East Fork South Fork Salmon River

Forks of Salmon, California

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 Klamath 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

14.7 mi run
Flows year-round
162 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water
Flows year-round
Average flow
162 cfs
Average current
1.5 ft/s
Gradient
231.6 ft/mi
Drainage area
67 sq mi

Long-term averages modeled by USGS (NHDPlus HR), not today's conditions. Check a gauge before you go.

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East Fork South Fork Salmon River

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

Managing agency
Forest Service

About this water

East Fork South Fork Salmon River is a 15-mile paddling stretch near Forks of Salmon, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 162 cfs and a gradient of about 231.6 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Facts about this water

Where it is

Managed by
Forest Service

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1

Conditions

Active alerts for Klamath National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

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Keep exploring — more water worth the drive

Salmon RiverPhoto: Scott Harding, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Salmon River

~37 min drive

Salmon River is a 0.4-mile paddling stretch near Forks of Salmon, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 1,390 cfs. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Methodist Creek River Access

~20 min drive

Methodist Creek River Access is a boat launch in California.

Nordheimer Group Sites

~32 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Mary Smith Campground

~34 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

South Fork Salmon River

~13 min drive

South Fork Salmon River is a 24-mile paddling stretch near Forks of Salmon, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 574 cfs and a gradient of about 147.5 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Trinity Center Boat Ramp

~41 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

French Creek

~24 min drive

French Creek is a 7.4-mile paddling stretch near Etna, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 41 cfs and a gradient of about 117.5 feet per mile.

Bowerman Boat Ramp

~44 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Right Hand Fork North Fork Salmon River

~30 min drive

Right Hand Fork North Fork Salmon River is a 4.6-mile paddling stretch near Sawyers Bar, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 56 cfs and a gradient of about 209.0 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Stuart Fork Boat Ramp

~44 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Guided trips nearby

Local operators near Forks of Salmonoffering guided trips. You book directly with them — Roamze doesn’t take a cut.

Six Rivers Rafting

Kayaking business nearby (~37 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator