Royal Gorge (Soda Springs to Tadpole Creek)
California – US
- Class
- V to V+
- Length
- 25 Mile(s)
- Put-in elevation
- 5,824 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 2,932 Feet
- Typical season
- March to July
Current Flow
87 CFS
Gauge height: 0.46 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:15 PM
▼ -0.38/hr (12h) ▼ -0.19/hr (24h)
Don't bother
- Primary gauge
- NF AMERICAN R A NORTH FORK DAM CA Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 750 |
| Average | 1,200 |
| Maximum | 2,000 |
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 American River, North Fork begins it's life just behind Squaw Valley ski resort on the west facing slopes of the sierras. Professional kayakers have scoped out and started adding this run to their repertoir. The north fork is very steep and small up here and contains a handful of sizable waterfalls. Portaging is common (even for the best kayakers) but for those who choose to run (and have the ability to) these drops can say they've completed the "Royal Flush" of the Royal Gorge.
The remote nature combines with the serious whitewater and need to overnight on the river make this a logistical and committing run. Only expert boaters should be messing around up here. Do some youtube searching to see what kind of waterfalls and drops the pros are running here.
This run only goes in the springtime with snowmelt (making the water cold and dry suits a necessary). Sometimes hard summer rains may make this runnable but catching rain and getting in here are tough to do.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper Heath Falls | V to V+ | 750–2,000 | This is the first of the big falls that make up the Royal Flush. The height of this drop is about 45 feet. A turbulent sliding rapid leads into Upper Heath. |
Scout above the drop-in rapid on river left. Safety can also be set here as there isn't much room from the base of the falls to the Lower Heath Drop. |
| 2 | Lower Heath Falls | V to V+ | 750–2,000 | This drop is around 55 feet and is slightly bigger than the falls up river. The bottom of this drop has a cave/grotto area that could be an issue for swimmers or boaters not on top of things. This is especially hazardous at higher flows. Setup safety appropriately. |
Scout river left. Typically scouted when you scout the upper falls. |
| 3 | Rattlesnake Falls | V to V+ | 700–2,000 | This drop is just below the hikers bridge and also near the typical 1st night's camp. Height is around 55 feet. |
Scouting, filming, safety and/or portaging can be done on river left. |
| 4 | Scott's Drop | V to V+ | 700–2,000 | This is a double drop with each drop being about 50 feet in height for a total of 100 feet. This is the crux of the Royal Gorge. |
Scout, portage and setup what safety you can from river left. |
| 5 | Wabena Falls | V to V+ | 700–2,000 | This is around a 70 foot waterfall. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Soda Springs Bridge | 5,824 Feet | No | No | No | 4WD Only | Take the Soda Springs exit off of I-80 just west of Donner's Summit. Follow the Soda Springs dirt road south until it eventually crosses the North Fork of the American. This is your starting point to an epic float. |
| Take-Out | Tadpole Creek Trail | 2,932 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | Trail is on river left and follows the drainage to the south the trailhead on Forrest Hill Road. A lot of boaters simply continue on down river through generation and giant gaps. |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palisades Camp | No | No | Mainly used by back country back packers. If you're running the Royal Gorge, this makes a good first night camp. |
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.