See all 13 routes on Salmon River
Idaho | Central Idaho / Sawtooth-Salmon corridor
Salmon River
Yankee Fork Access to Torrey's Hole
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
An approximately 8.5-mile Class II-III Sunbeam Day Stretch from the Yankee Fork raft-slide access to the developed Torrey's Hole take-out.
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
Yankee Fork River Access raft slideUse only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
Take-out
Torrey's Hole River Access boat rampConfirm 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
- Piece of Cake
- Warm Springs Gorge / The Narrows
- cold water and changing holes
- raft-slide carry
- Highway 75 traffic
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/Sunbeam guidance: 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 corridorYankee Fork Access to Torrey's Hole; About 8.5 river miles
American Whitewater Sunbeam Day Stretch reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.
- Public access controlYankee Fork River Access raft slide to Torrey's Hole River Access boat ramp
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
The lower Sunbeam section is mostly Class II with Piece of Cake and Warm Springs Gorge/Narrows as the principal Class III features; scout the gorge and keep a long-swim margin. American Whitewater describes the Yankee Fork, Elk Creek, and Snyder Springs access points as raft-slide or steep-carry facilities. Confirm the slide, shoulder parking, boat type, and current landing before launch. Use the direct 13296500 Yankee Fork gauge with the published 600-6,000 cfs shoulders and 1,800-3,200 cfs planning ideal. Low water makes Piece of Cake boney; rising water increases hole size and consequence. Torrey's Hole is a formal ramp, but stage the vehicle first and respect Highway 75 traffic, cold water, weather, wood, and current Salmon-Challis access notices.
- Camping classificationnearby_basecamp
This is a day stretch. Use designated Salmon-Challis/Sawtooth campgrounds such as nearby Sunbeam or O'Brien-area facilities; do not assume dispersed camping at the raft slide or ramp.
- 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.
- American Whitewater Sunbeam Day Stretch reach record
- Official access/map control
- USGS 13296500 monitoring location
- USGS 13296500 current conditions
- Additional threshold support
- American Whitewater Sunbeam Day Stretch
- RiverBrain Sunbeam flow guidance
- RiverBrain Yankee Fork access
- USGS Yankee Fork gauge
- BLM Salmon River access corridor
- Torrey's Hole access locality
- 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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More routes to check next
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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 Yankee Fork River Access raft slide and ends at Torrey's Hole River Access boat ramp, about About 8.5 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.
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.