See all 13 routes on Yankee Fork Salmon River
Idaho | Central Idaho / Custer County
Yankee Fork Salmon RiverPole Flat Campground to Salmon River
A 3.3-mile roadside Class III-IV lower Yankee Fork run from Pole Flat Campground to the Salmon confluence, with nearly continuous road scouting and a direct Yankee Fork gauge.
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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
A 3.3-mile roadside Class III-IV lower Yankee Fork run from Pole Flat Campground to the Salmon confluence, with nearly continuous road scouting and a direct Yankee Fork gauge.
Access map
Put-in
Pole Flat Campground Put-InUse only the named public launch or landing; a nearby bank, bridge shoulder, fishing easement, or private campground is not substitute access.
Take-out
Lower Yankee Salmon Confluence 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
- final-bend wood pile
- river-wide jam above the confluence
- boulder gardens and pin rocks
- cold water and fast rise
- mandatory take-out before downstream Salmon continuation
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
Yankee Fork Salmon River near Clayton, 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 corridorPole Flat Campground to Salmon River; About 3.3 river miles
American Whitewater Lower Yankee reach record identifies the endpoint chain, river miles, or managed float corridor.
- Public access controlPole Flat Campground Put-In to Lower Yankee Salmon Confluence Take-Out
Coordinates represent named public ramps, bank launches, park landings, or an explicitly described staging point.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 13296000 - Yankee Fork Salmon River near Clayton, 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
American Whitewater describes the lower Yankee as roadside Class III+ or IV+ depending on level, with boulder gardens at low flows and wave trains at higher flows. Use a proven whitewater crew, helmet, throw bag, and craft matched to the current. Recent American Whitewater reports identify a serious wood pile near the final bend and another river-wide jam above the confluence. Scout the last bend from the road before committing and take out above any blocked channel. Trip-report flow markers are planning context, not a hard safe range: about 1,300 cfs felt good, 1,500 cfs was described as great, and 1,800-2,000 cfs was reported as Class IV. Confirm the direct gauge trend and current wood before launch. The route ends at the Salmon confluence; if continuing downstream, treat the lower Yankee take-out as a deliberate transition into the separate Sunbeam reach and re-check the downstream plan.
- Camping classificationendpoint_campground
Pole Flat is a developed Forest Service campground when open; the confluence endpoint is a day-use take-out. Do not assume dispersed overnight camping at the final bend or confluence.
- Photo contextYankee Fork-Salmon 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 Lower Yankee reach record
- Official access/map control
- USGS 13296000 monitoring location
- USGS 13296000 current conditions
- Additional threshold support
- American Whitewater Lower Yankee reach and trip reports
- USGS Yankee Fork gauge 13296000
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area access and road context
- Sunbeam Day Stretch downstream continuation
- Yankee Fork-Salmon 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.
Share your trip
Keep exploring
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Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.
Quick answers
Yankee Fork Salmon River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Pole Flat Campground to Salmon River route on the Yankee Fork Salmon 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 Pole Flat Campground to Salmon River route on the Yankee Fork Salmon River start and end?
This route starts at Pole Flat Campground Put-In and ends at Lower Yankee Salmon Confluence Take-Out, about 3.3 river miles on the water.
Is the Pole Flat Campground to Salmon River route on the Yankee Fork Salmon 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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