Middle Fork American River

Foresthill, 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 Tahoe 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

8.7 mi run
Flows year-round
199 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water
Flows year-round
Average flow
199 cfs
Average current
1.4 ft/s
Gradient
355.9 ft/mi
Drainage area
51 sq mi

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

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Middle Fork American River

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

Managing agency
Forest Service

About this water

Middle Fork American River is an 8.7-mile paddling stretch near Foresthill, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 199 cfs and a gradient of about 355.9 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 Tahoe 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

North Fork American RiverPhoto: Moiseiko, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

North Fork American River

~10 min drive

North Fork American River is a 12-mile paddling stretch near Foresthill, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 179 cfs and a gradient of about 317.5 feet per mile.

McGuire Boat Ramp

~6 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Euchre Bar Trailhead

~36 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Martis CreekPhoto: Schmiebel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Martis Creek

~26 min drive

Martis Creek is a 12-mile paddling stretch near Truckee, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 68 cfs and a gradient of about 130.4 feet per mile.

French Meadows Boating Site

~7 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Palisade Creek

~13 min drive

Palisade Creek is a 4.4-mile paddling stretch near Soda Springs, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 37 cfs and a gradient of about 466.7 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Hell Hole Boat Ramp

~12 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Big Granite Creek

~15 min drive

Big Granite Creek is a 6.5-mile paddling stretch near Soda Springs, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 72 cfs and a gradient of about 542.1 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

North boat ramp

~20 min drive

North boat ramp is a boat launch in California.

Barker Creek

~16 min drive

Barker Creek is a 6.9-mile paddling stretch near Foresthill, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 31 cfs and a gradient of about 404.9 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Guided trips nearby

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

Truckee River Rafting

Kayaking business nearby (~13 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator

Obexer's Boat Company

Kayaking business nearby (~13 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator

West Shore Sports

Kayaking business nearby (~16 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator