Idaho | Idaho Panhandle / Silver Valley
South Fork Coeur d'Alene RiverMullan to Wallace
An approximately 8-mile Class III-IV Silver Valley run from Mullan toward Wallace, with narrow concrete channels, railroad and highway infrastructure, Tunnel Rapid, and very limited eddies.
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Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
An approximately 8-mile Class III-IV Silver Valley run from Mullan toward Wallace, with narrow concrete channels, railroad and highway infrastructure, Tunnel Rapid, and very limited eddies.
Access map
Put-in
Mullan / Interstate 90 river accessUse only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
Take-out
Wallace visitor-center / Placer Creek-area take-outConfirm current closures, fire restrictions, seasonal gates, parking capacity, fees, launch condition, and Idaho invasive-species requirements before travel.
Road shuttle
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
- Tunnel Rapid
- low bridges and trestles
- historic mining debris
- blind no-eddy corners
- changing wood and riprap take-out
Plan this paddle
Choose your trip times
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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.
USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
South Fork Coeur d'Alene River above Placer Creek at Wallace, ID. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Gauge source
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Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
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Route gallery
Photos
Check each caption: some photos show the surrounding area rather than this exact trip.
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 corridorMullan to Wallace; About 8 river miles
American Whitewater South Fork Coeur d'Alene reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.
- Public access controlMullan / Interstate 90 river access to Wallace visitor-center / Placer Creek-area take-out
Coordinates represent named public ramps, bank launches, park landings, or an explicitly described staging point.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 12413131 - South Fork Coeur d'Alene River above Placer Creek at Wallace, ID
Gauge is on the named waterbody and supplies context only.
- Threshold postureNumeric cue retained for planning
The route remains planning-only; no live go/no-go score is asserted.
- Safety and land managementCurrent manager notices override this record
This is not a beginner run. The river is narrow, roadside, and often walled in, with blind corners, no-eddy sections, railroad trestles, concrete banks, and Tunnel Rapid near Wallace. Use a proven Class IV crew with rescue hardware, throw bags, first aid, and satellite communication. North Idaho Rivers recommends full visual scouting from the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes or shore because many hazards cannot be safely boat-scouted. Inspect every bridge, trestle, culvert, log jam, and concrete channel before launching. Use 250 cfs as the AW lower runnable shoulder and 350-600 cfs as the conservative planning band. Treat approximately 1,100 cfs as a hard upper bridge-clearance warning from local guidance, not as a runnable target; current bridge clearance, debris, and channel conditions override every numeric cue.
- Camping classificationnearby_basecamp
No on-route camping is assumed. Use a lawful Mullan or Wallace basecamp; do not camp beside the industrial corridor, railroad, highway, or river-channel concrete.
- Photo contextIdaho Panhandle same-watershed 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.
- 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 South Fork Coeur d'Alene reach record
- Official access/map control
- USGS 12413131 monitoring location
- USGS 12413131 current conditions
- Additional threshold support
- USGS South Fork Coeur d'Alene direct gauge
- North Idaho Rivers local flow and hazard guide
- Idaho Fish and Game South Fork Coeur d'Alene water record
- American Whitewater Wallace boater-access cleanup project
- Idaho Parks Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes scouting corridor
- Idaho fisheries plan / Silver Valley river context
- Idaho Panhandle same-watershed 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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Quick answers
South Fork Coeur d'Alene River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Mullan to Wallace route on the South Fork Coeur d'Alene 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 Mullan to Wallace route on the South Fork Coeur d'Alene River start and end?
This route starts at Mullan / Interstate 90 river access and ends at Wallace visitor-center / Placer Creek-area take-out, about 8 river miles on the water.
Is the Mullan to Wallace route on the South Fork Coeur d'Alene 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.
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