Coloma to Greenwood - (C to G)
California – US
- Class
- II to III-
- Length
- 5 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 17 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 709 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 692 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
515 CFS
Gauge height: 2.11 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▼ -64.50/hr (12h) ▼ -32.25/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- AMERICAN RIVER AT CHILI BAR Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 500 |
| Average | 1,500 |
| Maximum | 15,000 |
Recommended use
- Kayaking
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- SUP
- Packrafting
- Fishing
Struck-through craft are not recommended for this run.
Flow history — last 6 days
No gauge history recorded in the last 6 days.
Photos
No photos added for this run yet.
Description
A good beginner run that can be run in canoes, kayaks, or rafts. Stretches of flat water interspersed with mainly class II rapids. Flow is controlled by Dam so year round floating is possible.
Many boaters running the gorge will also put in here and float this section to make a longer run.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barking Dogs Honking Geese | II to II+ | 800–4,000 | A few waves and contrictions here as the river makes some turns |
Read and run |
| 2 | Current Divider Rapid | II to II+ | 800–4,000 | A small island divides the river with most of the flow in the right channel. Rafts probably should go right, kayakers could choose any route. |
|
| 3 | Highway Rapid | II to II+ | 800–4,000 | As the river makes a left hand turn in front of Highway 49 is a very rocky area. At low flows this is really rocky and manuevering will be needed by most rafters. Kayakers can practice eddy turns and slolom moves here. |
Read and run |
| 4 | Swimmers Rapid | II to II+ | 800–4,000 | Straight forward run |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Henningson County Park | 709 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | See access description here |
| Take-Out | Greenwood Access | 692 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | A decent sized parking lot off of highway 49. A trail leads down to the river. No ramp. |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Camp | Yes | Yes | On river left. Also car accessible. Very popular and nice shady camp right on the river. Campers can also put in or take out here. Reservations are recommended since it is so popular. See http://www.camplotus.com/ for more info. |
Permit
No permit is required, or permit info hasn't been added yet.
Fishing
No fish species have been associated with this run yet.
External Links & Resources
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Community Run Notes
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