Paddle TodayFind the best paddle near you today

Live score, water level, and weather.

See all 2 routes on South Fork Clearwater River

Idaho | North-Central Idaho / Clearwater basin

South Fork Clearwater RiverBully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse)

A 5.6-mile Class IV South Fork Clearwater reach with road-side scouting, a direct Stites gauge, and a defined Highway 13 take-out.

Route location

Loading the route map.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 5.6 river miles
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 2-4 hours plus scouting
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Clearwater basin forms a forested Idaho river corridor.
River contextClearwater basin context; not the South 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.
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 5.6 river milesBully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse)
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 shuttleShort road shuttle with frequent scouting opportunities; stage the vehicle before launching.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Idaho AIS/PFD requirements, current road and access notices, and private-property restrictions.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is assumed; use a lawful nearby basecamp in the Stites/Kooskia area.
SeasonMay-SepLate 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 5.6-mile Class IV South Fork Clearwater reach with road-side scouting, a direct Stites gauge, and a defined Highway 13 take-out.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

Bully Creek Put-In
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

Highway 13 Take-Out
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

  • Blackerby boulder garden
  • wood and rapid rise
  • highway traffic at take-out

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.

The Clearwater basin forms a forested Idaho river corridor.
Clearwater basin context; not the South 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

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 corridorBully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse); About 5.6 river miles

    American Whitewater South Fork Clearwater reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.

    Source

  • Public access controlBully Creek Put-In to Highway 13 Take-Out

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

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 13338500 - South Fork Clearwater River at Stites, ID

    Gauge is on the named waterbody and supplies context only.

    Source

  • 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.

    Source

  • Safety and land managementCurrent manager notices override this record

    Class IV water includes the long Blackerby boulder garden; use a proven whitewater craft, helmet, rescue kit, and a crew with reliable self-rescue skills. Highway access enables scouting and portage planning, but the road-side corridor does not remove the consequences of a swim or missed take-out. Treat the 600-3,000 cfs American Whitewater window as a planning reference. Recheck wood, weather, and same-day flow trend before launch.

    Source

  • Camping classificationnearby_basecamp

    No on-route camping is assumed; use a lawful nearby basecamp in the Stites/Kooskia area.

    Source

  • Photo contextClearwater basin whitewater context photograph

    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.North-Central Idaho / Clearwater basinJump to routes in this region.

More on South Fork Clearwater River

All 2
Hanging Rock to Cougar Creek Trailhead (Golden Canyon)North-Central Idaho / Clearwater basinHard · About 7.2 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Salmon RiverHammer Creek to Heller Bar (Lower Salmon) · about 17 straight-line mi awayHard · About 50 river miles, multi-dayLower Salmon RiverLucile to Hammer Creek · about 26 straight-line mi awayHard · About 22 river milesSalmon RiverCarey Creek to Riggins City Park · about 27 straight-line mi awayHard · About 23 river milesSnake RiverPittsburg Landing to Heller Bar · about 27 straight-line mi awayHard · About 46 river miles, multi-day

Quick answers

South Fork Clearwater River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Bully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse) route on the South Fork Clearwater River?

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 Bully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse) route on the South Fork Clearwater River start and end?

This route starts at Bully Creek Put-In and ends at Highway 13 Take-Out, about 5.6 river miles on the water.

Is the Bully Creek to Highway 13 (Mickey Mouse) route on the South Fork Clearwater River 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