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Utah | Ogden Valley / Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

South Fork Ogden RiverWillows Campground to Magpie Campground

Public South Fork Ogden River campground-complex run from Willows Campground downstream to Magpie Campground. The Forest Service publishes both campground coordinates, states the river flows through or adjacent to the campgrounds, and requires life jackets for South Fork floating/tubing; American Whitewater documents the broader Causey Reservoir-to-Huntsville Class II-III(IV) reach on direct USGS 10137500.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 3 mi
DifficultyHard
Typical timeAbout 1 hr to 2.5 hr for a prepared whitewater group
ShuttleCar shuttle
A broad western river corridor in the Colorado-Utah region.
River contextUtah-region river corridor context; not this route or current conditions; route imagery unavailable — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Bob Wick / Bureau of Land Management via Wikimedia Commons

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Why this call
This route is documented for planning, but does not receive a Paddle Today score.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 3 miWillows Campground to Magpie Campground
DifficultyhardAmerican Whitewater rates the broader Causey Reservoir-to-Huntsville run Class II-III(IV). This campground-to-campground card avoids the private-sensitive lower finish but still has swift current, cold water, strainers, low bridges, and low-water scraping risk.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the take-out at Magpie Campground first, then drive Highway 39 east through the Forest Service campground complex to Willows. Keep vehicles in legal campground/day-use parking, avoid blocking hosts or campers, and identify the actual signed river access path at both ends before launching.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific private boating permit is known for this campground-complex day run. Forest Service campground fees, reservations, gate hours, quiet hours, fire restrictions, and posted site rules still apply, and life jackets are required for floating/tubing the South Fork Ogden River.
CampingOptions nearbyEndpoint camping is available only through the Forest Service campground system and current Recreation.gov/host rules. Willows and Magpie are seasonal developed campgrounds; do not infer legal camping on private banks, unsignposted pullouts, or below the public campground complex.
SeasonApr-JulThe South Fork Ogden is most plausible during spring runoff, reservoir-supported releases, or short-lived rain boosts. Summer base flow can be far below the practical floor, so check the live gauge trend, weather, and Forest Service access status before staging.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

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WeekendChecking

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch at Willows Campground and take out at Magpie Campground for a public-access South Fork Ogden River run inside the Forest Service campground complex. Use USGS 10137500, expect no-go conditions below about 175 cfs, and treat all wood, bridges, and private-bank edges conservatively.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Willows Campground / South Fork Ogden River put-in
Open mapDirections to put-in

Forest Service coordinates are campground arrival/access anchors, not surveyed water-entry pixels. Use signed paths, host instructions, and current posted access rules for the actual launch and landing.

Finish

Take-out

Magpie Campground / South Fork Ogden River take-out
Open mapDirections to take-out

The route intentionally ends at Magpie to avoid the private-sensitive Huntsville Hollow and lower take-out issues reported on American Whitewater. Continuing downstream requires a separate legal-access and hazard review.

Road shuttle

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Access planner

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This changes launch and take-out logistics, not today's river score.

On-water distance3.0 miCreek-focused
On-water timeAbout 1 hr to 2.5 hr for a prepared whitewater groupFull route option
ShuttleCar shuttleChoose a shorter in/out pair for a shorter day.

Willows Campground / South Fork Ogden River put-in to Magpie Campground / South Fork Ogden River take-out is about 3.0 mi. Use the planner to compare shorter access pairs.

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Forest Service coordinates are campground arrival/access anchors, not surveyed water-entry pixels. Use signed paths, host instructions, and current posted access rules for the actual launch and landing.
  • The route intentionally ends at Magpie to avoid the private-sensitive Huntsville Hollow and lower take-out issues reported on American Whitewater. Continuing downstream requires a separate legal-access and hazard review.
  • Campground gates, seasonal operations, fire restrictions, parking availability, reservations, and host directions can change the practical staging plan.
  • Keep the group on public Forest Service property and the legal river corridor; do not shortcut through campsites, private land, fences, or no-parking areas.

Watch for

  • Class II-III(IV) character on the broader AW reach; treat this route as whitewater/swiftwater even when the campground complex looks informal.
  • Strainers, fresh wood, narrow bends, low bridges, log-jam/bridge-portage history, and low-water scraping.
  • Cold mountain water, fast changes from releases/runoff/storms, and poor margin for beginners at higher flows.
  • Anglers, swimmers, tubers, campground traffic, host vehicles, and family use around every public access point.
  • Private-bank and lower-takeout sensitivity downstream of the public Forest Service complex.

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

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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

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Weather

Hourly forecast

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Short-route forecast

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Route gallery

Photos

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

A broad western river corridor in the Colorado-Utah region.
Utah-region river corridor context; not this route or current conditions; route imagery unavailable — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Bob Wick / Bureau of Land Management via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY 2.0; regional context only

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.

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-08-14USGS 10137500 at 50.4 cfs / 1.42 ft

    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

  • Route shapeWillows Campground to Magpie Campground

    Forest Service pages place the South Fork complex campgrounds in west-to-east order and state the river flows through or adjacent to the endpoints; AW separately documents the broader 7.5-mile Causey-to-Huntsville whitewater reach.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates41.292013, -111.634697 to 41.270264, -111.667206

    Forest Service publishes latitude/longitude for Willows Campground and Magpie Campground. Stored points are arrival/access anchors; use signed campground river access and current host or posted guidance for the actual water-entry and landing paths.

    Source

  • CampingEndpoint campgrounds, reservation/fee rules, 7-day limits

    Forest Service pages list seasonal campground operations, reservations, fees/current-availability referral, potable water/vault toilets where available, gate/quiet-hour rules, and a 7-day stay limit at Willows.

    Source

  • SafetyPFD-required South Fork floating plus AW whitewater hazards

    Forest Service South Fork pages require life jackets for floating/tubing, while AW reports Class II-III(IV) character, strainers, low bridges, and private-sensitive lower take-out history on the broader reach.

    Source

Verify it yourselfCheck the source links

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

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Keep exploring

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

More in Utah

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Utah route guideBrowse every tracked Utah route.Ogden Valley / Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National ForestJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

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Quick answers

South Fork Ogden River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Willows Campground to Magpie Campground route on the South Fork Ogden 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 Willows Campground to Magpie Campground route on the South Fork Ogden River start and end?

This route starts at Willows Campground / South Fork Ogden River put-in and ends at Magpie Campground / South Fork Ogden River take-out, about 3 mi on the water.

Is the Willows Campground to Magpie Campground route on the South Fork Ogden 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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