Lower Salmon
Vinegar Creek to the Snake River confluence · Class II–IV · ID
Snapshot from Oct 22, 2026. Live reading loading.
Runnable range 2,000 to 20,000 cfs. This is a draft estimate that paddlers have not reviewed yet.
- Season
- Self-issue permit needed for day trips below Hammer Creek Jul 1 to Labor Day, and for overnights year-round
- Character
- About 112 miles of Class II to IV whitewater, with about 53 miles below White Bird that are roadless and reachable only by boat.
- Watch for
- Remote below White Bird. Get an Idaho Invasive Species Sticker for most non-motorized boats.
- Gauge
- USGS 13317000
Salmon River at White Bird
No reading in the Oct 22, 2026 snapshot. - Permit
- Self-issued
Free self-issue permit at the launch areas or online. Needed for overnights year-round and for day trips below Hammer Creek in summer.
Fees and rules
Self-issue permits are at no cost. Day use is free, and overnight fees apply only at Hammer Creek, Slate Creek and Pine Bar campgrounds.
No private permit is required from Vinegar Creek to Hammer Creek. Private trips below Hammer Creek need a self-issue permit from Jul 1 to Labor Day, and all overnight private trips need one year-round. Permits are available at White Bird Gravel Pit, Hammer Creek, Pine Bar, Graves/Rock Creek, the BLM office in Cottonwood, or online through the Idaho BLM website. Commercial and organized group use needs a Special Recreation Permit from the BLM Cottonwood Field Office (208-962-3245). An Idaho Invasive Species Sticker is required for most non-motorized boats.
Source: BLM Lower Salmon River pages and permit details PDF. Group size limits are not stated there.
- Snowpack
- Salmon River (Idaho)Early season
Snow water equivalent 0.5 in. Early season — median too low for a meaningful %.
Outlook indicator, not a flow forecast. Spring temperatures, rain, soil moisture, dust on snow and reservoir releases also matter. NRCS SNOTEL data as of Nov 1, 2026 (provisional).
Trip reports
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