near Shelley gauge as a reach-linked planning input. American Whitewater reports 450 cfs as difficult and warns that conditions get more intense near 1,000 cfs; there is no hard upper-safe cutoff in the source, so on-site scouting and local advice control the go/no-go decision.

    Source

  • Camping classificationendpoint_campground

    Trail Creek Bridge campground has six semi-developed BLM sites and the put-in. No on-route canyon camping is assumed; Cedar Creek road access is seasonal and the road is subject to Bingham County winter closure rules.

    Source

  • Photo contextSnake River watershed context photograph

    The gallery photo is visual context. It may show another part of the same river or watershed and does not show current conditions at every access point.

    Source

  • Overlap decisionRetained as a distinct access-to-access itinerary

    Adjacent cards use different public endpoints and provide a different trip length, hazard set, skill tier, or operating boundary.

    Source

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Blackfoot River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Trail Creek Bridge to Cedar Creek (Wolverine Canyon) route on the Blackfoot River?

This planning route has no live Paddle Today score. Review the linked water-level sources, current access notices and route-specific hazards before travel.

Where does the Trail Creek Bridge to Cedar Creek (Wolverine Canyon) route on the Blackfoot River start and end?

This route starts at Trail Creek Bridge Campground Floater Put-In and ends at Cedar Creek Road Exit, about 10.1 river miles on the water.

Is the Trail Creek Bridge to Cedar Creek (Wolverine Canyon) route on the Blackfoot River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a hard route. Review the difficulty notes, hazards and current access conditions against your group's skills. No live score assesses this trip.

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