See all 13 routes on Salmon River
Idaho | Central Idaho / Sawtooth Valley
Salmon River
Stanley to Sunbeam Dam / Yankee Fork Access
Check current paddling conditions for this Salmon River 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 13-mile Class III-III+ Upper Salmon run from Stanley to the Sunbeam Dam site, with four named access points, highway scouting, and a direct Yankee Fork gauge.
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
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Stanley Put-InUse only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
Take-out
Yankee Fork Access Take-OutConfirm 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
- Shotgun Rapid
- Sunbeam Rapid and former dam remnants
- cold water, wood, and angler traffic
- small Yankee Fork staging area
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 | Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton, 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 | 1,800 cfs to 3,200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 600 cfs |
| High threshold | 6,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | RiverBrain recommended levels: 600 cfs minimum, 2,500 cfs average, 6,000 cfs maximum; 1,800-3,200 cfs planning ideal |
| 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 corridorStanley to Sunbeam Dam / Yankee Fork Access; About 13 river miles
BLM/USFS/IDFG Upper Salmon boating guide identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.
- Public access controlStanley Put-In to Yankee Fork Access Take-Out
Coordinates represent named public ramps, bank launches, park landings, or an explicitly described staging point.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 13296500 - Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton, 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
RiverBrain rates the run Class III-III+ and identifies Shotgun Rapid and Sunbeam Rapid as the principal features; both can be scouted from river left near Highway 75. The reach is cold, swift, and exposed to wood and anglers. Wear a PFD, carry rescue/repair gear, and leave a daylight margin for the long shuttle and any portage. The Yankee Fork take-out is a primitive pull-off with no ramp, no water, and limited staging; confirm parking and the carry before launching from Stanley. Use RiverBrain's 600-6,000 cfs shoulders with the 2,500 cfs average reference, then defer to current wood, weather, water temperature, closures, and on-site scouting.
- Camping classificationendpoint_campground
RiverBrain lists vehicle-accessible camps near the reach, including Mormon Bend and Casino Creek; use only lawful developed or mapped public sites and carry potable water for the day run.
- Image decisionUpper Salmon River same-river 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.
- BLM/USFS/IDFG Upper Salmon boating guide
- Official access/map control
- USGS 13296500 monitoring location
- USGS 13296500 current conditions
- RiverBrain recommended levels: 600 cfs minimum, 2,500 cfs average, 6,000 cfs maximum; 1,800-3,200 cfs planning ideal
- Additional threshold support
- RiverBrain Stanley put-in access
- RiverBrain Mormon Bend access
- RiverBrain Yankee Fork take-out access
- Upper Salmon River same-river 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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Keep exploring
More routes to check next
Compare another stretch on this river, or jump to nearby options before you pick a plan.
Quick answers
Salmon River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Salmon River?
Paddle Today watches Salmon River below Yankee Fork near Clayton, ID and treats 1,800 cfs to 3,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Salmon River route start and end?
This route starts at Stanley Put-In and ends at Yankee Fork Access Take-Out, about About 13 river miles on the water.
Is this Salmon 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.
Flag a change
See something outdated?
Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.