Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

Idaho | Idaho Panhandle / St. Joe National Forest

Slate CreekFranklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence

A remote 7.9-mile Class IV-V Slate Creek creek-run from the Franklin Mine primitive campground corridor to the St. Joe confluence.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 7.9 river miles
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 3-6 hours plus scouting and a long shuttle
ShuttleCar shuttle
A forested St. Joe watershed corridor in northern Idaho near Slate Creek.
River contextSt. Joe watershed context; not a Slate Creek endpoint or current-conditions photograph 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.
View Primary Source
Embed this route

Route alerts

Email me when this route improves

We'll email you when this route climbs into Good or Strong. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.

We only email on a new threshold crossing.

Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 7.9 river milesFranklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence
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 shuttleRoad 225 climbs from the Avery Ranger Station to the Franklin Mine corridor, while St. Joe River Road serves the Slate Creek bridge take-out; check Moon Pass/seasonal road openings and allow a long, rough shuttle.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Idaho Panhandle National Forest rules, Wild and Scenic River corridor requirements, fire restrictions, invasive-species/PFD requirements, and current Road 225/St. Joe River Road closures. No private-bank shortcut is assumed.
CampingOptions nearbyThe Franklin Mine primitive campground is the named upper endpoint; other St. Joe corridor camps are staging options, but verify seasonal openings, road conditions, fire rules, and sanitation.
SeasonApr-JunLate 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

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

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 remote 7.9-mile Class IV-V Slate Creek creek-run from the Franklin Mine primitive campground corridor to the St. Joe confluence.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Franklin Mine primitive campground / Old Miner's Cabin
Open mapDirections to 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

Slate Creek Bridge / St. Joe Confluence
Open mapDirections to take-out

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

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
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

  • Class V Horseshoe Falls and Triple Drop
  • blind ledges and mobile wood
  • near-impossible canyon exits
  • painted-gauge backwater bias
  • seasonal high-clearance road access

Plan this paddle

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

Times use the selected time zone. Check it against the river’s location before saving or sharing.

Browser plans

Browser plans stay on this device. Sharing opens your device’s share tools or gives you text to copy.

Download GPX Route geometry only; no schedule required.

Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check the forecast and local water levels before launching.

Gauge detail

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Gauge

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

------------

Weather

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Next 8 hours

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

Checking the best short-route window.
----Loading--

Route gallery

Photos

Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.

A forested St. Joe watershed corridor in northern Idaho near Slate Creek.
St. Joe watershed context; not a Slate Creek endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by U.S. Forest Service via Wikimedia Commons
U.S. government work / public domain

Sources

Data and sources

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

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 corridorFranklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence; About 7.9 river miles

    North Idaho Rivers Slate Creek guide identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.

    Source

  • Public access controlFranklin Mine primitive campground / Old Miner's Cabin to Slate Creek Bridge / St. Joe Confluence

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

    Source

  • Defensible proxy gaugeUSGS 12414500 - St. Joe River at Calder, 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

  • Gauge check recorded during route reviewCurrent manager notices override this record

    This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.

    Source

  • Camping classificationnearby_basecamp

    The Franklin Mine primitive campground is the named upper endpoint; other St. Joe corridor camps are staging options, but verify seasonal openings, road conditions, fire rules, and sanitation.

    Source

  • Photo contextSt. Joe watershed context photograph; Slate Creek endpoint not depicted

    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

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

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

Share your trip

Help build the route page

Add photos or send a quick condition report.

Photos

Upload route photos

Add access, hazard, or on-water photos.

No files selected yet.

Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in Idaho

All 137 routes
Idaho route guideBrowse every tracked Idaho route.Idaho Panhandle / St. Joe National ForestJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

North Fork St. Joe RiverLoop Creek to St. Joe Confluence · about 10 straight-line mi awayHard · About 10.4 river milesBig Creek (St. Joe tributary)End-of-road / Middle Fork hike-in to Big Creek bridge · about 10 straight-line mi awayHard · About 9 milesSouth Fork Coeur d'Alene RiverMullan to Wallace · about 13 straight-line mi awayHard · About 8 river milesSt. Joe RiverTurner Flat Campground to Packsaddle Campground (Skookum Canyon) · about 14 straight-line mi awayHard · About 4.6 river miles

Quick answers

Slate Creek paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Franklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence route on the Slate Creek?

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 Franklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence route on the Slate Creek start and end?

This route starts at Franklin Mine primitive campground / Old Miner's Cabin and ends at Slate Creek Bridge / St. Joe Confluence, about 7.9 river miles on the water.

Is the Franklin Mine to St. Joe Confluence route on the Slate Creek 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.

Flag a change

See something outdated?

Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.

Report a changeEmail update