Snake River - Pittsburg Landing to Heller Bar

Description

The snake river is considered a scenic river at this point. This is still a remote canyon with many class II rapids and camps. Many boaters float this section by continuing from the Hells Canyon run, putting in at Pittsburg Landing, or floating in from the lower Salmon River where it joins the Snake River in this section.

There are many Jetboats on this section of river so make sure to not enter any rapids if the jet boat has already commited to running the rapid.

Statistics

Author
Class	II to III
Current Flow	12700.0 CFS 12-04-2024 10:45
Recommended Flow	Minimum: 6000.0 Average: 30000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Typical Season	Begins: January Ends: December
Recommended Use	Kayaking: Yes Rafting: Yes Canoeing: Yes SUP: No Packrafting: No Fishing: Yes
Primary Gauge	SNAKE RIVER BL MCDUFF RAPIDS AT CHINA GARDENS, ID
Length	46.0 Mile(s)
Gradient	FPM

Type	Name	Description	Camping?	Water?	Boat Ramp?	Vehicle Access
Put-In	Pittsburg Landing	See description here for access info.	No	No	No	All Vehicles
Put-In	Dug Bar Boat Ramp	An access option for this portion of the snake.	Yes	No	Yes	4WD Only
Take-Out	Heller Bar Boat Ramp	This take-out and launch site features a concrete boat ramp, toilets, and parking. From here it is 21 miles to Asotin, Washington via graveled and paved road.	No	No	Yes	All Vehicles

Rapid Name	Description	Scout	Class	Recommended Flow
Lower Pittsburg Rapid	Follow the main wavetrain downriver	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Upper Pleasant Valley Rapid	Right channel is more rocky and left channel can be run too.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Lower Pleasant Valley Rapid	A long stretch of class II water.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Davis Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Unnamed Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Somers Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Cottonwood Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Lookout Creek Rapid	Run wavetrain on left side, rockier and shallow on right.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Lower Lookout Creek Rapid	Run towards the left again.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Highrange Rapid	Follow the V from river right to river left going with the flow	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Copper Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Roland Bar Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Wolf Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Five Pine Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Unnamed Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Dry Creek Rapid	Choose either channel around the island.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Unnamed Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Big Sulphur Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Boulder Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Deep Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Unnamed Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Robinson Gulch Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Dug Creek Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Lower Dug Bar Rapid	Left channel and run has deeper water.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Warm Springs Rapid		Read and run	II to II+	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
White Horse Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Zig Zag Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Divide Creek Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Imnaha Rapid	Look at running right of center	Read and run	III	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Unnamed Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Mountain Sheep Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Salmon River Falls Rapid	This long wave train, with strong eddy turbulence, is often congested. Take precautions to avoid power boat and float boat mishaps	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Frenchy Rapid		Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Cook Creek Rapid	Big class II water	read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Cougar Bar Rapids			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
McDuff Rapid	Large waves at the top, littered with rocks at the bottom.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Shovel Creek Rapid	Good sized waves with a few rocks and holes.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Wild Goose Rapid	Short drop with turbulent waves	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Deer Head Rapids	Long string of large waves which get bigger as river flows drop.	Read and run	II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0
Limekiln Rapid			II	Minimum: 5000.0 Maximum: 80000.0

Camp Name	Description	Fee?	Beach?
Pleasant Valley Camps	Several camp options exist here on river right.	No	No
Davis Creek Camp	River left	No	No
McCarty Creek Camp	On river left	No	No
Big Canyon Camp	River right	No	No
Lower Big Canyon Camp	River right	No	No
Somers Creek Camp	River left just above the Somers Creek outlet	No	No
Small Camp	River left	No	No
Tryon Creek Camp	River left	No	No
Lookout Creek Camp	River left	No	No
Getta Creek Camp	River right	No	Yes
Ragtown Bar Camps	Camps on river right above and below the Copper Creek Rapid	No	Yes
Bob Creek Camp	On river left.	No	Yes
Above Thorn Creek Camp	River right	No	No
Bar Creek Camp	On river left	No	No
Above Robinson Camp	River left	No	No
Robinson Gulch Camp	River left	No	No
Dug Bar Camp	River left	No	No
Zig Zag Camp	River right	No	No
Divide Creek Camp	River right	No	No
China Bar Camp	River left	No	Yes
Imnaha Camp	River left below the Imnaha outlet and above the Imnaha rapid	No	Yes
Eureka Camp	River left	No	No
Knight Creek Camp	River left	No	No
Salmon Mouth Camp	River right, right at the confluence	No	Yes
Salmon Falls Camp	River right	No	Yes
Salmon Bar Camp	River left	No	Yes
Cave Cove	A small camp on river left	No	No
Geneva Bar Camp	River left This is a large, popular sand beach camp spot, the first after leaving the confluence area.	No	Yes
Cook Creek Camp	River left	No	Yes
Sentinel Rock	River left	No	Yes
Upper Jim Creek Camp	River left	No	Yes
Lower Jim Creek Camp	River left	No	Yes
Meat Hole Camp	River right	No	Yes
Upper Cottonwood Creek Camp	River right. A boiler from the steamer “Imnaha,” which cruised these waters at the turn of the century, can be seen on the beach.	No	Yes
Lower Cottonwood Creek Camp	River right	No	Yes
Upper Cougar Bar Camp	River right	No	Yes
Coon Hollow Camp	River left.	No	Yes
Coon Island Camp	River left.	No	No
Garden Creek Camp	River left	No	No
Upper Cache Creek Camp	River left	No	Yes
Lower Cache Creek Camp	River left.	No	No

Name	Type
Copper Creek Resort	Historical Place
Mountain Chief Mine Tunnel	Historical Place
Cache Creek Ranch	Landmark

Snake River - Pittsburg Landing to Heller Bar

Idaho-US Oregon-US Washington-US

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