Bucknell Creek
Potter Valley, California
Free — you'll pick up right here.
No verdict for this water
We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.
What we do know
Inside Mendocino National Forest
2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.
Boundary data
What's missing
No access route mapped
We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.
Nobody's filed a report here yet — be the first.
Why you'll love it
River facts
- Water
- Seasonal — can run dry
- Average flow
- 46 cfs
- Average current
- 1.1 ft/s
- Gradient
- 204.9 ft/mi
- Drainage area
- 18 sq mi
Long-term averages modeled by USGS (NHDPlus HR), not today's conditions. Check a gauge before you go.
Here's your day on the water, mapped
Bucknell Creek
Suggested plan · check conditions before you go
Photos
Directions & GPX
Permits & access
- Managing agency
- Forest Service
About this water
Bucknell Creek is an 8.7-mile paddling stretch near Potter Valley, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 46 cfs and a gradient of about 204.9 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Facts about this water
Where it is
- Upper Lake Ranger District · Ranger district
- Mendocino National Forest · National forest
- Managed by
- Forest Service
Conditions
Active alerts for Mendocino National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:
Temporary road closure on 16N21 Road
caution · posted Oct 5, 2026
Hazard tree operations, heavy equipment on 22N11
caution · posted Sep 29, 2026
Logging traffic on Forest Highway 7
caution · posted Sep 29, 2026
M5 Road hazard tree abatement project
caution · posted Sep 16, 2026
M6 Road Traffic Control at Eel River Crossing
caution · posted Sep 16, 2026
State Advisory Issued for Lake Pillsbury Due to Harmful Algal Bloom
caution · posted Sep 1, 2026
M10 Road Status - closure in place Mondays-Fridays
caution · posted Sep 1, 2026
caution · posted Aug 24, 2026
Developed campground stay limits
caution · posted Aug 24, 2026
Chico Seed Orchard Public Use and Access Closure
caution · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Pine Mountain LookoutCamping1.8 mi
- Pack Trail - 18N05Hiking1.9 mi
- Bypass Connector TrailHiking2.1 mi
- Snake Hill TrailHiking2.2 mi
- West Fork Middle CreekCanoeing4.4 mi
- Penny PinesCamping5 mi
- Lake PillsburyLake fishing6.3 mi
- Fuller Grove Group CampgroundCamping6.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Add to a trip & share
Keep exploring — more water worth the drive
Photo: The original uploader was Finlay McWalter at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Russian River
~20 min drive
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Pogie Point Boating Site
~12 min drive
A worthwhile stop near California.
Eel River
~21 min drive
Eel River is a 28-mile paddling stretch near Potter Valley, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 1,281 cfs and a gradient of about 157.3 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Lucerne Boat Launch
~36 min drive
Lucerne Boat Launch is a boat launch in California.
Photo: Thewellman, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Outlet Creek
~39 min drive
Outlet Creek is a 13-mile paddling stretch near Willits, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 422 cfs and a gradient of about 15.0 feet per mile.
West Fork Middle Creek
~8 min drive
West Fork Middle Creek is a 6.2-mile paddling stretch near Upper Lake, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 41 cfs and a gradient of about 206.7 feet per mile.
Rice Fork
~15 min drive
Rice Fork is a 18-mile paddling stretch near Upper Lake, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 202 cfs and a gradient of about 75.3 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Bear Creek
~18 min drive
Bear Creek is a 9.3-mile paddling stretch near Potter Valley, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 42 cfs and a gradient of about 449.5 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Thomas Creek
~19 min drive
Thomas Creek is a 3.5-mile paddling stretch near Potter Valley, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 35 cfs and a gradient of about 381.3 feet per mile.
Middle Creek
~19 min drive
Middle Creek is a 3.5-mile paddling stretch near Upper Lake, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 101 cfs and a gradient of about 11.6 feet per mile.
