The selway river could be the hardest permit to get on any river in the United States. With very limited launches and many lottery entrants, the statistics are not in your favor. If you are one of the select chosen few to receive a permit and spend time on this river, consider yourself extremely lucky.
The season is somewhat short unless you want to plan on a low water run which begins in mid summer through fall. Low water makes the rapids less intense but harder to get big boats down loaded with gear. As with most things in life, you have to balance the tradeoff of high water craziness vs low water boney runs.
Gauge guide found at Oregon Kayaking website:
http://oregonkayaking.net/rivers/selway/selway.html
Paradise Gauge: Feet |
Paradise Gauge: CFS |
Lowell Gauge: CFS |
Rating |
1 |
860 |
1,000 |
III-IV |
2 |
1,140 |
5,000 |
III-IV |
3 |
1,610 |
8,750 |
III-IV |
4 |
2,430 |
12,500 |
IV |
5 |
3,410 |
16,300 |
IV |
6 |
4,560 |
20,300 |
IV |
7 |
5,845 |
24,250 |
IV-V |
8 |
7,685 |
28,000 |
IV-V |
KSC | |
Class | IV- to V |
Current Flow |
437.0 CFS 09-07-2024 16:00 |
Recommended Flow |
Minimum: 700.0 Average: 12500.0 Maximum: 35000.0 |
Typical Season |
Begins: April Ends: September |
Recommended Use |
Kayaking: Yes Rafting: Yes Canoeing: Yes SUP: No Packrafting: No Fishing: Yes |
Primary Gauge | SELWAY RIVER NR LOWELL ID |
Length | 47.0 Mile(s) |
Gradient | FPM |
Tom navigating his dory
06-26-2012 - One of many fun rapids on the Selway
Photo By: Kevin Cripps
Subject: Tom Wells
Permit Agency Name | Bitterroot Nation Forest (USFS) |
Permit Agency Phone Number | 406-821-3269 |
Permit Agency Address |
West Fork Ranger District |
Permit Information |
The Selway permit is part of the 4 rivers lottery held every year in Idaho. The Selway permit could possibly be the hardest permit to obtained. Put in for the lottery between Dec. 1st to Jan. 31st. |
Permit Regulations and Required River Gear |
Group Size
Recommended Equipment
Camp Sanitation
Camp Etiquette
Heritage Resources
Campsites
Tid-Bits
|
Permit Agency URL | http://www.recreation.gov/ |
Application Deadline | January 31 |
Application Fee | $6.00 |
Permit Fee |
Type | Name | Description | Camping? | Water? | Boat Ramp? | Vehicle Access |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Put-In | Paradise launch ramp |
The put in is by the Paradise Campground where White Cap Creek meets the Selway. Since the bank is steep there is a launch ramp to get gear down to the river. The drive to the put in is very long, but the road is either paved or dirt road in excellent condition so it isn't too bad. From Darby Montana on US93, drive south until you reach the West Fork Road - it is just before a bridge over the Bitterroot River. Head west, and then turn right onto the Nez Perce Pass Road. Go over te pass to the Magurder Rnager Station and the Selway River. Turn right to reach the Paradise Ranger Station. Don't panic when the Selway looks like a creek when you first see it. Many side streams increase the volume as you make your way towards Paradise, and White Cap Creek at Paradise effectively doubles the volume of the river. |
No | No | Yes | All Vehicles |
Put-In | White Cap Creek put in |
As an alternative to the steep boat ramp at Paradise, you can launch right from the campground on White Cap Creek. There is a small dirt boat ramp with no eddy right in the campground. If you choose this option, scout White Cap Creek carefully all the way to the confluence with the Selway. White Cap Creek is almost the same size as the Selway before the confluence, but it is stlll fast and low volume. At lower water levels it is continuous class III-IV, and it is probably exciting at high water. |
Yes | No | Yes | All Vehicles |
Rapid Name | Description | Scout | Class | Recommended Flow |
---|---|---|---|---|
Slalom Slide Rapid |
This is a rocky rapid that at high water creates holes. |
Read and run or scout from river right trail. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 3000.0 |
Galloping Gertie Rapid |
Run left center to avoid boulders and holes. |
Scout is river right and hard to access due to brush. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 3000.0 |
Washer Woman Rapid |
Boulder blocks the flow. Careful how to pick the route |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 3000.0 |
|
Cougar Bluff Rapid |
The current pushes to the right. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 3000.0 |
|
Holy Smokes |
River bends to the left and then there is a rocky area to be aware of. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 35000.0 |
