Nelson Creek

Montgomery Creek, 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 Shasta-Trinity 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

8.1 mi run
Seasonal — can run dry
151 cfs avg flow

River facts

Water
Seasonal — can run dry
Average flow
151 cfs
Average current
1.4 ft/s
Gradient
309.7 ft/mi
Drainage area
31 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

Nelson Creek

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Photos

Directions & GPX

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Permits & access

No permit or access details on file for this water — check with the local land manager before you go.

About this water

Nelson Creek is an 8.1-mile paddling stretch near Montgomery Creek, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 151 cfs and a gradient of about 309.7 feet per mile.

Facts about this water

When to go

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Burney, CA weather station, 16 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan45° high23° low
  2. Feb49° high24° low
  3. Mar55° high27° low
  4. Apr61° high31° low
  5. May72° high37° low
  6. Jun81° high42° low
  7. Jul90° high47° low
  8. Aug88° high44° low
  9. Sep81° high38° low
  10. Oct68° high30° low
  11. Nov52° high26° low
  12. Dec44° high22° low

The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Source: USFS EDW boundaries

Conditions

Active alerts for Shasta-Trinity 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

McCloud RiverPhoto: Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

McCloud River

~23 min drive

McCloud River is a 22-mile paddling stretch near McCloud, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 1,406 cfs and a gradient of about 36.3 feet per mile.

Lake Mccloud Ramp

~24 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Pit RiverPhoto: Robert F. Ettner, Natural Resources Staff Officer, Siskiyou National Forest, US Forest Service, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Pit River

~45 min drive

Pit River is a 9.4-mile paddling stretch near McArthur, California. It is ephemeral and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 2,630 cfs and a gradient of about 19.5 feet per mile.

Hirz Bay Public Boat Ramp

~42 min drive

A worthwhile stop near California.

Sacramento RiverPhoto: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sacramento River

~49 min drive

Sacramento River is a 6-mile paddling stretch near Mount Shasta, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 846 cfs and a gradient of about 108.9 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Kosk Creek

~8 min drive

Kosk Creek is a 13-mile paddling stretch near Montgomery Creek, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 205 cfs and a gradient of about 186.0 feet per mile.

Rock Creek

~10 min drive

Rock Creek is a 9.7-mile paddling stretch near Burney, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 50 cfs and a gradient of about 256.8 feet per mile. Land along it is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Iron Canyon Creek

~13 min drive

Iron Canyon Creek is a 4.7-mile paddling stretch near Montgomery Creek, California. It flows year-round. USGS models an average flow of about 95 cfs and a gradient of about 220.7 feet per mile.

Roaring Creek

~17 min drive

Roaring Creek is a 7.5-mile paddling stretch near Montgomery Creek, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 88 cfs and a gradient of about 324.3 feet per mile.

Little Roaring Creek

~18 min drive

Little Roaring Creek is a 6-mile paddling stretch near Montgomery Creek, California. It is intermittent and may run dry in some seasons. USGS models an average flow of about 137 cfs and a gradient of about 253.1 feet per mile.

Guided trips nearby

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

Headwaters Adventure Co

Kayaking business nearby (~42 mi away) — hasn't claimed their Roamze page yet

View operator