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See all 6 routes on North Fork Clearwater River

Idaho | North-Central Idaho / Clearwater National Forest

North Fork Clearwater River

Weitas Creek Campground to Washington Creek Campground

Route planning details, access notes, and local verification guidance.

Route location

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Open access map
DistanceAbout 10 river miles
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 3-6 hours plus scouting
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Clearwater River runs through a forested Idaho canyon corridor.
River contextClearwater watershed context; not the North Fork reach or current conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Forest Service via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

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

Gauge history and hourly forecast

Use the gauge context and hourly forecast to verify local conditions before launching.

Gauge detail

Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

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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

On-water distanceAbout 10 river milesWeitas Creek Campground to Washington Creek Campground
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.
ShuttleCar shuttleForest Road 247/250 follows the corridor and supports scouting, but it is remote and seasonal. Stage the Washington vehicle first and allow daylight for the road shuttle.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Clearwater National Forest road/campground rules, Idaho AIS/PFD requirements, fire restrictions, and current closure notices. The proxy gauge is not a local safety guarantee.
CampingOptions nearbyWeitas Creek and Washington Creek are named Forest Service campground options when open. Verify fees, water, fire rules, bear storage, and seasonal Forest Road 247/250 conditions.
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.

Plan ahead

Upcoming outlook

These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan

Plan your trip

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

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

A roughly 10-mile Class III+ Upper Bungalow Run between two named Forest Service campgrounds on the North Fork Clearwater.

DirectionsApple MapsOpenStreetMap

Prepare this trip

Take the plan with you

Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.

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Start

Put-in

Weitas Creek Campground / bridge access
Open map

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

Washington Creek Campground bridge access
Open map

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

Plan this segment

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
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

  • Spray Creek Rapid
  • Whitefish Rapid
  • mobile wood
  • cold water
  • campground carries
  • seasonal Forest Roads 247/250

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.

The Clearwater River runs through a forested Idaho canyon corridor.
Clearwater watershed context; not the North Fork reach or current conditions river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Forest Service via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons license on linked file page

Score & sources

Data and sources

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.

Read quality
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

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.

Why
  • Checking evidence-strength notes.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

Gauge siteNorth Fork Clearwater River near Canyon Ranger Station, ID (downstream proxy)
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Target band2,500 cfs to 16,000 cfs
Low threshold2,500 cfs
High threshold16,000 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial and local sources
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreAmerican Whitewater North Fork Clearwater corridor guidance: 2,500-16,000 cfs; 3,070 cfs reported medium flow
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
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 corridorWeitas Creek Campground to Washington Creek Campground; About 10 river miles

    American Whitewater North Fork Clearwater Kelly Creek-to-Aquarius reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.

    Source

  • Public access controlWeitas Creek Campground / bridge access to Washington Creek Campground bridge access

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

    Source

  • Defensible proxy gaugeUSGS 13340600 - North Fork Clearwater River near Canyon Ranger Station, ID (downstream proxy)

    Gauge is downstream on the same river system and must not be treated as a local measurement.

    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 Upper Bungalow Run Class III+ and identifies Spray Creek and Whitefish Rapid as significant features. Scout from Forest Roads 247/250 and carry a reliable rescue/repair kit. Use the American Whitewater 2,500-16,000 cfs corridor band and the 3,070 cfs trip report only as proxy planning context on USGS 13340600. Local level, wood, and trend can differ from the gauge. Both endpoints are campground/bridge anchors rather than surveyed ramps. Confirm the campground crossing, carry path through the site, seasonal road opening, parking, and current Forest Service notices before launch.

    Source

  • Camping classificationendpoint_campground

    Weitas Creek and Washington Creek are named Forest Service campground options when open. Verify fees, water, fire rules, bear storage, and seasonal Forest Road 247/250 conditions.

    Source

  • Image decisionClearwater watershed context photograph; not a Weitas endpoint image

    Approved route-area or same-river context; it does not depict every endpoint or current conditions.

    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

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

Reports

Paddler reports

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Photos

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.

More in Idaho

All 155 routes
Idaho route guideBrowse every tracked Idaho route.North-Central Idaho / Clearwater National ForestJump to routes in this region.

More on North Fork Clearwater River

All 6
Cedars to Elizabeth Creek (upper Black Canyon)North-Central Idaho / Clearwater National ForestHard · About 12.65 river milesElizabeth Creek to Kelly Forks (Black Canyon)North-Central Idaho / Clearwater National ForestHard · About 6.5 river milesHidden Creek Campground to Kelly ForksNorth-Central Idaho / Clearwater National ForestHard · About 11 river milesKelly Forks to Aquarius CampgroundNorth-Central Idaho / Clearwater National ForestHard · About 44 river miles, multi-day

Nearby routes by distance

Kelly CreekMoose Creek to Kelly Forks Campground · about 17 mi awayHard · About 11 milesLochsa RiverWhite Pine (Indian Grave Creek) to Wilderness Gateway Bridge · about 21 mi awayHard · About 16 river milesLochsa RiverWilderness Gateway to Split Creek · about 21 mi awayHard · About 12 river milesSt. Joe RiverSpruce Tree Campground to Turner Flat Campground · about 28 mi awayHard · About 35 river miles

Quick answers

North Fork Clearwater River paddling FAQ

What water level is good for paddling North Fork Clearwater River?

Paddle Today watches North Fork Clearwater River near Canyon Ranger Station, ID (downstream proxy) and treats 2,500 cfs to 16,000 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does this North Fork Clearwater River route start and end?

This route starts at Weitas Creek Campground / bridge access and ends at Washington Creek Campground bridge access, about About 10 river miles on the water.

Is this North Fork Clearwater River 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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