Idaho – US
- Class
- II to III
- Length
- 10 Mile(s)
- Put-in elevation
- 4,727 Feet
- Take-out elevation
- 4,526 Feet
- Typical season
- May to September
Current Flow
1,540 CFS
Gauge height: 6.93 FT
Reading from Jul 10, 2026 10:00 PM
● 0.00/hr (12h) ● 0.00/hr (24h)
Get out there
- Primary gauge
- NF PAYETTE RIVER NR BANKS ID Gauge detail & alternatives Live gauge ↗
Recommended levels
| Minimum | 750 |
| Average | 1,500 |
| Maximum | 3,500 |
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 section begins below Cascade Lake where the North Fork of the Payette moves from the valley area into the canyon. Cabarton is a great intermediate run for those wanting to get on the North Fork without having to deal with the class V carnage that lies below here.
The run begins by entering a small canyon and you are away from the main highway for a while. Most rapids fall in the II to III range at normal flows and are fairly forgiving as they tend to be seperated by pools for the most part.
If you are in the area and are kayaking you should spend some time surfing at Kelly's Whitewater park upriver from here. For rafters doing an overnighter here you will need to pack out everything (ie Groovers needed). Most run this as a day run though.
Rapids
| # | Rapid | Class | Recommended flow | Description | Scout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tressel Rapid | III to III+ | 3,500–— | As soon as the railroad bridge comes into view get ready for some splashes. Up until this point the run has mostly been calm and scenic. Just above the bridge the wave train starts (no pun intended). As you round the corner the rapid keeps going and get's more involved. Boats that get pinned or flipped on the bridge pilons will have a decent swim ahead of them. For the most part this rapid is III but it you add the length and some of the obvious hazards like the bridge (especially mixed with high water) you will want to give some respect to this rapid. |
Scout from above on either the right or left. Hard to see the river below the bend though so prepare for some read and run. |
| 2 | Howard's Plunge | III to III+ | 3,500–— | This is the last biggie before the run ends. This is essentially a giant funnel as the river squeezes down here. Flipping is possible on any craft. IK's and Kayakers will get worked more than rafts here (in general). On the positive side there is a nice big calm pool below here you can use to gather all your gear together before if you swim before the take out. |
Can scout on river right or from the road if you need or want to. |
Access
| Type | Name | Elevation | Camping | Water | Boat ramp | Vehicle access | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Put-In | Cabarton Put In | 4,727 Feet | No | No | Yes | All Vehicles | Take the Cabarton road west off of Highway 55 (just south of Cascade, ID). Where the road crosses the river there is a put in near the bridge. The river heads into a canyon here and the access is obvious. |
| Take-Out | Cabarton Take Out | 4,526 Feet | No | No | No | All Vehicles | After highway 55 meets up with the payette follow it south to just before the Smith Ferry road. The take out is located above the bridge on river right or the east side of the road. Make sure to not miss the take out as the river get's a little crazy 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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