Nevada | Washoe County / Reno–Sparks

Truckee RiverUSA Parkway Bridge to Wadsworth Bridge

A quiet 14.7-mile Lower Truckee Class I–II float from the USA Parkway Bridge to the Wadsworth Bridge access on Pyramid Lake Paiute tribal land.

Route location

Loading the route snapshot. This usually takes a few seconds.

Open access map

Plan this route

DistanceAbout 14.7 river miles
DifficultyEasy
Typical timePlan a full day with Derby Dam portage
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Truckee River passes through a high-desert Nevada corridor near Verdi.
River contextTruckee River near Verdi; same-river context, not an endpoint or current-conditions photograph river-level context — not necessarily this exact reach.Photo by Ken Lund via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
Pulling the latest gauge and weather. This usually takes a few seconds.
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.

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
DifficultyeasyThe Truckee corridor ranges from Class I–III moving water and engineered features. Scout every diversion, bridge, strainer and take-out.
PermitsCheck posted rulesA Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal boating permit is required for the Wadsworth endpoint; confirm current rules before staging.
CampingDay tripNo overnight camping is included; use separately permitted sites and never camp on private banks.
SeasonApr-SepSnowmelt, reservoir operations, storms and park notices can change the Truckee quickly. Check the live gauge and trend before launch.

Tomorrow and the weekend

Forecasts can change. Check current conditions again before leaving.

TomorrowChecking

Waiting on forecast.

WeekendChecking

Waiting on forecast.

Plan your trip

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

Access and shuttle

A quiet 14.7-mile Lower Truckee Class I–II float from the USA Parkway Bridge to the Wadsworth Bridge access on Pyramid Lake Paiute tribal land.

Access map

Skip map

Pulling access map tiles. Usually under 5 seconds.

End of map
Start

Put-in

USA Parkway Bridge water-entry point (hand-carry staging separate)

Use only named public access points and existing paths.

Finish

Take-out

Wadsworth Bridge access (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal permit)

Scout engineered features, diversion structures and Derby Dam before committing.

Road shuttle

Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Use only named public access points and existing paths.
  • Scout engineered features, diversion structures and Derby Dam before committing.
  • Recheck seasonal closures, water quality, weather and permit requirements.

Watch for

  • Derby Dam mandatory left-bank portage
  • Remote canyon, heat, wind and limited exits
  • Pyramid Lake Paiute tribal permit and access rules

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 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.

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

Check how the river is changing and what weather to expect.

Water-level history and forecastDetailed view

Recent trend

Checking preferred range.

Checking trend.

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

Hourly forecast

Checking weather.

Loading today's forecast.

Short-route forecast

Checking the next several hours.

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

Why this score

See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today’s call.

Data status
Checking live inputs.

Pulling the latest gauge and weather. Usually under 10 seconds.

Gauge inputChecking

Waiting on the gauge read.

Weather inputChecking

Waiting on weather.

Next stepChecking

Waiting on enough data to give the next step.

Data reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

  • Checking data sources and update times.
Water levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteTruckee River below Derby Dam near Wadsworth, NV
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred range450 cfs to 1,200 cfs
Low threshold300 cfs
High threshold2,000 cfs
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreTruckee River Basin Water Group lower-river rafting flow guidance
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
What to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named reach and accessUSA Parkway Bridge to Wadsworth Bridge; 14.7 miles

    Nevada Trail Finder identifies the USA Parkway Bridge hand-carry launch, Wadsworth Bridge access, 14.7-mile Class I–II reach and Derby Dam left-bank portage.

    Source

  • Scoring band300 cfs low-water floor; 450–1,200 cfs preferred band; review above 2,000 cfs

    Truckee River Basin Water Group lower-river rafting guidance reports 450–1,200 cfs and warns of low/high-flow safety issues; verify gauge trend and local conditions.

    Source

  • Direct gaugeUSGS 10351600 Truckee River below Derby Dam near Wadsworth, NV

    Direct Truckee River discharge telemetry for this corridor; the gauge is upstream of the route and cannot capture every intervening diversion or power-return condition.

    Source

Check the source links

Paddler reports

See recent photos and notes from people on the route.

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.

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

Truckee River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the USA Parkway Bridge to Wadsworth Bridge route on the Truckee River?

Paddle Today watches Truckee River below Derby Dam near Wadsworth, NV and treats 450 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.

Where does the USA Parkway Bridge to Wadsworth Bridge route on the Truckee River start and end?

This route starts at USA Parkway Bridge water-entry point (hand-carry staging separate) and ends at Wadsworth Bridge access (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal permit), about 14.7 river miles on the water.

Is the USA Parkway Bridge to Wadsworth Bridge route on the Truckee River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

See something outdated?

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