Greenwood to Mammoth Bar
California – US
- Class
- II to II+
- Length
- 7 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 12 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 727 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 619 Feet
- Typical season
- January to December
Current Flow
404 CFS
Gauge height: 8.58 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:00 PM
▼ -50.00/hr (12h) ▼ -25.00/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- MIDDLE FK AMERICAN R NR OXBOW PH Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 750 |
| Average | 1,500 |
| Maximum | 3,000 |
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 might be the best beginner kayak run near Sacramento and Auburn. You could run the South Fork C to G section if you like lots and lots and lots of people. But if you want a little more solitude, forgiving rapids and a more wilderness'y feel, then you should consider this part of the middle fork.
There is 1 harder class III to IV rapid on this section but boaters can easily portage it.
Mammoth Bar is an OHV use area and can have restrictions. See the website for more details on mammoth bar.
If you decide to continue downriver past mammoth bar be advised that there is a class V rapid just below the take out. Portaging recommended. See rapid descriptions below.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ledge Rapid | II to III | 700–4,000 | Hardest rapid on this stretch of the middle fork. The farther right you run it the easier it gets. |
Read and run or easily scout and/or portage on river left. |
| 2 | Murderer's Bar Rapid | V | 700–3,000 | A very boulder strewn part of the river here with tight constrictions and possible sieves. Portaging recommended |
Scout and portage on either side of the river. |
| 3 | Confluence Rapid | III to IV | 700–3,000 | Just above the confluence with of the middle and north forks is a sizable rapid. Most of the water from Greenwood down to here is mainly class II with the exception of a class V portage just below mammoth bar. If you do float down to here, this rapid has a chute on the right and then a very small pool with most of the current going down a chute on the left. Hard move is to get from right to left in time. |
Scout river right. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Greenwood Access | 727 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Take Driver's Flat road down to the river from the Forresthill Road. Some dirt roads. |
| Take-Out | Mammoth Bar | 619 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | When you see the dirt bikes flying around the OHV track you've reached the take out. Pull out on river right. This is a fee area. |
| Take-Out | HW 49 Bridge | 586 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Park just east of the bridge where 49 turns south towards Coloma. This is the last good take out before getting to Folsom reservoir and having to paddle through the lake (which is a fair amount of miles below here). |
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
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Community Run Notes
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