Idaho | Central Idaho / Yellow Pine
Johnson Creek
Yellow Pine Airport to Johnson Creek gauge
Check current paddling conditions for this Johnson Creek route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A 5-mile Class II(III) Johnson Creek run from the public-use airstrip access south of Yellow Pine to the USGS gauge, with continuous Class II and a few scoutable Class III boulder sections.
Plan a shorter segmentOptional
Access planner
Pick a shorter segment
This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.
Peltier Lake to Long Lake is the full route. Shorter access pairs are useful when wind, time, or group energy changes the plan.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
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Put-in
Johnson Creek Airport access staging pointUse only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
Take-out
Johnson Creek USGS gauge accessConfirm current closures, fire restrictions, seasonal gates, parking capacity, fees, launch condition, and Idaho invasive-species requirements before travel.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
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
- fish weir near the upper access
- Class III boulder gardens
- wood and strainers
- aircraft operations at 3U2
- remote road and limited cell service
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Johnson Creek at Yellow Pine, ID |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 550 cfs to 650 cfs |
| Low threshold | 450 cfs |
| High threshold | 1,500 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Johnson Creek flow table: 450 cfs low, 600 cfs optimal, 1,500 cfs high |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat 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 corridorYellow Pine Airport to Johnson Creek gauge; About 5 river miles
American Whitewater Johnson Creek Yellow Pine reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.
- Public access controlJohnson Creek Airport access staging point to Johnson Creek USGS gauge access
Coordinates represent named public ramps, bank launches, park landings, or an explicitly described staging point.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 13313000 - Johnson Creek at Yellow Pine, ID
Gauge is on the named waterbody and supplies context only.
- Threshold postureGauge-linked range used for live scoring
The cited route guidance is tied to this gauge and reach; hazards, closures, weather, and local inspection still override the score.
- Safety and land managementCurrent manager notices override this record
American Whitewater notes continuous Class II with two or three Class III boulder zones. Scout from Johnson Creek Road and portage any wood, fish-weir structure, or rapid that is not cleanly visible. The airport-side launch is a staging point rather than a developed boat ramp. Keep clear of aircraft operations, do not block the airstrip or campground, and confirm current land-manager permission before carrying to the creek. Use 450 cfs as a conservative low-water floor, about 600 cfs as the published optimal cue, and 1,500 cfs as the high-water limit. Verify the direct gauge, road condition, fire restrictions, and emergency communications before committing.
- Camping classificationendpoint_campground
Johnson Creek Airport has adjacent fly-in camping, and Yellow Pine Campground is a developed Forest Service option near the lower reach; verify seasonal opening, fees, aircraft activity, and current fire rules.
- Image decisionSouth Fork Salmon / Johnson Creek watershed context photograph
Approved route-area or same-river context; it does not depict every endpoint or current conditions.
- 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.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
- American Whitewater Johnson Creek Yellow Pine reach record
- Official access/map control
- USGS 13313000 monitoring location
- USGS 13313000 current conditions
- Johnson Creek flow table: 450 cfs low, 600 cfs optimal, 1,500 cfs high
- Additional threshold support
- American Whitewater Johnson Creek reach
- Johnson Creek flow table and gauge cues
- USGS Johnson Creek at Yellow Pine direct gauge
- Johnson Creek Airport facilities directory
- Yellow Pine Campground information
- South Fork Salmon / Johnson Creek watershed context photograph
- Idaho boating and invasive-species requirements
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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Quick answers
Johnson Creek paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Johnson Creek?
Paddle Today watches Johnson Creek at Yellow Pine, ID and treats 550 cfs to 650 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Johnson Creek route start and end?
This route starts at Johnson Creek Airport access staging point and ends at Johnson Creek USGS gauge access, about About 5 river miles on the water.
Is this Johnson Creek route good for beginners?
This is listed as a hard route. Treat the live score as a planning aid, then confirm conditions, hazards, access, and group skill before launching.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.