Iron Gate Dam to Happy Camp
California – US
- Class
- II to III
- Length
- 84 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 13 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 2,172 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 1,913 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
895 CFS
Gauge height: 1.73 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:15 PM
▼ -0.50/hr (12h) ▼ -0.25/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- KLAMATH R BL IRON GATE DAM CA Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 1,000 |
| Average | 7,000 |
| 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
This is a long stretch of river between the Iron Gate Dam and Happy Camp. Most of the run is roadside to CA 96 so you can easily shorten this into days runs. This is a good beginner section of water for Kayaks and Canoes as most of the run is Class II with 1 Class III rapid.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lumgrey Creek Rapid | III to III+ | 800–20,000 | A couple of class III drops on a left hand turn in the river. |
Scout from the road or right bank if you want. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Iron Gate Dam Access | 2,172 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Put in right below the Dam where Lakeview Dr. crosses the river. |
| Take-Out | Tree of Heaven Campground Access | 1,913 Feet | Yes | Yes | Yes | All Vehicles | This campground off of Highway 96 can be used as a takout or putin to lenghten or shorten your run on the Klamath. Below this access site is the biggest rapid on this stretch so if you don't feel like running it you can take out here. |
| Take-Out | Happy Camp Access | 1,050 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Take off in Happy Camp just off of 96. |
Camps
No river camps added yet.
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
No external links or resources added yet.
Sign in to add a link.
Community Run Notes
No community notes added yet.
Sign in to add a community note.