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Idaho | Idaho Panhandle / Benewah County

St. Maries RiverMashburn to St. Joe River

A roughly 28-mile Class II-III spring reach from the Highway 3 Mashburn crossing to the St. Joe River, with a long committed roadless corridor and changing wood in braided sections.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 28.1 river miles
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 7-10 hours plus shuttle and scouting
ShuttleCar shuttle
A forested northern Idaho river corridor in the Idaho Panhandle.
River contextIdaho Panhandle river context; not a St. Maries 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.
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 28.1 river milesMashburn to St. Joe River
DifficultymoderateDifficulty 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 shuttleLong one-way Highway 3 / Benewah County shuttle. Stage the confluence vehicle first, verify bridge and road conditions, and leave a written float plan because cell coverage may be intermittent.
PermitsCheck posted rulesFollow Idaho Fish and Game access rules, Idaho AIS/PFD requirements, fire restrictions, and current county/landowner notices at both approximate AW access areas.
CampingDay tripNo on-route camping is assumed. Use a lawful St. Maries-area basecamp or a pre-arranged private/public site and carry an emergency overnight contingency for the long committed reach.
SeasonMar-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 roughly 28-mile Class II-III spring reach from the Highway 3 Mashburn crossing to the St. Joe River, with a long committed roadless corridor and changing wood in braided sections.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Mashburn / Highway 3 bridge 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

St. Joe River confluence 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

  • braided-channel wood and strainers
  • long committed corridor
  • cold spring water
  • approximate access and parking
  • rapidly changing runoff

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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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

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Weather

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.

A forested northern Idaho river corridor in the Idaho Panhandle.
Idaho Panhandle river context; not a St. Maries 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 corridorMashburn to St. Joe River; About 28.1 river miles

    American Whitewater St. Maries Mashburn-to-St. Joe reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.

    Source

  • Public access controlMashburn / Highway 3 bridge put-in to St. Joe River confluence take-out

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

    Source

  • Direct live gaugeUSGS 12414900 - St. Maries River near Santa, ID

    Gauge is on the named waterbody and supplies context only.

    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

    No on-route camping is assumed. Use a lawful St. Maries-area basecamp or a pre-arranged private/public site and carry an emergency overnight contingency for the long committed reach.

    Source

  • 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.

    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

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Photos

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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 / Benewah CountyJump to routes in this region.

Nearby routes within 75 miles

St. Joe RiverShadowy St. Joe Campground to St. Maries Aqua Park · about 13 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 12.8 river milesMarble CreekCamp 3 to St. Joe Confluence · about 15 straight-line mi awayHard · About 13.9 river milesBig Creek (St. Joe tributary)End-of-road / Middle Fork hike-in to Big Creek bridge · about 21 straight-line mi awayHard · About 9 milesPotlatch RiverLittle Boulder Campground to Cedar Creek · about 24 straight-line mi awayHard · About 16 river miles

Quick answers

St. Maries River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Mashburn to St. Joe River route on the St. Maries 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 Mashburn to St. Joe River route on the St. Maries River start and end?

This route starts at Mashburn / Highway 3 bridge put-in and ends at St. Joe River confluence take-out, about 28.1 river miles on the water.

Is the Mashburn to St. Joe River route on the St. Maries River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate 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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