| Put In: |
South Fork Road Bridge |
| Take Out: |
Smith River Confluence |
| Difficulty: |
Class III
first 12 miles , Class IV
IV-V in South Fork Gorge , Class V
IV-V in South Fork Gorge
|
| Gradient: |
35 ft/mi |
| Run Length: |
13 miles; longer and shorter trips possible. |
| Current Streamflow: |
2670 cfs @ 02/10/2012 08:45 AM - SMITH R NR CRESCENT CITY CA, reading taken from USGS
|
| Good Level: |
500-3,000 cfs |
| Season Comments: |
January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December
|
| Permit: |
None presently required. |
| Character/Similar To: |
Nearly 12 miles of exciting Class III whitewater before approaching South Fork Gorge, a mile of Class IV-V rapids. Most of the rapids are technical boulder gardens at low and moderate flows. |
| Hazards: |
South Fork Gorge. Brush and snags in the river channel. |
| Water Craft: |
kayak,wwcan,raft |
| Land Ownership: |
Mostly National Forest |
| Wilderness: |
No |
| Camping on River: |
Excellent beaches for camping along the river. Big Flat Forest Service campground is just upstream from the put-in. State park campsites available 3 miles below the take-out. |
| Location: |
In the Pacific Region (CA), 400 miles Northwest of Sacramento |
| Shuttle Logistics: |
Put-in: Turn south off Hwy 199, 3 miles east of Jedediah Smith State Park, onto South Fork Road and follow it about 13 miles upstream. Put-in at the bridge across the river.
Take-out: To avoid running South Fork Gorge, take-out via a trail from a turnout beside South Fork Road near Caltrans marker 2.05. Those running the gorge may choose among several take-outs. Two of the easier take-outs may be found at the state park campground, 2 miles downstream from the gorge and the confluence with the Main Smith, or at the Hwy 199 bridge a mile and a half farther. |
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Lodging in California
