White Sands to White Pine (Indian Grave Creek)
Idaho – US
- Class
- II to III
- Length
- 20 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 28 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 3,439 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 2,741 Feet
- Typical season
- April to October
Current Flow
1,810 CFS
Gauge height: 3.28 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 11:00 PM
▼ -3.33/hr (12h) ▼ -1.67/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- LOCHSA RIVER NR LOWELL ID Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 500 |
| Average | 5,000 |
| Maximum | 20,000 |
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
This section of the Lochsa is a good beginner/intermediate run (especially at lower flows). Many camping options and a few class III rapids makes this a quick trip for people coming from the Missoula area. Canoeists should be able to handle this run too.
Minimum level for kayak is 500, rafters should look closer to the 1K CFS range as a minimum.
Highway 12 follows the river the entire way so lengthening or shortening this run is easy to do. Road scouting, bailing out and portaging are all options unless river levels are really high. Higher flows tend to wash out eddies and the whole river tends to flush making swims long and possibly dangerous without proper gear (ie Dry Suit, etc.)
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cold Storage Rapid | III | 3,500–20,000 | Read and run for the most part. |
Scout from the road if you wish |
| 2 | Unnamed Rapid | II to III | 1,000–20,000 | Read and run |
|
| 3 | Warm Springs Rapid | II to III | 1,000–20,000 | River makes a large right hand turn. Read and run |
|
| 4 | Jerry Johnson Rapid | II+ to III | 1,000–20,000 | Some waves and a rapid near the Jerry Johnson Campgroud. Read and run |
|
| 5 | Colgate Licks Rapids | II+ to III | 1,000–20,000 | River makes a right hand turn and straightens out near the colgate licks trailhead. River drops a little steeper in this area. Read and run. |
|
| 6 | Indian Grave Creek Rapid | II+ to III | 1,000–20,000 | Read and run |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | White Sands Campground | 3,439 Feet | Yes | No | No | All Vehicles | This is a fee campground with a handful of sites and access to the river. Exit onto the White Sands access road from Highway 12 (turn south around MM 163) |
| Take-Out | White Pine Access | 2,741 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Easy access point from Highway 12 (near MM 139 to 140) |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powell Campground | Yes | No | Access from Highway 12 (MM 162). Lot's of sites for camping. This is a fee area. You can also access the river from several of the campsites or up the road at the Powell ranger station. |
| White House Camp | Yes | No | Smaller fee camp between the road and the river. |
| Wendover Campground | Yes | No | Larger fee site |
| Jerry Johnson Campground | Yes | No | This is a larger fee site. Campsites are fairly exposed though. Definitely better camping options in the canyon but a camp is a camp if you need one. |
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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