Hike-in wilderness runs are typically the realm of difficult whitewater but this is a rare exception: the upper reach of the North Fork Salmon River in the Marble Mountain Wilderness Area is a beautiful class III+ run well-suited for packrafts, IKs, and kayaks. At high flows, the river becomes continuous class IV.
Rapids are fairly constant and are formed on bedrock and boulder bars. This is a small river with technical moves, small eddies, and some bouncy drops but, at medium flows, nothing much exceeds class III+ (but its remoteness factor will amplify any mishap). Be prepared for a full day, cold water, and likely a portage or two or ten for wood obstructions (you will almost certainly encounter wood, so be alert). With a reasonable morning start and no unusual delays, a nimble group should be able to complete the hike in and paddle out with the available daylight of a mid-winter day--and this run is most often in at good flows in winter but it also has a spring runoff season.
The run begins with action right away, and the section from the put-in to below Abbott Ranch has a number of rapids in a narrow, rock-walled gorge. Below the ranch, the river's pace ebbs and flows, but it is is mostly non-stop whitewater action the entire way. Several sections stand out as containing more and larger continuous rapids. At high flows, the entire run is large and continuous with no pools, few eddies, big waves, powerful holes, and current flowing through trees and wood on both banks.
You'll easily recognize the Mule Bridge when you reach it. Take out on river right below the bridge or, to extend the run, continue downriver for 2.4 more miles through the Mule Bridge Run (III/IV-) to Idlewild Campground or for a long day on the upper North Fork, continue through the Idlewild Run to finish at the take-out at the downriver end of Sawyers Bar.
The North Fork Salmon-Salmon-Klamath River reach is the second longest river reach in the Lower 48 states that is designated as Wild and Scenic from source to sea. Paddling this run out to the Pacific Ocean would be an amazing source-to-sea journey of 114 river miles.
Flows
Because it is higher in the watershed on the smaller of the Salmon River's two forks, this run is best when the mainstem Salmon is at higher flows. Ideal flows are about 4,000 (low but OK) to 7,000 (medium) cfs on the Salmon River gage at Somes Bar, depending on a number of factors..
Because this run is nearly 50 miles upstream of the gage on a fork of the river, flows sometimes don't correlate well to the gage; it may be spot on, higher, or lower than you would expect. Only 5.5% of the Salmon River's watershed is upstream of the put-in (and 7.7% upstream of the take-out), so getting a read on flows here from the USGS Somes Bar gage is a frought pursuit. Rain and snowmelt dynamics also factor in: a greater proportion of the gage's measured flow will be in the river this high up during rain-free snowmelt periods than during rain or rain-on-snow periods.
Use the public phone ate the entrance to Idlewild Campground make a free call to Waterline to get the latest hourly gage reading before starting your wilderness hike: dial 1-800-452-1737 and enter 063221 to get the Salmon River at Somes Bar gage. Keep in mind there's a considerable time offset between this run and the gage (often about 10 hours).
Logistics
_Getting to Mule Bridge Trailhead (start of hike and also the take-out)_ To reach the
Mule Bridge Trailhead, drive 2.4 miles up Forest Service road 41N37 from the Idlewild Campground (which is at the junction of Sawyers Bar Road and the NF Salmon River). It's a dirt road with one short section that tends to be rocky but usually passable by any vehicle.
_Hiking to the Right Hand Fork confluence put-in (7.1 miles)_ From the trailhead, cross the Mule Bridge and begin hiking up the river on the North Fork Trail. You'll soon encounter a sign indicating that you are entering the
Marble Mountain Wilderness Area. The lightning-caused 2017 Wallow Fire burned the entire length of this run and trail but with mostly beneficial fire effects along the river. Nevertheless, you'll see signs of the Forest Service's rampant post-fire chainsawing of large trees along the trail. The trail is fairly level and is often close enough to the river to get a look at its magical waters. In total, there is 1,500 feet of vertical gain on the trail but no steep grades or extended climbs.
After about four miles of hiking, you will cross another hiker's bridge that will carry you across to the river right side. Scout the rapid above the bridge while hiking so you don't have to get out when running the river. Check downstream of the bridge for wood obstuctions too; this gorge has been blocked with wood (and is as of 5/18/2024).
You'll notice some rock work, fencing, and old cabin along the trail after the bridge; this is the historic Keys Abbott Ranch, and it is private property. For those looking to get off the trail and in the river either because of time, fatigue, or because there is lingering snowpack on the trail, pass the old ranch a short ways to get back onto public land and scramble down to the river. For those looking to do the full run, continue hiking upriver on the trail for another 1.5 miles until you reach the confluence of the North Fork and its Right Hand Fork. There is a nice, small camp here between the trail and the river. The put-in is in the pool at the confluence by this camp. There is a small wood sign on a trailside tree marking the Right Hand Fork.
Camping
There is free camping at
Mule Bridge Campground and also at a few dispersed sites along road 41N37. The
Idlewild Campground has awesome riverside camping, a public phone, restroom, water, but no trash receptacles. There is a fee to camp here but, unfortunately, it is sometimes closed and gated for the winter and early spring (it was open in winter 2023-24). The free
Red Bank Campground is about 14 miles downriver of Idlewild on the North Fork Salmon near road milemarker 7 and is also open all year.
It's not necessary to make this run an overnight trip but, if you did, there's some amazing camping along its banks.
Additional Information
Salmon River Restoration Council's Whitewater Recreation Page \- great overview and detail on the whitewater of the Salmon River drainage
Salmon River Hazard Map \- map of known hazards in the river and tributaries