East Fork to Challis Bridge
Idaho – US
- Class
- II
- Length
- 20 Mile(s)
- Gradient
- 18.5 FPM
- Put-in elevation
- 5,361 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 4,990 Feet
- Typical season
- March to October
Current Flow
1,730 CFS
Gauge height: 2.79 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 9:45 PM
▲ 2.50/hr (12h) ▲ 1.25/hr (24h)
Hit some laps
- Primary gauge
- SALMON RIVER AT SALMON ID Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗ NOAA river forecast ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 600 |
| Average | 2,000 |
| Maximum | 8,000 |
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 another excellent fishing section. If you like catching steelheads, get your drift boat or fishing raft out and go crazy on this 20 miles stretch. There are several put in and take out options to shorten or lengthen the run.
Not much as far as rapids here. Keep an eye out for sweepers, wood jams (in spring) and rocks. Overall this is a great class II stretch with great scenery. The river turns north at East Fork as it makes it's way to North Fork.
Mt Borah, tallest peak in Idaho, is not far from Challis. If you are in the area it is worth heading over there and looking at the fault line crack left from an earthquake not long ago.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Challis Rock Garden | II | 6,000–— | Once you cross under the bridge the river picks up some. There are more rock features to navigate around. Canoeists and Drift boaters need to be on their toes more here. This can also be a good place for beginning kayakers to practice their eddy outs and ins. |
|
| 2 | Diversion Dam | II | 6,000–— | Stay river left here as the diversion dam is on the right. |
|
| 3 | Diversion Dam | II | 6,000–— | Stay river right here as the diversion dam is on river left. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | East Fork Access | 5,361 Feet | Yes | Yes | Yes | All Vehicles | See access info here. |
| Put-In | Deadman Hole Access | 5,218 Feet | Yes | Yes | Yes | All Vehicles | This is a primitive access area with dispersed camping. If you are wanting to fish from the banks or do a little wading, this is a good area. |
| Put-In | Bayhorse Access and Camps | 5,166 Feet | Yes | Yes | Yes | All Vehicles | This is a nice area with paid camping and spots for trailers or RV's. |
| Take-Out | Challis Bridge | 4,990 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | On the south side of the Highway 93 bridge is the Challis Bridge take out. This is mainly an access point and day access to the river. No camping here. |
Camps
| Camp | Fee | Beach | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below East Fork Camp | No | No | An open area just on the downstream side of the bend on river left. |
| Rattlesnake Creek Camp | No | Yes | A nice sand bar offers open camping at the mouth of Rattlesnake creek on river left. |
| Island Camp | No | No | There are a couple of islands on the river bend. The biggest has decent camping but isn't very shady. |
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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