California – US
- Class
- III to III+
- Length
- 8 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 23 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 698 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 481 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
324 CFS
Gauge height: 1.6 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:45 PM
▼ -80.42/hr (12h) ▼ -40.21/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- AMERICAN RIVER AT CHILI BAR Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 800 |
| Average | 1,500 |
| Maximum | 4,000 |
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
The Gorge on the South Fork is another extremely popular run that goes from Greenwood Creek to Folsom Reservoir. It's close proximity to Sacramento and many other Northern CA towns makes this an easy go to. Commercial companies have a strong presence here and weekends can be a zoo. So if you are looking for a solitary float this is not the run for you. However, if you want a nice class III romp in a rural gorge in the clear waters of the south fork then this is a great run. Kayakers wanting to step up to Class III level will want to put this on their todo list. Rafters have plenty of waves and holes to hit plus flat water to have their much needed water fights on summer nights. This section is probably a little easier than the Chili Bar run but can still be as fun.
The South Fork is Dam controlled and this run can be run all year long as long as you catch the dam releases. Springtime will bring bigger runoff flows.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cable Car Rapid | II to II+ | 800–4,000 | The river makes a right hand turn and a minor rapid is formed near an island. Most of the flow is in the right channel. |
Read and run |
| 2 | Fowler's Rock Rapid | III to III+ | 800–4,000 | This ends most of the flat water sections that lead up to here. This is also where the true "gorge" part of this run starts. A small zig zag in the river near very large rocks (Fowler's rock) takes you left and then right. |
Read and run |
| 3 | Haystack Rapids | II+ to III- | 800–4,000 | A long straight section of waves. Fun read and run rapid |
|
| 4 | Lost Hat Rapid | III- to III | 800–4,000 | River starts to drop here creating some nice waves. This rapid leads you into Satan's Cesspool which is just below. |
|
| 5 | Satan's Cesspool | III+ | 800–4,000 | This rapid is the best candidate for the crux on the gorge section. A large hole forms here. The river cuts right through some bedrock. At higher flows a sneak option exists on river right. Paddle hard and punch the hole for smaller craft. Rafts better make sure to square up and hit the hole straight on. |
|
| 6 | Son of Satan's (Dead Man's Drop) | II+ to III- | 800–4,000 | A short pool separates this rapid from Satan's Cesspool above. At higher flows, those unfortuneate swimmers from above here will probably get flished into this rapid. Most of the current piles up on the right hand bank but boaters can generally pull away from it when needed. |
|
| 7 | Scissors Rapid | III | 800–4,000 | A read and run class III as the river turns left heading into lower haystack canyon. |
|
| 8 | Lower Haystack Canyon | II+ to III | 800–4,000 | Another straight shot of fun waves. |
|
| 9 | Bouncing Rock Rapid | II+ to III | 800–4,000 | A large hole on the right with sneak options on the left. |
|
| 10 | Triage (Pre-Op) Rapid | III- to III | 800–4,000 | More waves and possible holes as the river continues to turn right. |
Read and run |
| 11 | Hospital Bar | III to III+ | 800–4,000 | A rocky section leads into a left facing diagnol hole. The farther right you are on the hole the bigger and more retentive it gets. |
|
| 12 | Recovery Room Rapid | III- to III | 800–4,000 | Another hole here. Paddle and punch through it. |
Read and run |
| 13 | Surprise Rapid | III- to III | 800–4,000 | This rapid is only around on low reservoir years. A funnel constriction on the river as the river bends left. |
Read and run |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Greenwood Access | 698 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | See access description here. |
| Take-Out | Salmon Falls bridge Access | 481 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | After paddling the last of the flat water your take out is on the right near the bridge. Plenty of parking, restrooms and day use fees. |
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.