|
Ping Pong Alley |
This is a wide area of the river. It is a shallow rock garden area and will get worse in lower river levels. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 35000.0 |
|
Goat Creek Rapid |
A large boulder garden that requires scouting. |
Scout this rapid on the left. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 35000.0 |
Rodeo Rapid |
A short section where the river drops over a boulder at the end. |
III to III+ |
Minimum: 700.0 Maximum: 35000.0 |
|
Pettibone Creek Rapid |
The current pushes toward the left. There are holes and boulders at the end of the rapid. |
II to II+ |
Minimum: 35000.0 Maximum: |
|
Dog Creek Rapid |
It is a read and run rapid |
II to II+ |
Minimum: 32000.0 Maximum: |
|
Magpie Creek Rapid |
A read and run rapid. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: 32000.0 Maximum: |
|
Green Eggs (False Ham) rapid |
Rapid has huge boulders on the left side of the river. |
II to II+ |
Minimum: 32000.0 Maximum: |
|
Ham Rapid |
There are large boulders that block the channel. |
Scout from the left. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
Hell Creek Rapid |
Read and run. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
|
Hell Creek Rapid |
Read and run. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
|
Hell Creek Rapid |
Read and run. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
|
Hopwood Creek Rapid |
Read and run. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
|
Clamp Creek Rapid |
Has two parts to this rapid. The upper has boulders on the right. The lower has a boulder drop. |
IV- to V |
Minimum: Maximum: |
Camp Name | Description | Fee? | Beach? |
---|---|---|---|
Bad Luck Bar Camp |
A larger camp on river left. |
No | No |
Waldo Bar Camp |
Large beach site on river right with minimal shade. |
No | Yes |
Driftwood Bar Camp |
On River right. Good size camp with nice shade in the afternoon. |
No | No |
Running Creek Bridge |
On river left. Located upstream from Running Creek Ranch. It is a large campsite with trees. |
No | No |
Running Creek Flat |
Located river right past the pack bridge. There are three possible campsites. All sites are large with a beach and trees. The farthest camp has a lower bank and is easiest to carry gear. |
No | Yes |
Archer Point |
Located river left and below Ping Pong Alley. There is a large beach and a lot of areas with trees. |
No | Yes |
Goat Creek Camp |
On river left. It is a small sandy camp that is located in a wooded area. A great campsite. |
No | No |
Little Goat Creek |
Located river left. A large campsite with a lot of trees and shade. |
No | Yes |
Shearer Airstrip Camp |
Located river left next to the airstrip. It is a large campsite with grassy areas and some trees. |
No | No |
Cougar Flats |
Located river right. A large campsite with trees. |
No | Yes |
White Tail Flats |
Located river right. This camp is right next to the forest. It is large and has trees. |
No | No |
Mills Camp |
On river left. This campsite was burned recently. It has a few trees but is a large camp. |
No | Yes |
Opposite Bear Creek |
Located river left. It is a similar camp to Mills camp. |
No | Yes |
Bear Creek |
Located river right. A small camp but it has pleny of tent sites and is very shady. |
No | No |
Unnamed Campsite |
On river left. Has a few trees and is a larger campsite. |
No | No |
Big Cedar Camp |
Located river right. It is a large camp with a lot of pine trees. |
No | No |
Black Sands |
On river left. It has a large beach with trees. |
No | Yes |
Dead Elk |
This came is on the right after Pettibone Creek. It has a few trees and is a small camp |
No | No |
No | No | ||
Rattlesnake Bar Camp |
A large camp on river right. Has several trees and a good beach. |
No | Yes |
Roots |
On river left. Located downstream of two large trees with roots hanging form the river bank. It is a small camp. |
No | No |
The following fish species are often found on this run. If you don't see a fish that you know lives on this river, please login and associate that fish species.
Fish Name | Description |
---|---|
Rainbow Trout |
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. |
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Name | Description | |
---|---|---|
|
Hells Canyon Shuttle Inc |
Hells Canyon Shuttle Inc. is a family owned business in Hells Canyon with over 30 years of experience in the industry. We offer shuttles to the various destination on the Snake River. We are Federally Licensed and insured. |
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